designing with grids: a short history of order

a short while after we discussed our love for modular systems, we are talking about grids again. this isn’t just a graphic-designer-turned-textile-person’s obsession — they structure our cities, inform our screens, and quietly underpin almost every page layout and pattern we encounter. but beyond their role in organising space, grids can be a springboard for creativity, allowing designers to build complexity from simplicity. this post explores the grid not as a constraint, but as a tool of liberation — from early modernism to contemporary practice, including how zitozza plays with modularity in its textiles.

The Grid as Modernist Foundation

grids found their spiritual home in early modernist movements. bauhaus, and de stijl artists in particular, like piet mondrian reduced visual language to the essential: horizontals, verticals, primary colours. continuing the idea after the war, the swiss style emerged in the mid-20th century, with designers like josef müller-brockmann using grids to create visual harmony in posters and editorial layouts.

this was design as a rational act — about clarity, neutrality, and structure. the swiss grid system created a framework where typography and imagery could be arranged with precision. it was less about decoration and more about logic, a way to strip back the unnecessary and design a hierarchy of information.

"piet mondrian: opposition of lines, red and yellow (1937)" by euthman / flickr

"the bauhaus dessau" by justin barrie kelly / flickr

Le Corbusier: The Grid as Urban Ideal

speaking of the swiss — we love brutalism here, so now is the time to mention le corbusier, one of the most influential figures of architecture in the 20th century. in his seminal work towards a new architecture, 1923), he argues for a new visual order grounded in function, technology, and standardisation.

le corbusier's urban visions, particularly the ville radieuse and the controversial plan voisin, proposed cities built on a grid: modular, repetitive, efficient. these were not just aesthetic gestures but ideological ones, attempts to impose order on the chaos of industrialised life.

the city becomes a machine for living. blocks of buildings aligned on rigid axes, roads intersected at clean right angles (and roundabouts - think about glenrothes!), and light, air, and greenery were prioritised through geometric planning. the social and emotional consequences of these ideas are still felt today, but their influence on modern urban environments is undeniable.

the outskirts of bratislava, by SI Imaging Services / Imazins (source: getty images)

the outskirts of bratislava, by SI Imaging Services / Imazins (source: getty images)

Grids in Graphic and Interface Design

in contemporary graphic design, the legacy of the swiss grid lives on in everything from magazine layouts to responsive web design. grids provide consistency across platforms and allow for flexibility within a rational structure.

this is something i have less experience with but it has translated on from print to digital, and in UI/UX design, it is the grids that make digital interfaces feel coherent and navigable. the hidden scaffolding of columns and gutters supports typographic hierarchies and interactive elements, creating experiences that are intuitive without drawing attention to their structure.

The Balance Between Structure and Creativity

but the grid isn’t just about order. it can also serve as a space for subversion. architects and designers often use grids to set expectations — then disrupt them. breaking the grid, or the grid itself, can both become a statement - think about the iconic tables of superstudio.

in textile design, modularity offers a similar tension. zitozza's approach to block printing starts with fixed elements—repeating tiles, geometric forms — but introduces variation through placement, layering, and colour. a grid may begin the composition, but it rarely contains the outcome. it's not unlike building a city out of toy blocks: rules exist, but imagination ultimately dictates the layout.

Grids as a Living Language

grids, like language, evolve. they provide a shared syntax for designers, architects, and urbanists, but are constantly reinterpreted across time and context. from the pure geometry of modernism to the playful modularity of contemporary practice, the grid remains one of design's most enduring tools.

at zitozza, we embrace this legacy. our new collections explore grids as both framework and provocation. they are starting points, not boundaries.

after all, there is joy in structure. and sometimes, the most surprising creativity begins with a line drawn straight.

from building to textile: how architectural inspiration translates into home design

i wanted to write this blog post for a long time but never knew where or when to start - but if that’s the case, then any time is good i guess, so why not share these thoughts now. this is pretty much the main “why” of what i do, and it just explains why i’m so interested in architecture as an inspiration. when we think about home decor, and specifically textiles, the sharp geometries of modernist and brutalist architecture isn’t always the first influence that comes to mind. yet, at zitozza, it’s at the heart of every pattern. the geometry of a brutalist facade, the rhythm of windows on a high-rise, or the weathered texture of a concrete wall — all of these architectural details find their way into our hand-printed textiles. but how does a building become a rug?

Finding Beauty in Structure

architecture is all about structure, rhythm, and materiality — elements that also define textile design. just as an architect carefully considers proportions and spatial balance, a good pattern plays with repetition and symmetry. the block-printing process we use mirrors this approach: each block is a building block, quite literally, in the design.

From Facades to Fabric

consider, for example, our TÉGLA collection. inspired by the bold, repeating brickwork of modernist and brutalist buildings, the pattern distills architectural structure into textile form. what might seem cold or industrial in concrete becomes warm and tactile when printed on fabric. the transition from one material to another changes how we experience the design, bringing an unexpected softness to rigid geometric forms.

Materiality Matters

the choice of materials is just as deliberate in both fields. architects think about light, shadow, and surface—how materials weather over time, how they interact with their surroundings. with textiles, texture plays a similar role.a pattern printed on jute has a different presence than one printed on cotton; the roughness of the fabric enhances the depth of the ink, just like roughcast concrete reveals layers of shadow and light.

Bringing Architectural Thinking into Interiors

so how does this translate into interior design? architects and designers often work with a restrained, neutral palette, focusing on form and function. patterned textiles — especially those inspired by architecture — can complement this aesthetic by adding a layer of depth and storytelling. whether it’s a cushion that echoes the lines of a city skyline or a rug that captures the essence of a tiled facade, these pieces allow architectural appreciation to extend beyond the built environment and into the home.

A Living Connection to Design

so i guess how i want to create a dialogue between buildings and interiors, between public spaces and personal ones, the external and the internal: by bringing the architectural influences onto textiles. i really believe that the interior of a designed space can reflect the same thoughtfulness, structure, and material integrity that define great architecture on the exterior. and in doing so, it becomes not just a space to live in, but a place designed with intention.

zitozza turns 4! throwback time...

hello again - loooong time no see! i do apologise for having disappeared quite a bit. the studio has got somewhat busier but all in a good way, with markets, beautiful bespoke orders and of course, the launch of our brand new tileset (it is definitely coming in september, promise!)

what also seemed to have completely past us by, is the anniversary of our website’s launch, on the 15th august, 2020 which was already four years ago would you believe? throughout this time, this blog has grown quite a bit, so i thought it’d be a good occasion to let you in on the origin story if you’re interested.

i actually didn’t have a clear idea what this will all be when i bought the domain for zitozza in 2018, i was just working in the netherlands at a renowned design agency on a huge interior design project with a lot of italians, and one of them used this nickname for me. i thought it sounded fun, italian and designery - i could certainly see the word “zitozza” on a showroom in milan for sure (don’t laugh, it’s okay to dream - it might still happen one day!)

our first ever prints forming a placeholder background for our website before launch

indeed it was a hyper inspiring and stimulating environment and only a year after finishing my masters i was still full of dreams and ideas, although i was not quite sure what i wanted to do yet. something something brutalism, because i’m me, something something jute, because sustainability, and something something block printing because i already had some printing blocks cut for uni and i didn’t want to stop using them (because it’s so much fun)

the interest in jute and block printing came earlier, at uni, in 2016 when i had undertaken a research project about industrial heritage and dundee, because it was easier for me to research locally than to do something at the borders (i was already living in fife and working as a graphic designer.) because i was a graphic designer, i wanted to print digitally on jute, but i was warned it might not work as it is very fibrous and the printing assistant was worried about messing up his printer and that in turn got me worried about not making my project so i had a “plan b” and i quickly designed some printing blocks to get made as that seemed the easiest thing to do at home during an all-nighter should i need to…

digitally printed jute for dundee heritage project

block printed jute for dundee heritage project (created as "plan b")

block printed jute inspired by industrial landscapes

in the end, the digital printing worked out but i fell in love with the block printing process and simplifying designs into a system of elements. i loved this process so much that i used the same material and the same process again for my final masters project, the “anthropocene” treble collection. „GRIDS”, part one of three used a fresh set of industrial and traffic and logistics inspired printing blocks on jute - it was quite successful and i finished uni on such a high that lead to the amsterdam job straight away - yet somehow i still felt that i was not done with these blocks.

then of course, lots of things happened, i came back from the netherlands and found myself in 2020 when we all had to stay at home. i decided to think about it as the perfect chance to do something i always made vague steps towards but never really managed to finalise. first i took a colour and shape research in the form of embroidery, because during those times we couldn’t even travel anywhere to take photos. so i dyed some yarn and i finished an 8-part series of mini-tapestries which you can find today in the wall-art section.

then i organised my existing printing blocks and i decided to complete both the first bit, from the dundee heritage project which became the HERITAGE series, and the smaller 10×10 additions to GRIDS, which became the MODERN series, and with a lot of colours i printed day and night until the house was chocka with jute and we had to move where we now have a studio with an actual printing table (as opposed to the kitchen floor), a website, a few stockists, been on telly and some magazines and hopefully continue growing into something really quite cool and interesting to many more homes! 

anyway, this is kind of the origin story of zitozza. the rest is not yet history because it’s only just started! after just four years, the rest is still the present and the future.

exhibition recommendation: andy warhol's textiles in edinburgh!

