The interconnected stories of textiles at the Fabric of Us exhibition

Scores of people learnt about where fabrics came from at the Fabric of Us textile exhibition that took place at the Bertha House in Mowbray on Wednesday, November 5.

The Fabric of Us textile exhibition was created by artist Danielle Jeneria from Ravensmead, who has been working in the fashion industry for over 20 years, where her main focus, she said, has been on natural fabrics and sustainable practices.

Ms Jeneria said her exhibition was about the fabrics that “we come from,” which are all interwoven. “We are interwoven from past fabrics to future fabrics and present fabrics; we are all connected. And if you take fabric waste, which people call waste, you can create the “new” in the present,” she said.

Ms Jeneria said that in the days of “fast fashion,” we forget what it means. “ We buy new clothes, and we chuck them out, and instead of mending and making those clothes whole again,” she said. 

She said it is so important to take the time to see what value it takes for someone to make a specific piece of clothing. “There is a memory in it; when somebody makes clothes, they leave something behind,” she said.

The Bertha House non-profit, which is an organisation that creates a space for activists, artists, documentary filmmakers, and social justice heroes to share their stories, welcomed Ms Jeneria’s exhibition.

Bertha House programme coordinator, Monishia Schoeman, said the Fabric of Us textile exhibition speaks to the organisation’s narrative justice pillar, which is an opportunity to create a platform for unheard voices to be heard. 

Kelly Moses, who attended the exhibition, said it was inspiring, especially with the focus on where fabric actually comes from. “It's about the cloth behind it and putting a spotlight on people’s stories that are not always focused on,” she said.