Uploaded June 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Dave Darby of Stroud Commons and Lowimpact.org talks with Rosie Bristow and Nick Evans of Fantasy Fibre Mill, working to resurrect the flax / linen industry in the UK, as a commons.
Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/rebuilding-the-flax-textile-industry-as-a-commons-fantasy-fibre-mill
This is the first in a series of 3 interviews about the potential for commoning the textile industry. If you’re interested in commons, it’s a fascinating conversation about what commons might look like in a specific sector like textiles, and how we might get there.
The second is with Dil Green of Mutual Credit Services, to get his ideas about how we might build commons models that could fit the flax / textiles industry. youtube.com/watch?v=ZKjI9okJIz8
The third brings together Nick, Rosie, Dil and Zoe Gilbertson of LIFLAD, to exchange ideas about the potential for building a textile commons. youtube.com/watch?v=f2BSgb71OI8
We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy.
Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org
Fantasy Fibre Mill: fantasyfibremill.com
Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org
Plant fibres & textiles: lowimpact.org/categories/plant-fibres
Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy
Highlights
1. Fantasy Fibre Mill want to resurrect the flax / linen industry in the UK – as a commons. We can help bring together flax specialists and commons specialists to work out how to do that.
2. They’re building the flax-processing machinery from scratch, from designs in Victorian textbooks.
3. They’re building (open-sourced) farm-scale equipment so that farmers can process their own crop. They don’t want to become a massive centralised factory. They foresee lots of little hubs all over the place, that can process everybody’s local fibre. We don’t want to replicate the problems of the current system.
Dave Darby of Stroud Commons and Lowimpact.org talks with Rosie Bristow and Nick Evans of Fantasy Fibre Mill, working to resurrect the flax / linen industry in the UK, as a commons.
Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/rebuilding-the-flax-textile-industry-as-a-commons-fantasy-fibre-mill
This is the first in a series of 3 interviews about the potential for commoning the textile industry. If you’re interested in commons, it’s a fascinating conversation about what commons might look like in a specific sector like textiles, and how we might get there.
The second is with Dil Green of Mutual Credit Services, to get his ideas about how we might build commons models that could fit the flax / textiles industry. youtube.com/watch?v=ZKjI9okJIz8
The third brings together Nick, Rosie, Dil and Zoe Gilbertson of LIFLAD, to exchange ideas about the potential for building a textile commons. youtube.com/watch?v=f2BSgb71OI8
We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy.
Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org
Fantasy Fibre Mill: fantasyfibremill.com
Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org
Plant fibres & textiles: lowimpact.org/categories/plant-fibres
Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy
Highlights
1. Fantasy Fibre Mill want to resurrect the flax / linen industry in the UK – as a commons. We can help bring together flax specialists and commons specialists to work out how to do that.
2. They’re building the flax-processing machinery from scratch, from designs in Victorian textbooks.
3. They’re building (open-sourced) farm-scale equipment so that farmers can process their own crop. They don’t want to become a massive centralised factory. They foresee lots of little hubs all over the place, that can process everybody’s local fibre. We don’t want to replicate the problems of the current system.
