Craftsmanship, women, business and sustainability

What 'about' STUDY 34? 

I haven’t read many ‘about’ pages that have left me excited. Have you?

As someone who has to write one, I can tell you it’s a real challenge. And not a task, like others, that can be ticked off a long list of to do’s and forgotten about, as I’ll explain...

Of course I know why STUDY 34 exists and what I’m trying to achieve, but I find it immensely hard to express in a short paragraph, or in 60 seconds on a stage. 

Craftsmanship, women, business and sustainability are four words that encompass STUDY 34 to me. They are the foundation upon which STUDY 34 is built and continues to grow and it is the industries overlapping these areas that truly interest me. 

I cannot foresee the exact future of my business.

There, I’ve said it.

Not a great thing according to most “experts”.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t have meaningful goals that I am working to. I’m just not so rigid with things. I like to leave room for exploration and new discoveries – be it skills or materials, makers or products.

So with all this in mind, I find the required ‘about page’, a hard one to tackle.

Words on a page seem so static, final. Mere facts. I don’t know the answer because I’m still experimenting and I feel like it requires me to capture a moment in time when I feel I am still learning. What I feel is most interesting and important today, I probably won’t next month.

When I first started this blog, I wanted to write about brands doing interesting things in the fashion and sustainability space, then I focused on highlighting ideas and concepts that were interesting, and articles that were thought provoking. After that, I decided to write my own thoughts on the issues surrounding fashion and sustainability and now I’m trying something new… Sharing with you the ups and downs, the wins and the challenges of running a fashion label. Things are always evolving, everywhere.

For the moment, my ‘about’ page features an excerpt from a recent interview with Karolina Barnes for Estila Magazine’s May issue, in which I’m very pleased to be featured. And from now on, I will see this page as a constant work in progress, just as I do my business.

STUDY 34 x the Crafts Council

Do you run a creative business, or know someone who does and who is looking to grow their production?

The Crafts Council, whose mission is to champion high quality craftsmanship, both in the UK and abroad, have asked me to deliver a talk on working with manufacturers at the end of June in Manchester.

Image courtesy of The Crafts Council

I’m really looking forward to sharing my experience of working with textile factories both in the UK and abroad, as well as my thoughts on how other makers might benefit from outsourcing their production. I’ll be talking about the importance of working with the right manufacturers, whose values and ethos match your own, as well as how to find them. Quality control, logistics and the investment – both time-wise and financially – when it comes to working with manufacturers, as well as lots of other things, will also be discussed. If you know anyone who’d like to come along – direct them here!

Insights into the wool industry

And finally I want to share this short video with you, created by Eco Age, which gives a really interesting insight into the wool industry in Australia, and the reality that we know so little about the origins of the natural fibres we wear every day.

Until next month,

E

p.s. Sign up to my mailing list here to stay up to date with what’s happening at STUDY 34!

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