Knoydart Farm is the Maritimes’ only grass-fed, free-range and certified organic dairy farm. The farm produces milk, creme and dairy available for home delivery or sold at select stores, farmers markets and at the farm. The film showcases the organic farm operations and discuss supply management, business practices and succession planning.
Subjects: Textiles
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Cutting Their Own Cloth: Entrepreneurial Clothing Designers
In this program, we look at two enterprising young sisters turn a lost opportunity into a commercial gain. Twin sisters, Lou and Sophie McDermott, after missing out on the fashion TAFE course of their choice, have set up their own successful business designing and manufacturing club wear. The program examines the processes of setting up a small business from scratch, the issue of mass marketing versus niche marketing, their inspirations for designs, the logistics of manufacturing and the decisions they now have to make to expand the business and keep ahead in a highly competitive market.
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Natural Fibres
The first programme in the Talking Textiles series introduces fibres as being classified natural or man-made, before further categorising the former as animal, vegetable or mineral. A range of animal (protein) fibres are shown, as are the animal sources from which they are obtained, and methods of preparation and production of these fibres are given, examples including shearing, washing and carding in both hand and manufacturing situations. Silk production and the properties of silk are discussed. A range of vegetable (cellulose) fibres are introduced, as are their sources, properties and common usage, and there is a brief discussion of mineral fibres.
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Yarn Construction and Specialist Yarns
The second programme in our UK-produced Talking Textiles series outlines yarn production and the properties of different woven and knitted fabrics. It gives the reasons for twisting yarns, discussing the ‘S’ and ‘Z’ twists and plying yarns, and shows fibres being prepared for spinning plus finished slivers. Primitive methods of spinning such as drop spindle and spinning wheels are shown and related to industrial methods including wool and cotton spinning. Students will also witness fancy yarns production – slub, boucle and chenille – and the properties of these, and the final chapter refers to synthetic filaments which can be created exploiting the thermoplastic qualities of the polymer.
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Environmental, Social, and Economic Issues in Textiles
The third program in the Talking Textile series considers the effect that the manufacturing of cotton has on the planet from an environmental, social and economic perspective. We see that the seemingly harmless manufacturing of fibers to satisfy human needs turns out to hold some less than honorable credentials. The large scale demand for textile related products gives the industry tremendous power to control what people see, feel, and think about themselves, the environment, and the welfare of society. Alternative fibers are considered in this program as are the ever changing needs and wants of customers’ when buying clothing, textiles and fashion.
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Inspiration for Design
This case study program looks at the work of Nicola Cerini and Vicki Mason. Nicola works with textiles and Vicki in jewelry. They both use botanical themes and motifs in their work. Students will gain an understanding of design elements as the aesthetics of their products are discussed. The quality and function of each product is also explored in detail. The designers discuss their choice of materials, the construction processes, the level of finish achieved and how each product has been designed to suit the body. Finally the products are assessed by industry buyers: do the products fulfill their purpose?
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Fiber Growing and Textile Manufacture
Fiber Growing and Textile Manufacture examines a range of new methods for growing and developing environmentally sound textiles for the clothing industry.
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Fashion
Fashion explores how environmental consciousness is translating to the fashion design and clothing manufacturing industries and the impact on the commercial decisions of major clothing retailers.
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Introducing Textiles
This program introduces students to fibers, fabrics and textiles. It tells the story. of the development of fabrics from earliest times to cottage industry, then the move to large factories brought about in the Industrial Revolution. We see how today’s technology has produced fabric types and manufacturing processes that have again revolutionized the industry. The differences between natural and synthetic fibers are looked at. The program then explores the processes used in turning both natural and synthetic fibers into yarns and then into fabrics, and looks at a range of fabric types, their different properties and their uses. Finally, the program looks at recent developments in the industry and the appearance of new fabrics on the scene.