hello again, long time no see, another month went past so quickly. of course, we were quite busy getting our new lookbook published, but even amidst the busiest periods it’s important to make time to get inspired. i thought that i’d recommend something a bit different this time - we aren’t going to recommend a building (well, yes, sort of) or a book (well, yes, sort of…!), we’re going to an exhibition - to my favourite venue in edinburgh - the dovecot studios!

if you’re in scotland, and are into textiles, it’s an absolute must to visit this tapestry studio (chances are, we might have met there as it’s also my favourite place to exhibit at fairs here!) and this spring they have prepared something quite special for visitors - andy warhol’s textiles!

it’s not the first time i saw some them in scotland - a few years ago a wonderfully curated exhibition of artist’s textiles took place in new lanark, which included his work as well as fabrics from picasso, dali and miro amongst others. i remember it being quite large and certainly beautiful - a rich journey into textile designs by artists we mostly know for their paintings and sculptures. this one is based on a similar concept - we all know andy warhol the pop-artist but how much do we know of the textile designer?

the dovecot curated it into a smaller and more focused exhibition that goes through his commercial textile designs. if you’re familiar with his logos and other commercial work, you’ll instantly recognise the easily reproduceable, wet inky screen printing style that marks all the exhibited textiles. the exhibition details this process a little bit if you’re not familiar with it, as well as shares some of the commercial background of the textile businesses these were produced for.

it really is a joyful ride with conversational patterns - mostly on 1950s and ‘60s fashion pieces. you might have seen the button prints before, but there are brooms, pretzels and gardening tools too… and it’s also quite interesting to look close-up and see the graphical quality of the designs. it is also a journey into how the textile industry used to work just a few decades ago.

i have not taken many photos at the gallery itself as it’s much better to look at it in person. however i did buy the big book (i do not often do it after exhibitions) to remind myself of these patterns from time to time.

go go go and see this - highly recommended! until 18th may.

-

links:

andy warhol - the textiles at the dovecot studios

in conversation with gina nadal of woven memories

hello again, long time no see - i’ve accidentally become a bit of a recluse recently, apologies. in the midst of all the usual busy things though (with new lookbooks and festive market preparations…), i do want to bring you some great posts to read about so i thought it’s time to have a brand new design conversation with someone truly brilliant – i’ve brought you here gina nadal of woven memories, who i first met last year at the CLOTH market in dalkeith. the geometric patterns on display with a computer screen really caught my attention and i had so many questions, so i thought why not have this fascinating conversation right now. so come sit down with us as we delve into process, materials and inspiration with gina!

photography by roxana alison

ZITA: hello gina! i’m very excited to speak to you today, so first things first - could you say a few words about yourself, what you do and how you got there?

GINA: hi zita, it's nice to speak with you. i’m a handweaver based in manchester, originally from barcelona. i moved to manchester in 2015 to pursue an MA in fashion graphics. during my master's programme, i developed the concept of "woven memories," which combines weaving and digital coding for three primary reasons. firstly, to celebrate the shared history of both techniques. secondly, to produce on-demand and reduce waste, challenging mass-production practices. thirdly, to create products that establish an emotional bond before they are made.

while there are numerous studies on the emotional connection people have with objects during or after ownership, there is limited research on how to design this emotional bond during the pre-ownership phase. this was my primary goal during my MA. by bridging these three areas, i encouraged people to use an online interface to write messages. the text was then transformed into abstract patterns by using binary code, which i wove into scarves.

following my MA, i secured a PhD scholarship to further research this area and contribute to knowledge. in 2022, upon graduating from my PhD, i decided to transition into a full-time venture and adapt my research into a business model. customers can now design their patterns by writing messages, and woven memories' online tool translates them into abstract patterns, which I then weave in my studio.

ZITA: what an amazing journey. i first encountered your designs at the CLOTH market in Dalkeith - as a pattern designer myself, your moving, animated display on your computer screen immediately caught my eyes. could you please explain a little bit about your fascinating process?

GINA: woven memories studio specialises in personalised handwoven homeware and fashion accessories. to personalise these items, the customer plays an active role in the process, becoming a co-designer of the final product. as mentioned earlier, customers can use woven memories' online tool and are encouraged to type a message. this message can be personal, contain the lyrics of their favourite song, or even a poem. while typing, the pattern is generated in real-time by translating the letters into patterns using binary code. once the customer is satisfied with the text, they can further personalise the design by selecting colours, adjusting the pattern repetition, or applying mirroring.

i believe these products are perfect as gifts for celebrating special occasions like birthdays and christmas, as well as for commemorating loved ones who are no longer with us.

photography by lauralaura studio

ZITA: oh yes, it is very giftable and i love the idea of translating words into the language of weaving. that makes me wonder, do sentences always come out as a workable weave or are there ones that work less than others?

GINA: certainly, some sentences result in more visually appealing patterns due to the way they stand out. for instance, the other day, i was experimenting with the online tool and wrote 'i love you' in different languages; armenian and punjabi produced patterns i particularly liked. however, i do have two favourite quotes. one is a quote from ada lovelace that encapsulates my research and the concepts behind woven memories: 'the analytical engine weaves algebraical patterns just as the jacquard loom weaves flowers and leaves.' another quote from victoria mitchells states, 'textile becomes a kind of speaking and for language a kind of making,' which i believe reflects what my products achieve—they convey messages on their own, and language brings them to life.

ZITA: that’s really beautiful, and i absolutely love the play with all the different languages! but did you ever encounter “bugs” in the process or find that certain sentences don’t make a good cloth? or do you ever find that you have to tweak the results in order to make it more aesthetically pleasing?

GINA: i haven't come across a sentence that doesn't work on the fabric, as each carries a meaningful message. sometimes, customers may only want one or two words, and in such cases, i suggest repeating the pattern to create more movement and variation. while i wouldn't say i need to alter designs, there are times when customers choose two colours, and i might suggest variations in colour or hue if i believe their initial choice may not work well.

photography by lauralaura studio

ZITA: as someone whose work integrates programming and computer systems at such a level, i feel i have to ask you, what’s your take on the latest developments in machine learning? it seems all the rage now, do you see it as a threat or do you see yourself in the future using it as a tool to create ever more complex patterns? i mean, are there even any limitations to a two-dimensional woven pattern?

GINA: i don't believe AI is inherently a threat. it's simply another new tool, but we must exercise caution in how we use it. we still have much to learn about AI and its short- and long-term consequences. only time will tell. however, i do believe that, in order for the field of weaving to progress, weavers and designers should explore the potential of AI and see what it can bring to us. i'm eager to see what other creators will develop with AI. certainly, i'll be experimenting with it, and whether or not i ultimately incorporate it into my work remains to be seen. However, i think it has the potential to expand my horizons and foster greater creativity.

to be honest, weavers have historically been early adopters of the latest technology, even dating back to the 19th century with the industrial revolution, which began by mechanising textile production.

ZITA: that makes perfect sense in the historical context of weaving indeed. now, having discussed the hyper-customisable patterns you can make from your client’s memories and words, i’d like to ask you about your own collections, which are very beautiful. were they made using the same way or did you use a more conventional design process to create these? where do you go for inspiration for your own collections?

GINA: when we met at CLOTH, i was showcasing two distinct collections: the "LOLI" collection, inspired by a particular individual, and the "RETRO" collection, which drew inspiration from nature (though interestingly, many remarked that the colours and patterns resembled vintage london public transportation fabric). the creative process for these collections differs from my usual approach, as i employed my small loom and 8-shaft tabletop loom, in contrast to my 32-shaft dobby loom. this shift in equipment imposes certain restrictions, but it's precisely these limitations that i find so appealing when weaving with my 8-shaft loom.

i continue to work in blocks, as I believe this defines my distinctive style. weaving offers an array of infinite possibilities and techniques, but there's never enough time to master them all. consequently, i made the deliberate choice to focus on one style and excel in it while remaining open to ongoing learning and exploration.

photography by lauralaura studio

ZITA: serious food for thought here, perhaps i need to learn making such choices too… anyway, i also want to talk a bit about sustainability as the textile industry in general doesn’t have a great reputation when it comes to that but in your work, you seem to be very conscious – design for durability and zero-waste principles seem to be all over your work. do you find them important for your work? do you see a demand for these from customers too?

GINA: absolutely, sustainability holds a crucial place in woven memories' core values. from the inception of the woven memories concept during my MA, sustainability has been an integral part of the vision. weaving on-demand is a central practice, avoiding mass production and significantly reducing the waste often associated with fast fashion. i believed that if I were to establish a business from the ground up, it should adhere to sustainable principles right from day one, and this commitment drives me to keep learning and improving.

continual research and exploration open doors to new opportunities for minimising our impact on this beautiful planet we call home. reducing waste is a priority, but i also embrace recycling, such as repurposing yarn from other mills after their production, effectively preventing it from ending up in landfills. this practice aligns with the ethos of 'rescuing yarn,' as advocated by shiv textiles. additionally, i recycle materials from previous projects to craft new items for our zero-waste collection. even with threads that can't be repurposed, i store them until they find a new home. just last week, i shipped my first box to sandra junele, a textile artist known for recycling threads to create stunning wall hangings—her work is definitely worth exploring.

i'm doing my utmost to minimise the negative environmental impact of my studio. while i make an effort to use locally made packaging materials with a focus on recycled materials, the next challenge i aim to address is packaging and shipping to further reduce our ecological footprint.

ZITA: it’s very inspiring to see so many textile practitioners making all these efforts, love it! now, there are some questions i ask from everyone – i want you to recommend me a book or an artist whose work is worth checking out!

