242
students to engage in sustainability facilitated through the use of fish skin as an
alternative material
• Promote collaboration between industry and education in order to ensure that
fashion programmes are meeting industry needs; industry involvement to train
fashion graduates on sustainability issues; and attracting Arctic fashion students
to the maritime industry
• The workshop was 5 days long and included:
• An introduction to the sustainability background
• Lectures on historical fish skin artefacts at international museums
• A visit to the Atlantic Leather fish skin tannery
• A visit to the local textile museum
• Traditional fish skin tanning
• Sketchbook development
The workshop brought together traditional knowledge holders and community
representatives from across the Arctic in order to explore the roots of Nordic fashion
and design traditions linked with fish skin, to create space for communities, to share
wisdom, skills and techniques around fish skin processing and to co-produce new
work using both traditional knowledge and British sustainable design methodologies. The workshop promoted sustainable material engagement through a fullimmersive experience in a teaching-in-the field approach, creating a collaborative
network for further projects and setting up an international design environment for
sharing knowledge.
The workshop methodologies reflected the geographical contrasts of the area.
The harshness of the weather, the isolation and the limited availability of materials
formed a unique source of creativity and inspiration for the students during the
workshop. Fish skin was the only available material, spurring students to think creatively and seek new design possibilities. Eco-consciousness played a fundamental
role in the students’ designs using remnant materials. Fish leather offers outstanding
longevity, one of the most important elements in sustainability, and has the benefit
of being a highly biodegradable natural by-product.
The object of the workshop was the preservation and dissemination of the cultural heritage connected with fish skin. In order to achieve this, the collaboration
and cooperation amongst different Artic areas, universities and professionals provided a key element in the project. This was a fine example of an innovative way of
linking the preservation of traditional knowledge and culture and the development
of culturally relevant programmes for students, community involvement and the
conservation of resources. The project provided a case study for working across
Arctic universities to develop their cultural identities and foster narratives of social
sustainability. The cross-disciplinary project has created a new structure to demonstrate how much Arctic communities have in common.
The workshop seeks to inspire fashion lecturers involved in the development of
sustainability and craftsmanship within their curriculums to implement this transformative teaching and learning experience in their own practice. Hopefully, the
workshop will inspire new ideas across the student and staff communities that were
E. Palomino
students to engage in sustainability facilitated through the use of fish skin as an
alternative material
• Promote collaboration between industry and education in order to ensure that
fashion programmes are meeting industry needs; industry involvement to train
fashion graduates on sustainability issues; and attracting Arctic fashion students
to the maritime industry
• The workshop was 5 days long and included:
• An introduction to the sustainability background
• Lectures on historical fish skin artefacts at international museums
• A visit to the Atlantic Leather fish skin tannery
• A visit to the local textile museum
• Traditional fish skin tanning
• Sketchbook development
The workshop brought together traditional knowledge holders and community
representatives from across the Arctic in order to explore the roots of Nordic fashion
and design traditions linked with fish skin, to create space for communities, to share
wisdom, skills and techniques around fish skin processing and to co-produce new
work using both traditional knowledge and British sustainable design methodologies. The workshop promoted sustainable material engagement through a fullimmersive experience in a teaching-in-the field approach, creating a collaborative
network for further projects and setting up an international design environment for
sharing knowledge.
The workshop methodologies reflected the geographical contrasts of the area.
The harshness of the weather, the isolation and the limited availability of materials
formed a unique source of creativity and inspiration for the students during the
workshop. Fish skin was the only available material, spurring students to think creatively and seek new design possibilities. Eco-consciousness played a fundamental
role in the students’ designs using remnant materials. Fish leather offers outstanding
longevity, one of the most important elements in sustainability, and has the benefit
of being a highly biodegradable natural by-product.
The object of the workshop was the preservation and dissemination of the cultural heritage connected with fish skin. In order to achieve this, the collaboration
and cooperation amongst different Artic areas, universities and professionals provided a key element in the project. This was a fine example of an innovative way of
linking the preservation of traditional knowledge and culture and the development
of culturally relevant programmes for students, community involvement and the
conservation of resources. The project provided a case study for working across
Arctic universities to develop their cultural identities and foster narratives of social
sustainability. The cross-disciplinary project has created a new structure to demonstrate how much Arctic communities have in common.
The workshop seeks to inspire fashion lecturers involved in the development of
sustainability and craftsmanship within their curriculums to implement this transformative teaching and learning experience in their own practice. Hopefully, the
workshop will inspire new ideas across the student and staff communities that were
E. Palomino