An editorial project by Textile Exchange, Unwoven gathers stories from the source—tracing the materials in our clothing and textiles back to the landscapes, communities, and systems behind them.
Centered around the theme of Local & Global, issue 3 of Unwoven magazine gathers real-world examples of how place-based knowledge and lived experience can inform and reshape global sustainability frameworks in the fashion and textile industry.
“We’re all farming on degraded land to some extent and, unless we regenerate, we will continue to lose the battle against desertification.”
James Brodie, Wool Farmer, Doornplaats Farm
“Organic is our tradition. Earlier, all farming was done without chemicals. We decided to return to that.”
ANNAPURNA, ORGANIC COTTON FARMER, KAMARI VILLAGE IN ODISHA
All around the world, individuals and communities have developed locally adapted systems for producing or recycling materials, regenerating land, and preserving cultural heritage.
This edition spotlights their stories, alongside commentaries on how local insights and reconnection to place might influence broader systems change. It unpacks the idea of adaptation—to environments, policy, and markets—as well as resilience, and how people and landscapes have shaped solutions to pressing sustainability challenges.
From managing an influx of used clothing waste in Ghana, to using legislation to incentivize repair trades in France, to adapting regenerative agriculture in the arid landscapes of Western Australia, each story reveals how deep-rooted local insight can shape new models for the future. These are not isolated case studies, but practical pathways showing how regional solutions can strengthen global resilience.
The cover is made from 50% hemp fiber paper, the inside pages are printed on recycled paper, and the magazine features open binding with a different color thread for each edition. Physical copies were distributed at our annual Textile Exchange Conference, as well as an exclusive giveaway on our Instagram.
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Thank you to our contributors: Aditi Mayer, Alejandra Orosco, Bronwyn Botha, Carl van der Linde, Claudio Sala, Colèchi, Erwann Petersen, Faiza Salman, Megan Doyle, Nikita Fabbro, Priyadarshini Ravichandran, Rakshanda Bhat, Sabiha Çimen, Sophie Benson, Tonia-Marie Parker, and Tristan McKenzie
Special thanks to: Asociación Internacional de la Alpaca (AIA), Evelyn Diaz and family, FibreTrace, James Brodie, Kipaş Textiles, Magnum Photos, Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA), Prospect Pastoral, Säntis Textiles, and The Or Foundation
The post From Local to Global: Inside Unwoven Issue 03 appeared first on Textile Exchange.
