Kunin, an eco felt supplier, lists their fabrics as being made of eco-fi (formerly ecospun). Here’s the condensed description of the recycling process, from eco-fi’s website:

Plastic PET containers are picked up at curbside and community recycling centers, and then sorted by type and color. They are stripped of their labels and caps, washed, and crushed, then chopped into flake. These tiny pieces are melted and extruded to create fiber. The fiber produced is crimped, cut, drawn and stretched into desired length for strength, then baled. The baled fiber can be processed into fabric for a variety of textile product end uses.

Eco-fi is, essentially, polyester fiber made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles. Pretty cool, right? Their fibers go into more than just felt. Other fabrics, batting, even carpeting can all be manufactured from eco-fi. And it can be blended with other fibers to create a wider range of textures. The best part is that eco-fi fibers (so they say) are “chemically and functionally nearly identical to those made from non-recycled fiber.” They just come from bottles that might otherwise be in a landfill, instead of depleting natural resources (and using up a whole bunch of oil) to make new fibers.

Pretty nice. I have a whole new resepct for felt, in all its candy-colored wonder.

AWESOME eco-felt wall art from DashingEtc, bottle photo via wikimedia

Photo from Keep Calm Shop Etsy

Recently Twitter has seen an influx in specialized conversations via hashtags, or “online socials” as Craft Social dubs them. It’s quite similar to a chat found in the Etsy Labs or in an old-school chatroom but it’s on Twitter. One benefit is you can take part in one of these hashtag-driven conversations even when away from your computer if you use Twitter on a mobile device. A program like TweetDeck is good for this since you can set up separate columns of your choosing to view.

The Craft Social hashtag is #craftsocial and during that event you’ll find craft advice and topics like the Light-Box-Along occurring throughout the month of March.

For a more business-minded conversation, there’s the weekly conversation via the hashtag #indiebizchat from the independent business-friendly Indie Biz Chicks.

These Twitter conversations are useful for any fledgling business-minded crafter. For one, you can get your questions answered right away. Think of it as free business advice for the instant gratification set. Of course, keep in mind this is still the internet and all advice should be weighed accordingly. Secondly, you can lurk all you want if you’re too shy to partake in the conversation, or just have nothing to add at the moment. And the best part about that? Gain plenty of insight towards forming a business plan with none of the awkward silence that can befall real life conversation.

When I saw the beautiful installation work of artist Jodi Stevens I was inspired by its simplicity in both palette and form.  Her installation impediment reminds me a lot of Ann Hamilton’s performances with her use of the large table, facing chairs, and pile of materials. But with the hand wrapped stones and gray color palette it has its very own unique voice.

It seems obvious that Jodi is inspired by nature and its forms. As seen in her other lovely work Collective where the round forms both seem to reference planetary shapes, eggs, rocks, and sea life.

The repetition and collection of layers in the work is important to Jodi’s process-  she states:

My work and process of making manifests a kind of ritualistic behavior and involves the use of numerous elements and ordinary materials such as yarn, thread, and/or pieces of fabric in an unconventional way. I use the deliberate placement of material to create texture, repetition, and movement usually in an installation format. These installations frequently utilize the gradual build up of material that, to me, can represent emotion. This layering creates a mass or a moment of anticipation.

Jodi’s work can be seen along with mine at Mt. Ida College Gallery in the exhibit Designing Thread. The exhibit has a wonderful collection of diverse artists working in embroidery and if you are anywhere near Boston I highly recomend a visit to the exhibit which opens March 30.

To see more of Jodi’s work visit her site here.

notecards "rescued" from the edges of press sheets, from BlueAlgae

In my “other life” I’m a graphic designer, and that often means I get asked questions about printing, and especially with this crowd, printing sustainably. Whether you’re getting business cards or postcards or something else altogether, a visit to the print shop or an online printing website can be baffling. And even moreso when you’re trying to make the right decisions for both yourself and the Earth.

Here’s a quick primer on what some of the printing terms mean in terms of sustainability…

Paper: Recycled / PCW / FSC

Choosing paper (stock) can be tricky. Many printers are offering sustainable alternatives these days, but it can be tricky to decipher which is best. These terms have become much more mainstream, and may already be familir to you, but if not, here’s the difference. Just to confuse you “Recycled” paper doesn’t come from the paper in your recycling bin. It most likely comes from waste in the paper production process, which instead of being thrown away is turned into more paper. But the pulp is essentially “new” pulp from trees. If paper is labeled as PCW, it is recycled paper coming from Post-Consumer Waste, meaning it has actually been recycled from used paper. It’s possible for something to be 100% recycled, 30% PCW. The higher PCW content, the better. FSC on the other hand, is completely new paper, but the pulp comes from trees that are sustainably harvested from managed forests that meet strict requirements set by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Coated or Uncoated?

