slow and chanin

Yesterday I read this article in The New York Times about the slow movement. Previously, I had only heard the slow principles applied to eating, i.e. Slow Food. However, apparently it is spreading to other arenas as well, namely design and craft.

"Slow means that Alabama Chanin is run on the tenets of the Slow Food movement, which essentially challenges one to use local ingredients harvested and put together in a socially and environmentally responsible way. Above all it emphasizes slowness in the creation and consumption of products as a corrective to the frenetic pace of 21st-century life... While Slow Food is now in its third decade, an established global movement with an official manifesto and about 85,000 members in over 100 countries, Slow Design is still in its infancy."

I looked up one of the companies referenced in the article, Alabama Chanin, and I'm so glad I did. The company's web site explains: "At Alabama Chanin we create limited-edition jewelry, clothing, home furnishings, accessories, furniture and fabrics for interiors. Using a mixture of new, organic and recycled materials our products are constructed with care by artisans who live and work in our local communities."


And not only that; the NYT article explains that Natalie Chanin's first business was run on similar principles, but became so popular that the partners decided to outsource the craftwork to India. In response, Natialie quit and started over with Alabama Chanin.

Recently I was discussing these kinds of matters with my friend Ashley. She is currently living in China and working on sustainable tourism programs in small villages, grappling with how to bring money into a culture without corrupting it; how to encourage local craftspeople to innovate for the contemporary buyer, without losing the tradition and soul of the craft. We went to the "Pricked: Exreme Embroidery" show at the Museum of Art and Design , and saw at least 2 pieces that had been designed by the named artist, but completely executed by groups of unnamed Chinese embroiderers. This bothered us! Yes, labor in the US is expensive. Yes, Chinese workers can surely use the money. But isn't that just exploitation, especially if the workers themselves go unacknowledged?

Which is why I was so intrigued to see Alabama Chanin's work. The work itself is gorgeous and meticulous, and inspired by the local culture/environment. The company is committed to using local labor resources, and recycled materials. It definitely seems like a step in the right direction.

However, it's true that I don't know how much the workers are paid for their craftsmanship; and they are referred to on the web site as only "The Stitchers." Which leaves me wondering: why is it so rare for a designer to give credit to the craftspeople who execute their vision?

Anyone?