GINA: that’s a great question! i can offer both a book recommendation and introduce you to an artist.

for a captivating read, i suggest ‘the fabric of civilization: how textiles made the world’ by virginia postrel. this book brilliantly combines the realms of textiles and history, making it a fascinating choice, especially if you share an interest in both subjects.

when it comes to an artist who seamlessly merges music, digital coding, and weaving, you might find the work of beatwoven intriguing. her innovative approach and unique fusion of these elements have made her a significant influence in my own work. exploring her creations could provide valuable inspiration and insights for your own projects.

photography by lauralaura studio

ZITA: fantastic, i will definitely check them out. and lastly, but most importantly, what are you working on at the moment? where can we see your work now and where will see you next?

GINA: i’ll have a busy schedule for the next few months, i’ll be in the london design fair during london design week in september, followed by the great northern contemporary craft fair in manchester in october, and concluding with handmade in chelsea in london in early november. hopefully, i’ll meet new makers, lovely people and see you there!

ZITA: oh i’d love to come to some of those! thank you so much for your time.

GINA: thank you for this lovely time with you.

-

links:

woven memories website

woven memories on instagram

london museum of transportation - the moquette project

shiv textiles website

sandra junele on instagram

the fabric of civilization: how textiles made the world - virginia postrel’s website

beatwoven website

london design fair website

great northern contemporary craft fair

handmade chelsea

summer market double header!

hello again, we have a very nice announcement to make - just a quick blog post to announce our latest market round up. and we have a very, very nice double header ahead in our favourite scottish venues in edinburgh and then glasgow! celebrate the summer with some colourful block prints and browse all the loveliness scotland’s designers have to offer.

---

19th - 20th august - dovecot studios, edinburgh

first up is our bestest most favourite venue in scotland, the dovecot studios in edinburgh. this fabulous venue will be home to a fantastic line-up of local makers, curated by support the makers. the dovecot is also a fringe festival venue with exhibitions and of course, their lovely café and shops so do come along.

---

26th - 27th august - the briggait, glasgow

and afterwards, our favourite market returns. we absolutely love coming to the wasps studios markets as these markets are always very well organised and lovingly curated with some of the most engaged, creative audience of shoppers. it’s just a great experience all round and i can’t wait to talk to visitors and browse the lineup again. do come along

---

after all these fairs we will take a little break before we come back in the autumn and winter - but our shop remains online always so do browse our collections and let us know if we can help with anything at all. happy browsing!

ZITOZZA ON TV!

we have been waiting to announce this news for a while, but we’re finally allowed to say it out loud: zitozza will be on TV!

i am absolutely thrilled to have had the chance to participate in a new project for the BBC titled ‘make it at market’, filmed in beautiful leicestershire earlier this year. the idea of the show is to explore how some talented makers and crafters are turning their hobbies into a business with the help of being mentored by an expert designer - and i got selected to be one of these, to be mentored by the wonderful piyush suri of handmade in britain!)

the challenges were a lot of fun, and obviously the business mentoring has been a huge help, all this while also having met all these amazing and talented people completely flourishing from all kinds of creative disciplines made this a really, really inspiring experience. it will be definitely worth a watch, if not for some “zitozza-behind-the-scenes”, then for the variety of creativity and the immense amounts of talent that this show will cover.

the show is finally confirmed to have an airing date: 3rd january 2023! save the date and do tune in…. eeek!

edit: if you want to learn a bit more about how the experience went, read our next blog post about the episode!

in conversation with jessica clements of JESS ANNE

my oh my, it’s been a while since we had a good, deep design conversation hasn’t it! the talent of course has always been there and shining, but we now finally had the time as well, to meet some and explore their fabulous work. i’m very excited to introduce jessica clements of JESS ANNE today. she is a woven textile designer whose gorgeous works, with incredibly bold and bright colourways caught my eye immediately, and we’ve gone into process, materials and inspiration to bring her vibrant textiles closer to you.

ZITA: hi jess! first things first - could you say a few words about yourself, what you do and how you got there?

JESS: of course! so hello everyone my name is jessica, i’m 26 years old and live in broadstairs in kent and i’m the founder of JESS ANNE! i started my brand in 2019, just before the pandemic and i really wanted to create a brand that explores woven cloth featuring bright colours that spark joy!

ZITA: and it’s working i think! the first thing that really catches the eye about your work i think are your vibrant colourways! i just love the high contrasts and the neons so much. could you share a little bit about the thoughts that go into putting your wonderful schemes together?

JESS: it’s hard to explain but typically i don’t have a source of inspiration as such, it’s more of a feeling that i have. when i look at colours i don’t tend to think of trends or “what’s in”. i tend to think do they spark anything within me, do these colours remind me of a pleasant memory or place, or do they make me feel like if i wore those colours, i would feel confident? pretty? bold? i just sense my way through the colour choices rather then trying to have an elaborate explanation behind them. if the colours feel right, it feels right! obviously, every individual will have different tastes or opinions on style, however, the colours i choose express who i am as a designer and just as a human being!

ZITA: as a fellow pattern lover, i find weaving – and your particularly geometric patterns fascinating, i guess weaving is very “mathematical”. can you explain a little bit about the process of designing your patterns? what does it look like when one of your colourful patterns come together – is it a long chain of trials and errors, or do you nail it most of the time?

JESS: so, weaving is definitely not for those who don’t enjoy maths. weaving is one of those processes where accuracy and maths is everything and could make or break a pattern or even the physical cloth. when i begin my design process i always start with the colours (obvs!). from there, i tend to experiment with whatever i feel like i need to personally conquer as a weaver who is always trying to progress. as i’ve said before i’m not too driven by trend or styles, but much rather just expressing who i am as a designer and where i am in my personal development as a young creative. the geometric patterns was a real test for me! however it was one I wanted to conquer and prove that i can push my limits (and my own confidence!). when developing a design, the maths has to be spot on, and the maths can shift/change depending on the types of yarns and patterns chosen. i experiment with smaller samples first, writing every calculation to make sure I have the right amount of yarn ends and that i’m using the correct size of equipment such as the reed for the cloth i desire.

it’s definitely a trial and error thing! i wish i could say i nailed it on the head every time but that wouldn’t be true. sometimes yarns do not want to cooperate, even if you double checked every calculation and detail. sometimes, even the smallest of details overlooked can dramatically change the look and feel of the cloth. however, once the sample is nailed and its something that i feel proud to put my name too, i would then expand on this sample to create a range of products!

ZITA: what a fascinating process. i find the abstract nature of your work very interesting – i particularly love your woven artworks, it’s like you deconstructed your own craft into something else, something a bit more abstract, they feel quite architectural to me but also remind me of op-art a little bit. can you share a few thoughts about these pieces?

JESS: oh the card windings! i love these little pieces. when studying, we were taught that these card windings were used initially as just a development stage, to try out colourways and warp patterns. however, I started to expand on these using different shapes of card and found they deserved to be mini pieces of art in their own right! carefully hand wrapping card with desired colours in any order?! who wouldn’t?! i think the woven structure will always have an element of being architecturally inspired because the typical woven form relies so heavily on being constructed in a way that it will structurally hold together! not only do they help inform the woven cloth designs but they create such dynamic little studies that are interesting enough to want to hang on the wall!

ZITA: i think they work brilliantly, i really love them. now, let’s talk materials! what kind of materials do you work with – do you mix them often, or do you stick to one or two that works? what works?

JESS: oh good one. i’m a typical creature of habit, however as i’ve been designing, i’ve been trying my hardest to break free from my comfort zones. i tend to weave mainly with lambswool, however, in my most recent collection i have really been trying to expand on my products and offer lighter alternatives to the heavier & warmer wools and been experimenting with cotton/linen blends. i tend to use cottons for my card windings and happen to find myself using these now in my newer designs as a supplementary yarn. i’m hoping the more i evolve as a designer, the more i will be adventurous and try more yarns! eek!

ZITA: have you found that sustainability and ethical sourcing has become more of a point with your customers as well as in your supply chain? how do you find this – have you always worked with such materials?

JESS: i think by now most consumers are concerned with the environment, as they should be! it’s so important for people to realise the impact the textile industry has on the environment, and this should definitely be more integrated into our buying habits. as an independent designer and so early on in my journey, i handweave all of my designs, eliminating the risk of buying into any sort of sub par factory conditions or any sort of exploitation (although, it’s of my understanding now these regulations are in place and finally the textile world is shifting into a much more ethical way of producing). the yarns i order are from smaller independent shops in the UK, who also do their own background investigations into where they source their yarns. the company that i purchase my lambswool from and the cottons are very transparent in their processes which makes the selection process much easier. it’s so difficult to navigate through the world of industry, however, i remain conscious of my purchases and in the future when i have built up my brand, i strive to be a designer who is part of the ever so important sustainability movement.

ZITA: i think it’s growing really quite fast, nearly all designers i know are now considering this. i got to know you as a fellow participant of a new TV Show and you’ve also been through some thorough mentoring and an intensive development process i guess! how has it been for you in the last few months? without any spoilers, can you share a little bit about how you have developed your work and maybe about some of the new pieces?

JESS: so the show really helped me become who I am today in just a short amount of time! the mentoring was pretty intense to say the least and it was difficult at times to break old habits and ways of thinking, but it was exactly what I needed to tap in to the potential for my woven designs! before filming i lacked confidence and found my development of designing was very slow, as i was always very nervous of trying new patterns/yarn in case they didn’t work out (yes, i am one of those people that if i don’t nail it first time, i get very frustrated!) however the mentoring on the show really helped me overcome that fear and removed the barrier between me as a designer and creating much more statement designs. the designs that will feature in the show really came from a place of needing to push my own boundaries rather then a specific source of inspiration. i view this collection as a natural progression from my previous broadstairs project and i think there something really lovely about my projects linking this way.

