Flax to Linen Valuation project

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Date
2023-08-15
Authors
Bahuaud, Shannon
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Abstract

To address environmental and social harm caused by fast fashion and the industrial textile economy, locally produced, sustainable fibre has become an increasing trend around the world. In Manitoba, the Pembina Fibreshed exists to connect local fibre producers, artisans, and consumers, and to educate people on where their clothing comes from and how it is produced. One initiative the Pembina Fibreshed has undertaken to achieve their mission is the Flax to Linen project. The goal of the Pembina Fibreshed is to determine whether it is possible to grow flax and produce linen in Manitoba. Due to the project being done at a grassroots, community level, the Flax to Linen Valuation project was developed in the project’s first year with the Pembina Fibreshed, as project partners, to support the documentation of their efforts to grow flax and produce linen. The Flax to Linen Valuation project provided information to the project partners so that they could determine the best way to move the project forward in subsequent years. Specific objectives for the practicum project were: to review existing knowledge on growing fibre flax and linen production; to facilitate a participatory assessment of flax growing and linen production with community members; and to document the project stages and processes. To achieve these objectives, deliverables were produced which consisted of briefing emails to project partners, a participatory assessment guide for project participants, a valuation report of the project providing feedback to organizers from project participants, and a photo narrative book providing a visual and narrative documentation of the project featuring participant voices. Methodologies to produce these deliverables included a literature review, participatory observation, and semi-structured interviews. Two deliverables that demonstrated the most value to the project were the valuation report and photo narrative book. These deliverables have worked to guide and improve the Flax to Linen project, which, at the time of this writing, is in its third year. Along with the deliverables, this practicum document includes a critical reflection on the project explaining what I learned through its implementation followed by an appendix that includes the Integrated Project Plan, which guided project implementation.

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linen, flax, textile, fibreshed, economy, fibre, biocultural, flax to linen, valuation, community, local, sustainable fashion, artisan, producer, community-based research, participatory action research, Manitoba, Pembina Fibreshed, carbon pool, slow fashion, valuation, linum usitatissimum, growing, processing, integrated project plan
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