Hong Kong's textile past celebrated in immersive exhibition
In an age of technology, finance and tourism, it's easy to forget the role textiles played in shaping modern Hong Kong. In the 1950s, the city was among Asia's biggest textile exporters and, by the 60s and 70s, most of the working population was employed in the garment industry. But the landscape shifted when rising rents and labour costs combined to send factories scurrying across the border to cheaper China.
History of Hong Kong's textile and fashion industry explored
Hong Kong's textile industry has all but disappeared - but the non-profit Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (Chat) is determined that it won't be forgotten. When it opens next spring at The Mills - the former site of Nan Fung Textiles' cotton-spinning mills in Tsuen Wan - the centre will house exhibition, studio and co-working spaces that celebrate the legacy of the industry.
A tie-dyeing workshop at the Chat Go event.
Preview of the Hong Kong factories turned design hub The Mills as complex nears completion
The hands-on sessions with local design and craft groups will range from spinning, weaving and tie-dyeing to making stools from upcycled fabric and wood.
Japanese artist Yukihiro Taguchi will help construct the textile village.
"Taguchi sources his materials from the streets of Berlin, using discarded materials to make his work," says Teoh. "It's incredible."
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
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