ZITA: this is very exciting and i can’t wait to see al this progress on TV soon. development is an interesting process, have you found any new sources of inspiration? where do you normally go to or look to? have you found it’s changed lately?

JESS: i think my design process and sources of inspiration changes almost constantly. as my practice and skills develop and as i continue to design, i find my inspiration shifts so frequently that’s its hard to even keep up with myself! i was inspired mostly by nature and my surroundings in my home town, however i found that more recently my work is more inspired by my own feelings and the feeling i wanted to provoke in people if they were to wear my design. i’m starting to really explore how fabric design and colour combinations can provoke different emotions.  

ZITA: fascinating! and where do you want to see your work most? what’s your dearest ambition, where do you want to take your work next?

JESS: i would absolutely adore to see my brand grow and eventually develop into a fashion brand. the dream has always been to see my fabrics on garments such as beautiful, tailored suits and dresses and feature in glossy magazines (i think most designers have this day dream!), TV, instagram… and just generally see my work being used by all over the world! the sky is the limit!

ZITA: yeah, you go girl! and now the question i ask from everyone - can you recommend a book? or an artist or a maker whose work is worth looking into? something or someone that keeps you thinking forward?

JESS: oh my goodness there’s so many artists and designers that inspire me from across the board i couldn’t possibly narrow It down! there’s so many amazing weavers out there such as margo selby, ptolemy mann, rita parniczky, theo rooden… the list is endless! i think any of these artist would be good start if you wanted to understand more about woven design and what is possible!

ZITA: and lastly but most importantly, where can we see your work next?

JESS: so as i’m typing this i have no current exhibitions or markets coming up, however my products are available through my website and i welcome emails or instagram DMs enquiring to commission or purchase. i’m currently still in the process of re-branding and re developing my website and i’m communicating with smaller retailers about becoming stockists. exciting! ahh!

ZITA: sounds like you have a lot on your plate, but i’m sure it will work out. thanks so much for talking with me!

-

Links:

JESS ANNE website

JESS ANNE instagram

‘make it at market’ (BBC media centre website)

margo selby website

ptolemy mann (crafts council website)

rita parniczky (saatchi art website)

theo rooden website

guest post for support the makers!

hello readers! it’s been a while, but i have been blogging, i promise. just not here, but over there at the support the makers, whose network i joined earlier this year, and decided to introduce myself in a short blog post, in which i share a little bit about my background, my motivations and what really is behind the zitozza brand. go have a read for yourselves here!

unfortunately, my participation in their 1st may market at bellfield, portobello (the one announced in the march newsletter), had to be cancelled again - at least not due to covid, but for a much more exciting reason which i will be able to share later! however, it’s still worth a visit so please do go and support the line-up of talented makers from all over the UK.

i’m sure i will be there at some point with other of their markets (a pop-up shop in london is also in the works now - more of that later!)

i will have more exciting news and markets to announce soon, and until then, please keep an eye on the blog, our instagram and of course the newsletter!

jutefest comes to an early end with cancellation (but still plenty of reasons celebrate!)

hello! we’re so sorry to have had to share the bad news with you on saturday, about the cancellation of our last jutefest event. i hope you haven’t travelled to dundee this weekend! if you haven’t heard, the very last jutefest was unfortunately cancelled due to staff having to isolate at the venue (scrapantics, our landlords have been utterly fantastic about this whole venture though so huge thanks to them!). and to be honest, for it only to happen to the last in a series of 4 is not a bad record, so we are celebrating our success and we are also thinking about how to come back with something bigger and better next year perhaps.

so if you only just heard of us, the best is yet to come. jutefest consists of three of us - jist jute, knotty but nice, and zitozza. because we all work with jute in different, but consistently modern and contemporary ways, we set out to bring the cloth back to its city and celebrate its sustainable qualities - and maybe showing the locals along the way why it’s cool again! while dundee has an enormous heritage to build on, jute is not a thing of the past but very much the future too.

photo by deborah chapman at artantics

photo by deborah chapman at artantics

we’ve done a lot of cool things together and it’s been an achievement in itself, i think, to pull this off on a shoestring with a few weeks notice. indeed there’s a lot of potential in our abilities to do something bigger and better soon! throughout the event series, alison has successfully managed to crowdfund a whole weaving loom and lessons to learn to weave - you can see the progress of all this on her instagram along with the first pieces. don’t they look fabulous? and maite was busy crocheting, unstoppably producing her work live at the fair whilst chatting to visitors about those durable bags! it was fascinating to witness that speed.

as for zitozza - of course, the embroidered wall-art collection also debuted at the jutefest and it did look good on the turqouise wall of the venue! and as a demonstration of our craft, two smaller lengths of fabric were printed live in front of enthusiastic visitors... i think one will become a lampshade, and the other a rug (see the pictures below!) and it’s coming very soon so watch this space and subscribe to the newsletter, to make sure you don’t miss out on any of our new plans (and the nice things made of these!)

zitozza at st james quarter

save the date! it seems that as life is opening up more and more, we’re coming to pop-up at more events and markets - and this time, at a really prestigious boutique location at the newly opened st james quarter in edinburgh!

the pop-up event series lasts altogether for two weeks, from monday 23rd august until sunday 5th september, and is organised by the wonderful people at women’s business station to showcase some amazing makers from all across scotland and it takes place at sook, a pop-up boutique space at the shopping centre. zitozza will take up two days here, on wednesday and thursday 1st & 2nd september, sharing the space with a few other brilliant makers.

no doubt more posts are coming - and do keep an eye on our social media, but i just wanted to let you all know that this date is also coming! keep safe!

-

links:

women’s business station

st james quarter

sook spaces

zitozza at cloth#21!

i hope you’re having a happy summer people, i know it’s not easy to navigate between wanting a sense of normality and being cautious about the spread of the virus, but as we are getting through it all, we are very happy to announce that you’ll be able to meet us again, in real life, at CLOTH#21 in edinburgh, scotland, at the beautiful venue of the dovecot studios.

this will take place on two weekends, and zitozza will be there at the second one, on the 21st and 22nd august, from 10am till 5pm. it’s an honour to be standing amongst many other talented makers and textile designers - so please do come as it will be definitely worth it. not only it’s going to be full of stalls with beautiful stuff but the venue itself is one of the best in scotland, and perhaps one of the only ones catering for tapestries and textile arts at such a level.

and also please don’t forget that on the 7th august, the penultimate jutefest will also be on in dundee (at unit 2, anchor mills, west hendersons wynd from 10am till 4pm) man it feels good to be blogging about physical events and i hope it can continue! see you soon!

-

links:

dovecot studios

CLOTH#21 (pick one productions)

jutefest is coming!

oh hello (limited, face-masked) general public! zitozza are excited and proud to announce to be a founding participant of JUTEFEST dundee! this is a brand new initiative with three makers working with jute differently (that’s - jist jute, knotty but nice, and zitozza) and our aim is to bring this wonderfully versatile and sustainable fabric back to its city where it once came out of in the tons.

the three of us work with jute in different ways - you can read our design conversations with jist jute already - there is a great deal of research and local history in alison’s work and she will also be signing her book “if these wa’s cuid talk” at the event. maite of knotty but nice is a crocheter who uses twine from nutscene to make strong and colourful bags and accessories. so there will be jewellery, fashion accessories - and cushions, rugs and lampshade by zitozza also for sale. but apart from setting up market stalls with our things, we will be making live at the event and demonstrate our crafts as well as preparing some exhibition materials on the history of jute in the city as well as some modern takes on the golden fibre.

there’s certainly a lot of heritage to celebrate in dundee but we also believe in embracing the present and we have our modern-day reasons why we work with it - one of these is of course sustainability, because we recognise our responsibility and we want to promote materials with less of a carbon, chemical, and water footprint. however, there is also a more artistic take on it - jute is a very utilitarian material, and when it was mass produced in dundee, it was fully to serve other industries and agriculture with its sacks and ropes. the three of us don’t use it this way though. we inject it with colour, design and individuality while keeping what’s good about it - the warmth, tactility and environmental qualities. there’s a lot to discover and play with and we want the locals to join us to celebrate that!

zitozza are preparing with a special launch of mini-tapestries as well, an initial 8-piece exhibtion will be set up for visitors - all wall-art will be available to be purchased online soon as well!

so when is this is happening? this is going to be a series of pop-up fairs stretched out between june and september on the first saturdays of each of these months. so that’s 5th june, 3rd july, 7th august, and 4th september.

and where about? at the artantics building (many thanks to scrapantics!), that’s right across from verdant works. the address is unit 2, anchor mill, west henderson’s wynd, dundee, DD1 5BY.

this is going to be a real-life event which is why it’s a big deal to those of us having been confined to our studios and council areas and whatnot. even though we are super happy to be finally free to meet you and celebrate, we still have to be careful and be aware of the spread of coronavirus. we want to be as safe as possible, so please note we will require face masks to be worn and we may still limit the number of people indoors in order to be able to keep a safe distance. thanks for your understanding and see you soon!

