A COLLECTIVE OF FASHION PRACTITIONERS ACTIVELY WORKING TOWARDS AN ETHICAL INDUSTRY THROUGH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH.
and we are launching our first annual journal on
fashion and farming
READ
our digital journal with conversations, updates and interviews from our collective of designers, artists and researchers actively working on changing the future of fashion.
FOLLOW
us on socials and come to one of our IRL activations. From one-off collaborative events; annual Clean Fashion Summit to our more intimate knit and vibe YKWU. @_colechi
CONTRIBUTE
and share your voice on our digital journal, or send a pitch or recommend a friend to submit a piece to our first publication launching next April.
PLEDGE
Show your support in advance and make a pledge before our crowdfunder. We will keep you updated with campaign information.
JOURNAL ISSUE 01
The Journal is the final form of our ongoing project called Clean Fashion. In 2020 we developed this concept as a framework to understand complex issues within the fashion supply chain, focusing on transparency, community and education. The Framework breaks the industry into four sections; Sourcing, Making, Media and Afterlife.
Colèchi presented Clean Fashion in 2020, during a series of online events, inviting independent creatives to speak about each sector. In September 2021, Clean Fashion was physically presented at VITRINE Gallery, as part of the Southwark South Design District and supported by London Design Festival. The exhibition showcased designers and innovators whose work revolved around the sections of Clean Fashion.
Following our Clean Fashion Summit 2022: aGREENculture which was hosted at Somerset House in March 2022, we explored the link between fashion and agriculture and post-pandemic fashion education with two panel talks. The event united thought leaders and practitioners to discuss collaborative ways to tackle some of the industry’s issues. This was our most successful event, hosting over 300 attendees.
on display at SAATCHI
Meet the people that took part in the Colèchi display as part of the Designers at Work exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. Hosted by Orsola de Castro and art directed by Matthew Needham.
CQ STUDIO
CQ Studio is an innovative research and development studio combining science, craft and fashion. They make textiles from a range of biological sources including flax, food waste and algae. On display are samples from their project Inflaxuation, a project creating more value for flax by creating a wider range of textiles using only the materials sourced from the crop rotation, including diverting waste streams back into the process. Materials include, flax fur, flax leather, starch buttons and fertiliser sequins.
Founded by Cassie Quinn
CROCHET COOKEY
Crochet Cookey is an art project that exists to address the balance between independent creativity and a desire for connection, through the process of care and collaboration. Drawing various forms of creativity together to initiate softness within the hard parts of the art world. Crochet pieces handmade by Kimberley Cookey-Gam, spans clothing & accessories to sculpture to functional objects. Each yarn colour option available is based on what Crochet Cookey has been able to source, which is usually second hand or vintage. On display are pieces from her collection titled OBi (pronounced oh-bee) is an igbo word that translates to heart in english.
Founded by Kimberley Cookey-Gam
EMILY LAMB
An exclusive look at British designer Emily Lamb’s AW22 Collection “Rose Red and Her Friends”. From farm to fibre in less than 50 miles, Emily only uses 100% British wool. A heritage natural fiber chosen for its biodegradability, long lasting and self-preserving qualities.
Founded by Emily Goodge
JOSÉ HENDO
José Hendo takes a fresh approach to contemporary fashion design, challenging the obsolescence nature of fashion, and the throw away culture. The label is passionately conscious of the times and is inspired by the world around us. They use a material called Barkcloth sourced from Uganda. It is a perfect ambassador for sustainability because its harvesting does not destroy the tree which can still be harvested for years.
Founded by José Hendo
OSMOSE STUDIO
Osmose is an interdisciplinary design studio focused on regenerative circularity and sustainability in fashion, homeware and furniture. Pushing the boundaries of traditional crafts such as wood working or botanical dyes, the brand stands for a fully transparent design process and use of organic and ethically sourced materials, some of them up-cycled from discarded or unwanted product. Committed to counter the generically wasteful trends in their respective industries, advocate through their design for a more symbiotic lifestyle, respectful and curious of a rural environment brought into our homes. On display are their mycelium bowls.
Founded by Aurélie Fontan and Ashley Granter
meet Colèchi
MEET THE TEAM
Piarve Wetshi – Co-Founder
Piarve is a leading voice in textile waste and providing opportunities for fashion in the community working with local councils. As well as Colechi, she is also a Co-Founder of Last Yarn, a marketplace for deadstock and surplus textiles.
Tina Wetshi – Co-Founder
Tina is a Curator, Fashion PR and creative working within the intersection of fashion politics, exploring ways to remodel society. She is also a Co-Founder of community project Gaia’s Garden, and recently has been appointed to PR at Bottega Veneta.
Emily Goodge – Fashion Researcher
Emily is a knitwear designer, with multidisciplinary interests spanning from natural fibers to the psychology and systems within fashion consumption. She currently spends her time between Emily Lamb and Colechi.
Justina Alexandroff – Fashion Researcher
Justina is a Designer, whose work explores the material futures of bio-plastics and mycelium. She is a Goldsmiths graduate, and currently works on projects at Biome and research and graphics Colechi.
