Esch2022 Brings Together Culture, Recycling Through Textile Workshop

On Wednesday 9 March 2022, Chrocicle.lu had the opportunity to visit one of the workshops organised as part of the Esch2022 - European Capital of Culture Programme and to speak the organisers and partners.

During the "Weaving Futures" textile workshop, participants looked at different ways of upcycling textile waste and used clothes from in and around the municipality of in south-western Luxembourg. Together with five tailoring experts, new items and wearables will be developed. The atelier, on the top floor of A Gadder Haus, is coordinated by artist Fadi Jaafar, together with sewing experts Josiane Mangen and Samira Mousa and weaving specialist Ayobe.

Mr Jaafar, coordinator of the textile workshop, said: "Sewing and making clothes is a very traditional thing across the world and people have always found ways to recycle and reuse clothes in different ways. Unfortunately, it now starts to disappear from households and we need it for not only recycling but also for environmental reasons". He continued "We started this project last summer and now part of Esch2022, we want to bring the message of recycling clothes and help anyone interested in sewing and tailoring. It is an open workshop and anyone can attend, for free, and with or without sewing skills".

Talking about the workshop's participation in Esch2022, Mr Jaafar explained that the name Esch2022 itself reflects a place and with this workshop, the used textiles are resourced locally and will be upcycled in an environment friendly way. Moreover, as the different arts of sewing and designs have cultural backgrounds as well, it is fitting to be part of Esch2022, which is about cultural inclusion and learning from each other.

Yusra Amounah, coordinator of the "Weaving Futures" project and the director of the non-profit organisation Douri asbl, commented: "This workshop is motivated by environmental and recycling reasons mainly, but also to bring about the artistic value of the creators. Here participants can imagine what and how they make new things. We also want to bring this message that recycling can be integrated with new ideas and creations in visually appealing ways".

Discussing cultural integration as part of the workshop, Ms Amounah mentioned that the participants were of five to six different nationalities, including Luxembourgish, and it is interesting to get to know different perspectives on the possibilities of reusing old textiles.

Ms Amounah and Mr Jaafar expressed their wish that they would be able to continue the workshop even after the Esch2022 programme.

Cliff Schmit from the Public Relations and Culture Department (Service des Relations publiques et de la Culture) of the municipality of Sanem also attended the workshop. Discussing the many different ways the municipality is supporting cultural events, he pointed out that "Weaving Futures" is one of a total seventeen Esch2022 projects under the umbrella "Loop", which are supported by the Sanem municipality. The space for the atelier at the A Gadder Haus is being offered free of charge and other resources are also available, such as basic infrastructure.

Mr Schmit admired the motivation of the coordinators and the participants and all the hard work they put into organising the workshop.

Further details about participation in the "Weaving Futures" workshops are available online at: www.weavingfutures.lu. Further information about the seventeen Esch2022 projects from the Sanem municipality can be found at: www.loop22.lu.