-

links:

jutefest instagram and twitter

jist jute instagram and etsy shop

knotty but nice (instagram)

scrapantics (website)

in conversation with alison carrie of jist jute

happy after-easter celebrations everyone, we’ve made it. this is april, and we have just survived 25%, the first quarter of 2021. i have a real gem to celebrate that with. i’m bringing you another inspiring design conversation, this time with alison carrie, the pair of hands behind jist jute and the brains behind “if these wa’s cuid talk” - a brand new book about the last of dundee’s jute mills still standing, their history and their current relationship with the city. i find it such a great experience to meet other people who are also obsessed with jute and feel a special connection to this material and in (and around) dundee this has an extra significance. we had a virtual cuppa to discuss why we love the cloth - and why it matters working with it in the city of dundee. let’s dive into this discovery! (no pun intended)

ZITA: hi alison! so first of all, tell me a little bit about yourself, what you do and how you got there?

ALISON: hello! well… my name is alison carrie, and i am a self-taught textile worker, a local history buff, an accidental author and dundee’s first self-proclaimed “jute baroness” who runs “jist jute” - but mostly i just claim to be “a wee wifey that does stuff”. i make all sorts of things from this wonderful natural plant fibre, including bags, jewellery, eco-scrubbies. my mum is retired now, and she enjoys botanically dying jute twine with foraged scottish ingredients including raspberries, onions, blueberries and oak galls. she also creates our crocheted exfoliating mitts and our surprisingly realistic faux cacti!

i also enjoy exploring and celebrating the local history and connections with jute. a few years back i started a small project, for my own curiosity really, which snowballed and eventually resulted in a full-blown book! not what i had in mind when i set-out… “jist jute” spawned from this project, as a fund-raiser to help get the money together to print a number of copies to share with anyone who might be interested.

ZITA: yeah i want to ask about that first. obviously the big project is your book right now – can you tell me a little a bit about its journey? what made you write it?

ALISON: as i touched on earlier, it really just came about by accident! i’d been through a pretty traumatic few years, and as a result was what some folk might describe as “chronically unemployed”. that is to say, i am that person who never gets the job, never gets the interview, is constantly at the job-centre trying their best but never getting anywhere. i was so angry at the system and depressed at being made to feel less than useless. i started walking to try and calm, and to get exercise. i always took my best buddy (ziggy the border collie) with me, and some days we’d cover 12-15 miles, just trekking round the city. i’d always noticed these big buildings in dundee, and had no idea what they were. at first i recognised a pattern in their style; large windows, certain roof-styles, geographic locations… and i wanted to know more. despite being brought-up 15 miles away from dundee, i had never heard about the jute industry, or even what jute was. how crazy is that? why are we not being taught about our local history? why are we taught about kings and queens and ancient battles which, to be honest, means nothing to many of us.

so i wanted to know more, and of course i visited verdant works jute museum, but still i was unable to find out quite what i wanted to know about, which was the buildings themselves. everything else seemed to have been documented; the people, the process, the machinery, the plant and harvesting, the uses… but not the huge industrial buildings - monuments, almost? - that still remain. why are they still here, when we don’t even work jute any more? if only they could tell me their history themselves. and, once you learn how to “read” a building, they do begin to give-up their own stories… hence “if these wa’s cuid talk” was to become the title of my ‘accidental’ book.

ZITA: did you find it difficult to access the city’s history or the bits that interested you? i can imagine it must have been a huge but interesting research work.

ALISON: yes and no. at first, i just used the usual sources, the libraries, internet, city archives etc. later i started to access social media, and joined several dundee history groups to gain information and memories from local people who used to eat, sleep and breathe jute. this gave me direct access to people who worked in all sectors of the jute industry; from the various apprentices, to spinners, weavers, carders… even dockers and the folk who would work in the offices. everyone’s memories are/were important, and helped me to piece together a picture of how things operated within living memory. once i built up this core of info, i resorted back to just being a bit nosey! if i was out walking, and i happened upon a mill where there were building works happening, i would just ask a worker if it was possible to get some photos inside. they’d then get the foreman, i’d sort of talk my way into it, and next thing you know i’d have an appointment to come back on a saturday afternoon and take (supervised) photos...as long as i brought my own safety boots and hard hat.

when i got braver, i contacted hillcrest housing association about access to one of their larger buildings. their wonderful “upper dens” has been converted into 70+ flats, but i actually wanted into their basement… they were wonderfully helpful, and allowed me supervised access to the basement area, to see the pillars and the oil-stained wheel-pit for the huge steam engines which would have powered the mill. whilst there, i was allowed to tour the rest of the building. then they asked if i’d like to see others! we took a whole day to tour their 8 former-mill buildings scattered through dundee, which was absolutely fantastic!

ZITA: how cool! it's great how helpful everyone was to share these spaces. and was there anything that you particularly loved discovering, or something that really shocked or surprised you about any particular place in dundee that you discovered while researching?

ALISON: what surprised me? hmmm….having volunteered as a machine operator at verdant works, tales of accidents, explosions and deaths didn’t surprise me at all. it was the really random little discoveries that i am surprised by. for example, a couple of the mills had ponds in the basement area… one still reportedly has a small rowing boat in it!

ZITA: fascinating! i haven’t read your book yet - i’m sorry, i missed the pre-orders but i totally want a signed copy when i can buy again please! - but have you set yourself a writing style, have you discovered your own oice while doing this? do you plan to write more?

ALISON: you haven’t got one yet?! shame on you…. haha! since the book happened kind of organically, i just wrote it in the style which comes most naturally to me. i write in the same way i speak; it’s really just a text version of how i would speak to visitors to the museum. i try to be clear and friendly, just like having a chat, rather than a lecture. i am always mindful that despite what i’ve learned, i will never class myself as some kind of expert. i try not to use unnecessary technical language, as i found that quite off-putting when i was researching. sometimes it felt like you needed to be an architect to understand descriptions in the sources i’ve used! i try to keep it interesting, accurate, but understandable. i am aware that not everyone reading it will be local to the area so where i have used local words or terms, i have added a wee glossary at the back to try and help clarify things.

ZITA: i can't wait to read it. you must find it quite inspiring using jute in dundee as a maker - is your material choice of jute related to your dundee research? can you tell a little bit about your accessories as well?

ALISON: yes it feels pretty good to be bringing scottish jute working back to dundee in some sort of form. “jist jute” was initially set-up as a temporary idea, to raise the funds to get my book printed. i was just making some simple jewellery from jute (earrings and bracelets) and my very first stall was within the overgate shopping centre! a friend who does weaving was talked into weaving jute “live” during the day so that shoppers could come over and watch it happening, and talk about the process. i was asked on the application for what my business name was, and i was like "i have no idea what to call it?! it’s jist jute…” it means “just jute” in english, but the locals pronounce just as jist. and so “jist jute” was born.

we have since grown our range of items, to include: loop/drop/stud earrings, mens cufflinks, necklaces, knitted necklaces, bracelets, botanically dyed twine, soap-savers, lavender bags, eco-scrubbies, shopping bags, faux cacti, exfoliating mitts, amongst other things. the list changes and alters as time goes on, and depending what is in demand at any given time. throughout 2020 coronavirus crisis, we completely changed tact (literally overnight), and worked hard for almost 8 months supplying cotton facemasks to both individuals and local businesses, in quantities of 1-300 pieces. we also supplied local foodbanks with a number of simple “soap savers” to help struggling families to make their precious soap go a little further during the early pandemic panic-buying.

ZITA: this is amazing. i love this. and not only jute is environmentally friendlier but some of your stuff is also made of recycled materials aren’t they – do you find it hard to market sustainable goods or do you think the attitudes have changed a bit more in favour now?

ALISON: yes you are correct! not only is jute environmentally friendly and incredibly sustainable, but i also try to recycle it when i can. i have to be honest with you, i didn’t initially start using recycled because of environmental benefits, but because i’m a bit “mean” - scots for tight-fisted or someone who doesn’t like spending money. i felt it was silly to purchase brand new hessian from fabric stores, when i could source jute fabric for free from local coffee roasters. it was only later when i was trying to work out how i could be a bit greener that i discovered the amazing journey that jute sacks undertake before they reach me, that i realised these sacks need rescuing! for example, the jute is harvested, processed and woven in india. it may then go to kenya to be printed and filled with coffee beans, before being shipped to london coffee roasters. then i would buy 20+ empty sacks online, and they’d be shipped to dundee. once i’d made my recycled bags etc, they may be bought by anyone around the world...some have gone out to the US and australia. the amount of travelling these sacks do in their lifetime is astounding!

i have now moved over to using 100% recycled jute in my textile products, and only ever using locally produce nutscene twine for my bold & colourful bracelets and earrings. on a small scale, i haven’t found it too hard to market sustainable goods. at craft markets etc, you can get a good chat with customers and let them get touchy-feely with your product (or, at least, pre-covid). it's really just about being friendly, having a natter and gaining their trust.

what i do find difficult is persuading other businesses to stock our stuff. i have approached lots of local “refillery” type stores, and either they already stock a big chain brand which you see in all the shops on every high street, or they knock you back saying that they have “a similar product” (usually referring to hemp, which is certainly not the same thing as jute). this makes me especially sad when these tayside-based eco-stores go on about green businesses and supporting local, and save small businesses… yet won’t support other small businesses with a very unique local connection. what’s with that? i make a real effort to now source my sacks locally, for perth (where i live) or dundee (where “jist jute” is now based). i always mention my sources, because it’s important to both me and them. i believe it’s important to work together and to support small businesses. even more so now than ever. as small businesses, we are battling against big brands, against the high street chains, against cheap imports, against brexit… the last thing we need is to be fighting with each other!

on that note, i get sacks from unorthodox roasters in kinross and the bean store in perth. my recycled cotton is generally sourced from either charity shops, or my landlords, scrapantics. sometimes i use waxed cotton, which is always ‘end of line’ or small-batch experimental stuff from halley stevensons in dundee, who make the waxed cotton for barbour jackets. our botanical dyes are homemade from free and foraged fruit & veg.

