The Slow Textiles Group is an international Sustainable Textiles Design Management company in London, UK.
“All our members are cultural meaning creators,” says Dr Emma Neuberg, director of the Slow Textiles Group and founder of Slow Textiles, a global movement for sustainable textiles industry, study and enterprise.
“Each member imbues materials, garments, images, systems and craft with invested and processed cultural meaning. This investment creates value and competitive edge by being symbolic, insightful and eloquent and grounds creators and their fans in a language that can be felt, shared, talked about, held in mind, understood, exchanged and owned.
“The importance of this cannot be over-estimated as it ultimately leads to increased individuation both for individuals and groups, liberation from mediocrity, waste reduction and improved eudaimonic happiness and we know how significant these are for the planet, people and health as well as social, resource and cultural capital.”
The aim of the Slow Textiles Group is to push the boundaries of textiles practice and related industries including Behavioural Science, Social Care, Agriculture, Chemical Engineering, Oceanic Sciences and Waste Management and record the resulting innovations, concepts and projects through publication, exhibition and a Public Programme.
“Design, clothing and textiles exist in a cognizant, collective space, based upon Survivalist Principles, not simply a place of coincidence and serendipity,” says Dr Neuberg.
Established in 2007, the Slow Textiles Group thrives with demand for its unparalleled, reflective, theoretical and collaborative frameworks for design and textiles practice, professional development, educational and industry support, lifelong learning and community.
The enterprise originates from Dr Neuberg’s research in Sustainable Design Systems whilst a doctoral candidate at the Royal College of Art, an awardee of the Great British National Endowment for Science, Technology & the Arts Creative Pioneer Programme and a Research Consultant at Textiles Environment Design at Chelsea College of Art & Design (latterly Centre for Circular Design) at the University of the Arts, in London.
Members of the group partner with the public and private sectors from the Crafts Council (UK) to LVMH (EU) and have won numerous awards from the Timberland Earthkeeper’s Design Prize (US) to the Loewe Foundation (EU).