A fibre guild in Port Alberni is hoping to raise awareness of the local textile economy through a "100 Kilometre Wardrobe."
The project encourages people in the Alberni Valley and across Vancouver Island to get involved with making their own clothing items, using goods that are produced within 100 kilometres of their home.
The concept is based on the "100 Mile Diet," where Canadian writers Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon set out in 2005 to only eat things that were produced within a 100-mile radius of their home.
"We're trying to keep it metric," laughed Leonora King of the Alberni Valley Fibre Guild. "While the 100 Mile Diet recognized the importance of local food production, the 100 Kilometre Wardrobe recognizes that local textile production is important as well. People should consider not just where their food comes from, but where their clothing comes from."
The Alberni Valley Fibre Guild wants to help people through that process. They will be holding a number of workshops, demonstrations and check-ins over the next few months to help people learn the art of spinning, weaving, dyeing, knitting, sewing, felting or even hide tanning.
"There are different levels of involvement," said King. "You don't necessarily have to create a whole wardrobe all by yourself. We're looking to connect people like knitters to spinners or weavers to sewers."
King says the project is an accessible one, open to people of all skill levels. The project will take place over two years, culminating in a "fashion show" in the spring of 2027 where people can show off what they've made.
"Anyone can do it," said King. "It's empowering to reconnect with the ability to provide for yourself. We can sometimes feel very disempowered in a global economy, but there's a lot we can do individually and as a community to provide for ourselves."
Because of lax labour laws and environmental legislation, said King, the global clothing industry tends to be exploitative of both people and the land.
"I think people underestimate how harmful the clothing industry is globally," said King. "When you localize it, you're supporting the local economy, you're supporting local agriculture. And we get to have control over what goes into our clothing."
The Alberni Valley Fibre Guild is a group of local fibre and textile enthusiasts of all different skill levels. The group is attempting to create a community around crafting, art and textiles, while supporting the local economy.
The guild will be hosting a Learn to Knit workshop over four days, on April 5, 12, 19 and 26. The workshop, which takes place at Steampunk Cafe from 10 a.m. to noon, will teach attendees the basics of knitting a pair of fingerless gloves.
On Saturday, May 10, the guild will also be hosting a Sheep to Shawl demonstration at Arrowvale Farm (5955 Hector Road), which will give viewers a "quick overview" of what it takes to transform wool from a sheep into a usable piece of clothing. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and King encourages people to come out and give it a try.
"Trying out stuff like this gives you an opportunity to connect with the land, with the supply chain and with your own community," said King. "It also preserves skills, culture and heritage. We do have the means to feed ourselves and clothe ourselves. We're going to show you that it can be done and it can be a lot of fun."
Anyone interested in joining the project can contact the fibre guild at albernivalleyfibre@proton.me or find the group on .