ZITA: thanks so much for sharing that. i do think that local businesses can achieve s lot more by working together! now, i know we have discussed your exciting book already, but i ask this question from everyone - can you recommend a book, or someone else whose work is worth looking into?

ALISON: a good book if you would like to read more about dundee's jute mills is mark watson's “jute & flax mills in dundee”, which turned out to be a bit of a bible for me! it is not generally easy to find, and went out of print circa. 1990 (when i was a mere 6 years old!). due to its age, it now holds a wealth of info about many mills which were around at the time but are now no longer with us. it is a bit more technical in its terminology, and a very different style from my own book, but still worth a look if “if these wa’s cuid talk” gets you hooked...

ZITA: and what are your new projects – apart from your book, what else can we expect to see from you this year and where?

ALISON: oooh... i wish i knew! all along i have let things just happen organically, as the best laid plans often go astray. i find if i make plans i get incredibly stressed when they go askew, and i make myself unwell over it.

a year ago i was asked where i wanted to be in 5 years time (at that point i was a struggling stall holder). i jokingly said “dundee’s first jute baroness, with a business in an old dundee jute mill, and maybe 5 staff… and now i’m based in anchor mill, my book is about to come out, i have “bricks & mortar” stockists for my products and i’m really wishing i had an extra set of hands! but i have 4 more years to achieve that, right?!

i keep thinking back to how it all started… being bored, angry and “on the dole”. i know i’m not the only one who feels like that. i know dundee has had a tough time of it, and there are many people in the same position as me. signing-on, queuing for jobs that we all know don’t exist, being made to feel worthless and useless… and through no fault of their own. i want to find out how we can help each other more. i want to expand my business further, and employ local people to help out. it gives me extra hands, them a source of money and most importantly, a sense of wellbeing and worth. i started this because i didn’t have a job, i know how they feel and what having a purpose would mean to these folk. i just need to work out how to do that. i don’t think my current studio is quite large enough to work safely (distanced) just now, but maybe now is the time to look into my options for the future.

i’ve had so many people ask me if i’ll do another book, too. in my head, i have the plans for another two...but whether i have the time to actually do it now that “jist jute” itself has grown arms and legs, i’m not really sure. maybe when i get a few staff under me, i can delegate and get back to pen & paper?!

ZITA: amazing! good luck with your plans and thanks a lot for your time!

ALISON: thanks!

-

“if these wa’s cuid talk” is available from 10th april from the jist jute etsy shop and facebook page (£23, free UK postage) and from selected stockists: coorie scotland (broughty ferry) and scrapantics (dundee)

further links:

hillcrest housing

unorthodox roasters

the bean store

halley stevensons

in conversation with louise kirby

time flies - it's march now, how did that happen? nevermind, in the quest for constant inspiration i'm pleased to announce that my series of design conversations continues and this time i had a virtual cup of coffee with louise kirby, dundee-based surface pattern designer, illustrator and artist, whose work you might see in and around the city as well as on cards and smaller products. she is a multidisciplinary talent whose work is fabulously colourful and warm and i was really keen to know a little more about her work and inspirations.

ZITA: first of all, thank you for accepting my invitation, i'm really happy to have you here as i'm really impressed with your work. could you tell a little bit about yourself, what you do and how you got there?

LOUISE: hi! i'm louise kirby, a local designer, i'm based in dundee and i've got a studio in dundee at wasps studios. i create bespoke print and patterns that ultimately captures a sense of place - within in all my work i like to bring out the positives and bring really meaningful and unique imagery that relates to the local spaces or briefs that i'm working on. my work is on quite a range of different things and i apply it to really small scale things as well as larger, public art, mural types of works as well. but in everything i do has this playfulness to it. my background is in textile design so my work has this kind of playful textile influence to it - i try and capture a sense of place with it but also the particularities of the brief i'm working towards. and how i got there..?

ZITA: yes! please tell a little bit about your journey too.

LOUISE: i studied printed textiles at duncan of jordanstone (DJCAD), but i graduated in 1999 so it was over 20 years ago now. i absolutely loved printed textiles and i was completely on fire. from when i started my first block, when i first discovered printed textiles i just absolutely loved it. as soon as i graduated i went to london and worked for a fashion design studio where i was coming up with print ideas but it was following trends and very much fashion related. i really liked working at that fast pace and constantly changing briefs, that we had to constantly come up with new ideas. then i moved back to scotland and just continued freelancing for the same design studio. then i took a little bit of time out and went travelling for a year - which i really recommend to everyone! i was really lucky, when i was in australia i decided to approach one of the design studios so i ended up doing some work for them too, john kaldor fabricmaker ltd. in sydney. i was only doing it for a couple of months but it was a great experience - and the design studio knew my work because they bought my designs before just through the fashion industry.

ZITA: wow!

LOUISE: when i came back i really wanted to just work out what i'm doing and where i'm going, so i decided i wanted to create my own label then. i created printed scarves on silk and wool, hand screen printed or monoprinted, and i would make them myself. this was really high-end, gallery type stuff and i did some shows with that, but i didn't just want to keep making things, and i did another "big review" about where i'm going and what i'm doing, and i got a little bursary to do some research and self development. i was always kind of worried about just making things and keep adding stuff to the world - i didn't just want to do that. i guess what i'm good at is coming up with ideas and working towards briefs, and i wanted to be able to apply that. and that's when i was starting working on more of these illustration type things and different briefs, and also seeing my work helped me think about how patterns can be applied not just onto textiles but murals and different scales. with most of my designs, i guess i really wanted to be purposeful, to be doing a job that improves space, i guess making a difference, in a way.

ZITA: that's really fascinating, and your journey is fascinating! you know it's funny because i took quite the opposite way. ok, i didn't start from illustration but from graphic design, it was more typography and logos, but then it was from that i discovered pattern, and printed textiles. whereas you started with that and then expanded. it's really interesting to see. i really love what you say about the sense of place and it is quite literal in some of your work when you do the murals. i'm really interested in those projects! i'm researching a lot about new towns such as glenrothes and i love the concept of a town artist. when you talk about improving a place and making a difference, i always think about those so i'm really wondering how these projects found you, and where we can see them in your work?

LOUISE: i guess when i come across a brief like that, i always think about, what is meaningful and unique about that particular place and focus on bringing out all those positives. how i found them... i guess it's either through open calls or you just see the commissions advertised, or maybe i've worked with people before and they know my work. an example of this is the scrapantics mural that was an open call for artists, which is on concertina doors - it's three or four metres tall and i had to use scaffolding. for me, thinking about the sense of place was about what that shop was about. scrapantics is a reusables store, a bit of an aladdin's cave of lots of different things. so i used my patterns and layering, that kind of juxtaposition of my style as a metaphor of what's inside that store, that kind of clashing and mixing things together and bring that out to the street, and just bringing some joy into the street.

ZITA: beautiful!

LOUISE: other commissions i've worked on was the tayside healthcare trust, i worked on three different sheltered housing units, within their corridors to help improve the space and it involved lots of consultations with the tenants there. what's really important is that it's never about me just coming along and decide "hey this is what i'm gonna do", i think it's really important that i get it right for whoever's using that space. i always do the research then arrange consultations to try and really understand and get a bit deeper into what's important to the people. then i develop ideas - then i'll keep going backwards and forwards in order to come up with design solutions that fits the site-specific requirements of the space and works for all the people who will use it. i've only been really recently getting into public art, and i've done some of the wild in art trails - which are really fun to do! because they are so accessible and they're outside, it encourages families to get out and about. i really like the wild in art trail so i've done a few.

ZITA: this is super fascinating. i really admire these types of work - i've never done them myself but i love it. i love it when people adapt and colour in their built environment. it's really interesting to see how that works and responds to people.

LOUISE: yes when i was physically there and painting the scrapantics mural, people were stopping in the street and someone actually came up to me like "wow you're responsible for actually bringing some joy to the street?!" so it does make a difference! there were three commissioned by scrapantics and the whole area around it actually feels more vibrant and more - it kind of reflects the area i think, by just adding some murals to the street.

ZITA: i love that you told this story, that people stopped and talked to you. i love it when a place creates conversation in the community. this is really cool! having started from fashion though, and with printed scarves and the like, do you find it difficult to work to such different scales? i know that you do cards as well and then you say that you worked on a 3 or 4 metre tall mural... is there a lot of change in your process to adapt to that?

LOUISE: not really. i mean i love the challenge of working to a huge scale. the biggest thing i've ever done was ten metres by four metres, and I did an A4 or A3 sketch. it's still the same process, i guess i have to think about the shapes and the scales it's going to go on, how it's going to look or how it's going to be worn, so you're always just considering the end product, i guess. but it's the same process of research, development, testing ideas, playing, drawing skills, colour... all that kind of work. it's still the same process. i find it quite easy to move from one to the other actually. i guess the challenge gets me quite excited, in a way of "oh i've never done this before!". i tried to once put my designs on aeroplanes.

ZITA: really? wow, what was that like?