In general, uncoated stock is the best choice for the environment. Some coatings contain nasty chemicals, and some prevent paper from easily being recycled later. That said, sometimes coatings aren’t all that bad. Aside from wanting a shinier business card (if that’s your thing), a coating can increase the lifespan of your printed piece. Like anything, it depends on your needs. If it means that you aren’t throwing away a handful of unused cards at the end of a show because they were in your pocket all day and came out a creased, yucky mess, then maybe coating is good for you. A good choice is Aqueous Coating. It is water-based and does increase your prints’ durability. It also helps your prints dry faster, meaning you get them a little quicker from your printer.

Offset? Digital? Letterpress?

Again, this all depends on what you’re looking for from your printed piece. If you’ve got your heart set on letterpress, I’m not going to try to dissuade you. And actually, you may have even more sustainable paper options with letterpress than with a conventional print house. But if you are a small business looking for a small run of business cards at a small price: go digital. Digital printers work a lot like your home printer, just on a much larger scale, and unlike offset printing or letterpress, they don’t require the production of printing plates, so there is less materials waste in the process. The quality on digital prints can be less perfect than offset prints, but you won’t notice on a business card. If you’re a photographer looking for the perfect art-print postcards, though, you might want to stay old school and go digital.

Veggie Ink?

Lots of printers are advertising that they are printing with soy- or vegetable-based inks. Go for it! I haven’t seen any difference in quality. They contain fewer VOCs, and according to this wikipedia article, make it easier for paper to be recycled later.

In summary…

So this is a lot of information…whew!…but the most important thing to take away is that there are lots of choices that you can make that can make your business materials a bit more environmentally-friendly. And you can still get the end product you want!* My last printing tip: always order more than you think you’ll need. This might sound counter-intuitive, but you’ll money and energy in the long run. The more you order the less you pay per piece, and once those machines get going it doesn’t take much to krank out another 50 or 100 or 500 cards. In fact, a larger order probably uses the paper on the press more efficiently. And, if you are ordering online, you only pay and use the energy to ship things once. A little more weight in the shipment is better than a second emergency order.

The show will take place Sunday, May 23, 2010 in Brooklyn, NY from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. There will be more than 50 vendors and DJs onsite playing music.

BUST Magazine is known for being forward thinking when it comes to handmade, so expect the same from their vendors.

They are looking for “any and all edible/wearable/loveable crafts you’ve got. That includes silk-screened items, cosmetics, knitwear, jewelry, paper goods, handbags, cards, and tons more!” according to their FAQ.

Applications are due April 16 and they are online now. There’s a $10 nonrefundable application fee and a $225 vendor fee if you are chosen.

Hello Craft recently came across a pretty awesome initiative raising money for Haiti involving crafting and some of our favorite musicians. Titled Crafts For A Cause, an online auction is scheduled to begin 8 a.m. on March 15 here selling handmade items from the likes of Norah Jones, Regina Spektor, Adam Green, Grizzly Bear’s Edward Droste, Kate Nash, Devendra Banhart, Jenny Lewis, Sia and more. All proceeds from the benefit go to Artists for Peace and Justice.

Binki Shapiro, of the band Little Joy, who organized Crafts For A Cause was nice enough to answer some questions for Hello Craft.

How did the idea for Crafts For A Cause come about?
“My sister and I were both going to go volunteer in Haiti shortly after the earthquake struck, but I ended up not being able to go due to logistical reasons, so i decided I would do as much as I could from the states. We were able to raise a bunch money through donations, which she and I used to personally go out and buy medical supplies, food, antibiotics, etc. that she then hand delivered.

After she left, I found myself talking to friends and fellow musicians, who shared a similar feeling of responsibility, but a strong sense of helplessness.

It seemed evident that these artists would readily focus their talents on creating things that would draw interest from their fans, and ultimately aid in this greater cause.”

Are you surprised by the outpouring of support?
“Yes and no…I think giving help to those who need it, doesn’t come as a chore.

Everyone seems really happy to contribute and have gone out of their way to get amazing pieces to me, despite touring and hectic schedules. However humbling this situation might be, it’s quite wonderful to see the extent of peoples interest!”

