International Year of Natural Fibers
And 2009 Sonoma Valley Fiber Events
International Year of Natural Fibres (IYNF) 2009
To raise awareness of natural fibres, to promote efficiency and sustainability of the natural fibres, and to foster an effective international partnership among the various natural fibres industries
New Logo
The International Year of Natural Fibres has a logo and slogan. We hope this image will become widely known in 2008 and 2009. Please contact us if you wish to use the logo. For information on the conditions for the use of the logo, see the document linked on the right.
What are Natural Fibres?
Natural fibres are produced from animals or plants. Animal fibres are largely those which cover mammals such as sheep, goats and rabbits, but include also the cocoon of the silk-worm. Vegetable fibres are derived from the stem, leaf or seed of various plants. Close to 30 million tonnes of natural fibres are produced annually in the world, of which cotton is dominant with 20 million tonnes, wool and jute each around 2 to 3 million tonnes followed by a number of others.
(See the Background Note on Natural Fibres - linked from the top-right of this page)
What are Natural Fibres used for?
Natural fibres form an important component of clothing, upholstery and other textiles for consumers, and many of them also have industrial uses in packaging, papermaking and in composite materials with many uses, including automobiles.
Why are Natural Fibres important?
Apart from their importance to the consumer and in their various industrial uses, natural fibres are an important source of income for the farmers who produce them. In some cases they are produced on large farms in developed countries, but in many developing and least developed countries proceeds from the sale and export of natural fibres contribute significantly to the income and food security of poor farmers and workers in fibre industries. For some developing countries natural fibres are of major economic importance, for example, cotton in some west African countries, jute in Bangladesh and sisal in Tanzania. In other cases these fibres are of less significance at the national level but are of major local importance, as in the case of jute in West Bengal (India) and sisal in north-east Brazil.
Why an International Year of Natural Fibres?
Since the 1960s, the use of synthetic fibres has increased, and natural fibres have lost a lot of their market share. The main objective of the International Year of Natural Fibres is to raise the profile of these fibres, to emphasise their value to consumers while helping to sustain the incomes of the farmers. Promoting measures to improve the efficiency and sustainability of production is also an important aspect of the Year.
CNCH 2009
Passing on Our Fiber Traditions
You are invited to attend CNCH 2009, April 24 – 27 in the town of Sonoma, an alternate conference hosted by Area 5
Guilds - Humboldt Handweavers & Spinners, Mendocino Coast Handweavers, Redwood Empire Handweavers and
Spinners, Silverado Handweavers, Tamalpais Handweavers, and Yokayo Textile Guild. Our
conference will offer 2 1⁄2 day workshops with these wonderful, exciting instructors:
Weaving Basketry Spinning
• Sharon Alderman • Nancy Moore Bess • Diane Bentley Baker
• Bobbie Irwin • Polly Jacobs Giacchina • Joan Sheridan Hoover
• Jean Pierre Larochette • Cass Schorsch • Celia Quinn
• Yael Lurie Felting Dyeing & Surface Design
• Jennifer Moore • Caren Engen • Lollie Jacobsen
• Joanne Tallarovic • Wearable Art • Sara Lamb
Wearable Art
• Anita Luvera Mayer
CNCH 2009 conference registration materials will be available at the Liaison Lunch Sept 27th, and at www.cnch.org
on October 1st. Conference Registration opens November 1st.
CNCH Liaison Meeting, Luncheon and Conference Site Tour - September 27
Come to the town of Sonoma on Saturday, September 27th. Walkabouts to workshop locations will begin at 10AM
from the Sonoma Community Center, 276 East Napa Street, one of our conference venues. Liaison meeting will
begin at 11:45AM, introducing the details of the 2009 Conference over lunch. Contact your Guild President, your
CNCH Guild Liaison, or Bev Dunn, bevdunn@comcast.net or 415-883-5306 to reserve your lunch. Watch
www.cnch.org for further information.
Fleecy Fun Fiber Foray – Outreach in Sonoma– October 11
A CNCH 2009 subcommittee is planning a “super” Outreach for Saturday, October 11th in Sonoma to coincide with
Spinning and Weaving Week http://www.spinweave.org The public is invited to view interactive demonstrations, learn
about where their clothes come from, meet live fiber producing animals, attend a fashion show of fiber arts in action,
purchase fiber and handmade finished items from the guilds,. All activities will be at the Sonoma Community Center
(SCC), 276 East Napa Street, Sonoma, 10AM – 3PM.
More help is needed! Our vision includes multiple demonstrations outside, spinning, weaving, knitting, basket
making, dyeing, and felting. In back there will be a menagerie of fiber producing animals in corrals. Inside will be a
weaving room with looms ready to weave and display cases showing the wide range of creative fiber artistry.
We have the potential to have some wonderfully wild fiber arts installation pieces on the front lawn of the SCC. We
suggest that each guild “tackle” a tree, column or other appealing structure to create a fiber arts statement. Portable
outreach displays could be circulated to local schools to generate interest among elementary, middle and high school
age students in the fiber arts. Items for display can be brought to the TWG Guild meeting in Ross on September 10.
We invite non-profit organizations who create fiber works for charity to host a table inviting the public to participate in
their ongoing endeavors: e.g., the Knitted Bears Project which donates bears to children in Africa who have HIV, the
knitters who provide blankets to the Valley of the Moon Children’s Project, the Quilters who provide quilts to the local
hospitals.
A Fashion Show would only happen if we receive enough assistance. We are contacting all guilds to participate in this
day and would appreciate you spreading the word. We welcome your support, ideas, comments and consideration.
Contact Stefany 707-766-8627 or dean.perlman@comcast.net or Melody and Suyin at 415-824-0959 to let us know
how you would like to participate.
The Sonoma Community Center (SCC) is an active resource center providing classes, events, workshops and
lectures and rental space for the community. The center is planning to increase their fiber arts classes and workshops
leading up to CNCH 2009. Potential instructors should contact SCC Art Education Manager, Margaret Hatcher, 707-
938-4626 ext 7, cc-margaret@vom.com and http://sonomacommunitycenter.org
Sonoma Farmers’ Market Outreach Tuesday
Nights thru Sept 30th
The guilds organizing CNCH009 are volunteering at the
Sonoma Farmer’s Market Tuesday evenings at the
Sonoma Community Center Table. Melody spins,
Stefany felts and Suyin knits. We talk to locals and world
travelers and promote CNCH 2009 and its outreach
event, the Fleecy Fun Fiber Foray on October 11. We
have met potential spinners and weavers, young and old,
male and female, who are interested in what we are
doing, and in coming to the Fleecy Fun Fiber Foray.
Stefany 707-766-8627 or dean.perlman@comcast.net
CNCH 2010
The CNCH 2010 Conference Committee is issuing a call
for instructors for the 2010 Conference set for April 9-13,
2010 in Santa Clara convention center. For submission
format and further details, contact Kathy Alexander at
Kathyaa@sbcglobal.net The submission deadline is
January 15, 2009.
Interested in Wild Fibers?
The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United
Nations has declared the International Year of Natural
Fibers, http://www.fao.org/es/esc/en/15/320/highlight_322.html
To kick off this program year, three guilds have invited
Wild Fibers Magazine Editor, Linda Cortight to talk about
her experiences traveling the world, seeking out fiber
animals, farmers and fiber craftsmen.
• Sept 24, 7:30PM – Treadles to Threads, Pleasant Hill
http://treadlestothreads.blogspot.com
• Sept 26, 10AM – Diablo
Weavers Guild, Walnut
Creek.
• Sept 28, 11AM – Spindles
& Flyers, El Cerrito.