LOUISE: it was part of a competition, quite a long time ago now, and i got to the top ten selected designers to put my designs on british airways aeroplanes, but the idea of even just doing that brief helped me visualise the scale, like "oh wow, what could it look like?", what kind of scale it needed to be, how it would work from a distance and just understanding of how it would be seen by different people.

ZITA: that's really interesting. your work is quite multidisciplinary - i love it that you went from scarves to aeroplanes and you take the same approach! is there an easy switch from project to project? how do you even start?

LOUISE: so i guess i'm just starting with a sketch of what the shape needs to be, if it needs to be a card or an aeroplane or a mural or whatever, i'm understanding proportions first. then i guess i just throw myself in! and i'm always learning, all through my creative career, i always find myself googling things and watching youtube videos if i need to, so definitely there is always a learning process. and that's exciting! and it helps develop my work as well, pushes me further and makes me think. it's important to use the brain! but yeah i do find it fairly easy to switch between scales and briefs.

ZITA: and does inspiration find you spontaneously or do you have to go after it a lot?

LOUISE: i'm always out and about so i'm always looking and noticing things, and it might be something really simple, like stripes, or lines or something that i can make connections with. or it might be some metaphors, something i can find meaning in and play with the ideas. it generally happens when i'm out, i have my phone with me to record little bits. my phone is full of something like 23.000 photos or something. obviously if there is a brief and a specific project, i will go out and look for inspiration that's relevant to the project. but generally i just love being outside and noticing texture and surface and lines, stuff like that. just stopping and looking closely at something.

ZITA: that's the creative way of seeing i guess! what is it in specifics you're discovering when you're out though?

LOUISE: i love looking at different textures or surfaces together, in close-up, i like that kind of juxtaposition of colour and pattern that sit together and layer up. going for a walk i think is one of the best things to do. if you tried find inspiration forcefully, it might not always be the best.

ZITA: i agree with that.

LOUISE: i guess finding your own things as well is really important. to find your own inspiration. the stuff you're taught at art college of using your own work and not using someone else's photos etc. to find what's important to you and your practice.

ZITA: that comes from your own eye i guess. apart from developing your own language, your output, you must develop your own eye, your input as well. to train your eye to see what you're really looking for. talking about others and inspiration from them though, here's the bit i'm always going to ask from everyone - can you recommend a book or another designer who might be worth looking up?

LOUISE: i think the whole series of the austin kleon books are really good, the show your work!, steal like an artist, he's got about five of them i think. and they're short reads and pictorial as well so they're really good, motivational little books. the simon sinek stuff, relating to finding your "why" as well, i've read that recently. as for artists... i'm going to recommend you someone from dundee, her name is nicola wiltshire and she paints on patterned fabric. her work is really interesting and she uses really really interesting colour combinations. some of her recent work has been about landscape and places - and some of it is more like portraiture or still life.

ZITA: that's cool, i will definitely check her work out. the simon sinek book has actually been on my list for a while as well. good recommendations, thank you!

LOUISE: listen to the ted talk first, there is a ted talk. there's a whole process to go through, it's really worth it. you're about to look back on your life and find the things that are really important, to find out what ultimately is driving you. and it's not always what you think it might be!

ZITA: ooh that sounds interesting, i look forward to getting into that! and to finish this conversation with even more useful information, where can we see your work, what can we expect to see from you this year?

LOUISE: you can see my work in dundee and the dundee delights collection that i create, which is a range of greetings cards, prints and products. currently only really available on my etsy shop as most of the stockists are closed. out and about you can see my stuff, i guess the scrapantics mural is one and you can also see my penguin from the maggies penguin parade in jute cafe bar in dca (dundee contemporary arts.) as for what's to come later... i'm working on an amazing project just now, it's called spaces for people. it's quite exciting and i'm getting to do all the things that i wanted to do! it's about improving space for people in an area and we're creating temporary interventions to try some ideas out. but i'm not going to say too much about it because it's not out there in the public yet!

ZITA: oh that sounds super exciting though i wish i could ask you more about that.

LOUISE: i know! and i've got more of the wild in art sculptures as well - i've already created the lighthouse trail so the lighthouse trail is going to happen this year, but that's going to be in the aberdeen - shetland - moray - orkney areas. and i've just been told that i'm getting to do another one! but i cannot tell you what that is yet.

ZITA: amazing news! very exciting.

LOUISE: i'm also doing a project with dundee rep theatre, i got one of the micro-commissions, to create a piece of theatre. something completely different for me! i'm collaborating with a drama artist called amy hall gibson, and we're creating a piece of children's theatre called "dundee delight dice". this is based on what i do, highlighting all the positives about dundee but bringing it to life. using a giant "story-cube" type idea. that is going to be coming out later this year as well. we're having to adapt it because it's not necessarily going to be in the same format that we pitched originally due to the circumstances just now. but this is quite exciting, because i really like seeing my work in a new context and it's making me think about how my designs can work in different ways as well. and who knows what else! i will keep applying for things and see what happens.

ZITA: this is very exciting. and what a journey! from fashion through murals and aeroplanes and now children's theatre. this is an amazing creative journey and just really shows how a particular way of seeing and working and applying patterns and colours can be applied to so many things. thank you so much for sharing with me.

LOUISE: it's been great!

-

links:

louise kirby’s website

louise kirby etsy shop

scrapantics

wild in art

nicola wiltshire

dundee rep theatre

the co-op and the kingdom (an architectural journey through glenrothes pt. 1)

for those of you in fife this will be the familiar - yup, this one will be about glenrothes. i’m really into this town (the only new town on the east), so much so that i’m going to split my photo blogs into groups and go through this in more than one tour - please come with me for the first one through the town centre.

glenrothes is a new town in scotland, designated in 1948 and built and developed throughout the following years. the area has a history of industry in paper mills, and the new town was largely built for workers of a new coal mine, which, only after 7 years of operation had to close in 1965 due to technological difficulties. some industrial presence continued in the town though and fife council also moved their headquarters there.

as one of the earliest new towns in scotland, glenrothes was built and developed with a mixture of ideas leaving their visual impacts on its surfaces. the town won the disputed “carbuncle award” muiltiple times however glenrothes also received multiple awards in the beautiful Scotland competition - perhaps as a response to the negative publicity (and because the many open spaces and roundabouts are indeed quite floral)

these architectural walks often feed directly into my textile design practice – especially the bold geometry and surfaces that define many post-war buildings in the UK. i know a few locals, who find humour and affection in their upbringing in this setting and i basically just aim to show the fabric of this place in a positive light. i have a lot of material though so i’m going to start right at the centre.

the town centre itself is a small pedestrianised area for shopping named “kingdom centre”, consisting of concrete alleys and arcades. the “old” town centre was once busier with shoppers, however, many of the premises today are unoccupied - like everywhere else, glenrothes has welcome suburban supermarkets on its outskirts and the car-friendly layout of the town has infact probably made it more attractive than elsewhere in the area. as in most brutalist new towns, roads for motorists and pedestrians were consciously separated, which resulted in many roundabouts and underpasses (the latter now a canvas for artists - official and unofficial ones alike).

out of albany gate at the main street of the kingdom stands the co-op building, an old department store opened in 1964. i’m not sure if this was built by separate architects or not - the kingdom centre and much of the town’s architecture is a product of the glenrothes development corporation which employed many architects at the time (with glasgow-born peter tinto as chief architect.)

the co-op this is also now empty and is destined for demolition although the plans were scrapped later. partly because of its asbestos problem (it’s now unsafe to enter too.) it’s also really interesting (in an obviously bleak way) to look at the decaying surfaces and imagine what they may have been like in the past.

it’s not my past and these are not my memories, yet i think i would miss this building a little bit, because i find it genuinely and objectively beautiful. (lord knows i hate the word “eyesore” and i find it so insulting and cheap.)

hey look here instead - the coffers on the concrete ceilings of the arcades was what inspired the co-op tileset. it’s a futuristic and human centred pattern with those edges rounded down. and the geometry of its upper facade is shiny and colourful, busy and geometric - playful and orderly at the same time. it was built for this town and its people and somehow these buildings still radiate the optimistic vision of its creators some decades later. i’m not a preservationist though and i believe in embracing the present - if it’s unsafe and unsuitable now to how we live, we can change it or make something else of it. but even if the building itself isn’t worth saving, perhaps the ideas that built them should be.

with the demolition halted, the future remains to be seen. there are now calls to use the building as murals for public art - something glenrothes has form on (i might just have an idea of a future blog post) for now, some works have begun on improvements to the exterior to make it safer while the long-term future remains to be seen. i hope you are now curious to continue this walk - stay tuned for the next tour!