How can people get involved with the cause?
“We live in a time where the internet and word of mouth can move mountains.

At this point, the best way to help is by getting as many people as possible to notice what we’re doing.”

I believe there’s a close connection between the music world and the handmade world. Both are artists and both are filled with amazing people who like to help others creatively. Do you feel that there is a natural connection between musicians and the crafting community?
“For sure! music is a craft…”

Handmade Mart will take place Sunday, May 23 2010 in Downtown Silver Spring, MD. Applications are due April 10 and online applications are already up on the site for all you early birds. For questions like booth specifications check out their FAQ.

The thing I love about Handmade Mart is that even though applicants must go through a jury process, there is no fee to apply. Plus since the location is in the heart of Downtown Silver Spring, there’s a lot of foot traffic going by ensuring a varied crowd to stop by your booth.

The new curated online marketplace Makers Market is now up and running. Still in an early Beta version, the marketplace presented by MAKE and boing boing features worldwide makers and lists them by the categories Tech, Science, Arts + Crafts, Home + Life, Wearables, Music and Services.

Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching, 2009 Summit of Awesome Craftnote Speaker, author of last fall’s Embroidered Effects and one of my favorite makers, was invited to be one of the Beta-version shops currently live on the site. “I was thrilled to be among the first to check it out and play with the site! I really love that it’s a collab between boingboing.net and Make Magazine,” says Hart in an email interview.

Makers Market is now accepting applicants from the general public. According to their FAQ, they are “looking for interesting people who are creating products that are unique and generally inspired by the makers ethos espoused by MAKE and Boing Boing.” Thus non-handmade products can be sold on the site. The FAQ goes on to say, “we’re as fascinated by laser cutters, CNC machines, steam engines, 3D printers and small factories as we are embroidery, woodworking and handmade musical instruments.”

As far as pricing goes, the seller’s FAQ states that all non-commission fees and commission minimums are waived for the first three months. You will be charged an 8.5% commission on sales during the launch period. After that, Makers Market will charge a set-up fee of $75 in addition to a $15 monthly fee and a commission of 8.5% for each sale pre-shipping costs.

At first I thought these fees were a bit too expensive compared to other online marketplaces. But with these fees come benefits such as the stamp of approval from MAKE and boing boing. Also, since Makers Market is curated, buyers can expect to find high-quality, unique items. For all of the convenience and considerable reach of online marketplaces like Etsy, we can all agree – both as buyers and sellers – that often there are items lacking in originality.

Plus there is one awesome feature on Makers Market that is not available on every online marketplace – the aspect of teaching the community how to make your product through video.

Hart says: “I really like that video and tutorial media can be integrated with your shop! Makers Market focuses a lot on designers who make not just end-use products – they often involve the customer’s own continued interaction and creativity so being able to offer how-to’s right is important!”

For being a somewhat young artist, 38, she has an extremely impressive portfolio of mature and exciting work and has shown extensively- makes me feel like I need to step up my game. Though she does have quite a few years on me.

Joana is most well know for here crochet works in which she crochets coverings over taxidermy animal heads, crabs, and traditional figurative sculptures.

But I personally am really excited by her large scale yarn and fiber installations. In which she often is responding to the architecture of the gallery or space that she exhibits in.

Joanna has an excellent eye for color and uses in liberally. She utilizes color and texture in small simple works ….

to large scale complicated installations.

As I said, Joanna’s work is extremely diverse but yet as you look through it and its evolution over the last 10-14 years you can see the same mind working behind each piece. I appreciate the risk she takes as an artist and the willingness to experiment that is evident in her work.

Her portfolio is VERY extensive as she seems like a very prolific artist- so go and see much more compelling work at her website here.

The date and location of the 2010 Summit of Awesome have been set. Mark your calendars for June 16-18th, and come join us in Portland, Oregon!

That’s right… Hello Craft is hitting the road to bring our 3-day crafty business conference to the west coast.

This year’s Summit will take place at the McMenamins’ Kennedy School in the Alberta Arts District of Portland.

We’re super psyched about this conference location and are gearing up for 3 days of awesome seminars, awesome speakers, awesome workshops, and awesome good times.

More information and official registration will be up soon. Be sure to sign up for our email list to stay up-do-date with the latest Summit info!

In the meantime, check out photos, press and our Hello Craft Podcast from last year’s Summit of Awesome here.