-

links:

co-op demolition plans spark regeneration hope for fife town (by the newsroom, 15 march 2017, fife today)

planned £1m demolition of one of fife’s worst eyesores scrapped, leaving its future in limbo (by neil henderson, 20 dec 2019, the courier)

get involved with discussion about the future of glenrothes (by the newsroom, 11 february 2020, fife today)

work to finally address one of fife’s worst eyesores set to begin (by neil henderson, 2 july 2020, the courier)

a soft, wool-carpeted walk down memory lane

first of all, many thanks for following the sunday inspiration series on instagram, i’m really enjoying sharing those thoughts with you. however, you will have noticed, it has so far featured the MODERN collection only. so i want to do something different today, and i’m going to share with you some of my inspiration of my more traditional (HERITAGE) collection. some of this is obviously inspired by the rich textile heritage of scotland (and more of that later) but there is of course also the influence of hungary and this post will focus on the latter - specifically, the flatweave “torontáli” rugs, particularly those made by this one factory in the south east of the country, in a town called békésszentandrás (yeah good luck trying to pronounce that one).

the art of weaving rugs came to hungary probably with the ottoman empire in the 15th-16th centuries and slowly evolved from those oriental, turkish patterns into folk motifs suited to the hungarian taste (torontál, where this type of flatwoven rugs are thought to have come from, was a county in old “big-hungary”, today it is partly in hungary and partly in serbia.)

the rug which we understand under this name today is always a pure wool flatweave with bold colours (reds, yellows, greens, blacks), with sharp contrasts and interesting, geometric folklore patterns which have been popular from the 1880s until today. at the late 19th - early 20th century they were made by a few manufacturers for a newly emerging middle-class, however, by the middle of the 20th century it conquered the world all thanks to this one factory. this archive news report from 1955 talks about exporting it to many countries (and wrongly names békéscsaba as the town where it’s made but in reality it is békésszentandrás.)

this factory in békésszentandrás has celebrated its 100th birthday a few years ago, they started producing carpets after the first world war starting with traditional hungarian and transylvanian folk patterns. by the mid-1920s they expanded their range to oriental, persian-style rugs and became known for their quality, by then they were exporting to many countries and were a major employer, mainly of women in the region, and they kept working during the world war, after nationalisation and they even escaped the devastating de-industrialisation of the 1990s.

i genuinely believe this is at least in part thanks to these torontáli flatweave rugs that remained quite popular throughout the times. i do not remember a single house i have been to as a child, which did not have at least one of these beautiful, “pixelated” patterns, although my family does come from the region too and it was an easy access. below is a collection of some of these family treasures - the brown one was on the wall around my bed when i was a kid - it was custom-made to order with the creativity of the weavers and i think it has a variety of mottle yarns as well as natural and brown wools. the geometry of these rugs is present on the KAKTUSZ tileset in the the most obvious way, but it’s safe to say that these rugs have influenced all of it, perhaps sub-consciously.

at the end, there is also this mini-tapestry, as memory of a dance competition in the nearby town of szarvas (which has a stag in the town crest). this woven, “pixelated” graphic is quite reminiscent i think of my floral prints that also have this effect to them even though it’s printed. i think to have this woven effect emphasises the heritage influence that drives this whole collection.

apart from all these family treasures, there are plenty more. the factory store sells most of these in unchanged form, to this day, and they are all really beautiful (and exactly how i remembered) here, see all this colourful range for yourself.

i hope you enjoyed this little trip onto soft, woolly surfaces. i’m sharing with you one more archive news footage from 1972, which is about the christmas anticipations of the design trade, and it showcases not only a whole lot of beautiful (and praised) rugs by békésszentandrás-based rug artist margit szabó, but also features a lot of great design from czechoslovakia and east germany, this is truly a gem! i hope you’re enjoying getting christmas ready too despite everything.

links:

art kelim kft (factory store)

behir.hu - békésszentrandás celebrating 100 years of rug making (in hungarian)

magyarmuzeumok.hu - the torontáli rugs and the domestic industry (in hungarian)

10 reasons why jute is one of the most sustainable textile in the world (including one huge potentiaL)

i have always wanted to write about this, because it is one of the main reasons i got interested in jute at all - apart from the amazing aesthetics, that sort of fibrous, raw, utilitarian, functional, “textile brute” appeal (which is worth another blog post at some other time). but right now, it’s time to talk sustainability because the textile industry is one of the worst offenders in the world when it comes to pollution and the responsibility is ours, designers, to find alternatives that are friendlier to our environment. jute is an amazing choice for this use too, and below i listed the main reasons of its sustainability benefits.

1. SMALL WATER FOOTPRINT

the jute plant grows in the tropical regions, in countries such as india, bangladesh, pakistan, thailand and southern china and it is also cultivated in many south american countries. it relies on natural rainfall, reducing the need of complicated irrigation systems and require fewer freshwater sources.

2. SMALL LAND FOOTPRINT

the jute plants grow very densely to each-other and crops are produced very efficiently, a decent crop can be cultivated on a smaller piece of land that doesn’t take a lot of space away from natural habitats or other agriculture.

3. REDUCED NEED FOR CHEMICALS

this density by which it grows leaves little space for weeds or other pests, and as such, it’s grown without a huge amount of pesticides. they also don’t need a huge amount of fertilisers either (typically less than 20 kg per hectare is applied)

4. SOIL HEALTH

growing jute plant leaves the soil with more nutrients than before the process. this is because their leaves drop often, creating organic matter that is feeding the soil with nutrients. growing jute can be used in poor quality soils to regenerate waste lands and help with food agriculture in some of the most impoverished regions in the world.

5. CARBON CAPTURE

the jute plant binds carbon dioxide faster than trees and it’s good at releasing oxygen (one hectare of jute plants can consume about 15 tons of CO2 from atmosphere and release about 11 tons of oxygen in the 100 days of the jute-growing season)

6. fast growth

jute plants reach growth in 4-6 months, meaning crops can be harvested a few times a year, this is not only highly economical, but also a sustainable pace and more in line with demand.

7. recyclable and biodegradable

while some of the jute plant is not used at the moment, all production waste is recycled and all of it is biodegradable in its natural form.

8. under-utilised potential for the paper industry

the inside fibres of the jute plants (jute sticks) are still considered waste and are recycled, however, research is ongoing into using it for paper production. it could potentially supply the paper industry with pulp, reducing the need for cutting down trees.

9. production

jute is a utilitarian, industrial fabric, usually woven to lower quality standards requiring less energy-heavy processing and a reduced amount of chemicals. most of the industry uses it in its natural, unbleached form.

10. long life-cycle

jute is a strong and durable fibre, often used for ropes, rugs, heavy duty bags and tarpaulins. it has a long life-cycle before it breaks down (and when it does, it is fully biodegradable and recyclable)

it is clear that jute is a wonderfabric which, if we could accept it being used more widely, could help our living situation on this planet. having said all of that, it is also important that we don’t brush over the inconvenient truths as well - jute is a hard fibre, and to soften it enough to make it spinnable, the industry killed a lot of whales for its oil in the last centuries. this is now replaced with other oils such as paraffin and palm oil which bear their own negative effects, however the industry is continuously working on reducing the necessary amounts of these materials. there is also research that the retting process (also used in flax and hemp production) can also be damaging to aquatic life which is yet to be resolved - unfortunately the textile industry remains an environmentally impactful one.

all in all though, when compared with other materials, jute comes out as one of the best ones. (according to the higgs index of sustainability and impact, natural jute has an overall score of 40, while, for instance, dyed cotton has an impact score 101. jute's water scarcity impact is 10 times less of cotton products.) when it comes to the responsibility of the textile industry, it is absolutely imperative that we use materials that cause the least possible harm to our living environment.

for me, jute and its industrial, raw, functional nature brings also an immense aesthetic value that fits into my design values - i think great parallels can be drawn with the raw concrete as the preferred external material and the functional architecture that is a great source of inspiration of the designs themselves - perhaps it’s worth expanding on that in another blogpost. nevertheless, i hope that in the future, we will see more and more of jute coming into the cosy, warm homes, bringing us the tactile comfort and the environmental benefits - for a more content home, inside and in the wider world too.

-

links:

the sustainable fashion collective

better meets reality

down to earth

the higg index

images: adobe stock photos

it’s all about the system

hello! and welcome to zitozza. we are now open and this is our first blog post. introductions are always awkward so let’s get it quickly over with. the intention of this blog is to keep it updating regularly, with all the latest research into our processes and thoughts that drive our designs, and of course news and developments around our studio. also, of course, to give a chance to look behind the scenes from time to time, share some inspiration and sneak peeks of up and coming products. so let’s start with a short introductory post.

so what is exactly do we do here at zitozza? first and foremost, surface pattern design. however i understand that’s a little generic, given that the “surface” at zitozza is made exclusively of jute, for its amazing, tactile texture and incredibly sustainable qualities. we mostly cover surfaces in the modern home such as rugs, lampshades and cushions and these products showcase the variety of patterns possible with the printing blocks. (although you can, for sure, make bags and other things of our fabrics too (and if you do, please share!)

and yeah, well, pattern design must be specified further too. we don’t just offer separate patterns in defined colourways, no. here’s the interesting bit: the zitozza look is all one system! not individual designs, not separate collections (okay, a little bit), but it’s all about the system. our patterns are made of (mostly) uniform sized, square shaped printing blocks, creating the system of interchangeable, infinitely combinable designs, and you can make it as simple or as complicated as you want. they are separated into MODERN and HERITAGE, the former consisting of brutalism-inspired, geometric elements and the latter a bit more organic and tradtional, but all arranged in an orthogonal geometry that’s unique and defining our look.

this system allows us to create an infinite number of pattern with the same printing blocks in individual colourways, suited to your taste and surroundings. because of the flat, square shapes of our blocks, we call them tiles, and instead of collections, we call them tilesets, because they are not a collection, and it’s all one system. we don’t have collections in the sense of metres and metres of the same pattern and even samples are made to order because the hand printing makes a deep level of customisation and exclusive designs possible.

apart from having immense fun making them, we want to be able to offer unique designs and something that can be varied further in a single room but remains in the same modern, hand printed style of course that we define as the “zitozza aesthetics”.

what we want to offer to the modern home is colours, play, and nice, durable things that didn’t cost the earth.

so why don’t you browse and discover for yourself what’s available? explore our “collections” or make up your own design with these blocks.