Sorazora Blog

2012 Production Period

2011-11-28T22:16:00.000Z

It's that time of year again where we head to the Kathmandu Valley for another period of sourcing, sampling and production of our next collection. The downside to our production period is that we are unable to process any online orders whilst in Nepal. This means our online store will have to take a break from 28th Nov 2011 until 30th Jan 2012. We apologise for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. We will still be checking our mail everyday and are always there to answer any questions you may have.

Two of the main fibres that we source in Nepal are their very own organic nettle and hemp. They both grow wild in the foothills and are harvested, retted, spun and woven by hand. We look forward to meeting up with all the craftspeople we regularly work with, from knitters, crocheters, weavers, dyers, and tailors.

The image below shows a hemp & cotton blended yarn being woven on a handloom. We try to use handloom fabrics wherever possible in order to keep things as organic and handmade as possible. The standard handloom is vital for us as it requires no electricity and also provides much needed work for this group of traditional craftsmen.

Our blog will be updated throughout our production period with the latest news, so please do check from time to time. We look forward to presenting our new collection in the new year and Sorazora wishes you all a very merry Christmas and enjoyable new year celebrations.

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Leather Cases and Coverings

2011-11-04T11:29:00.000Z

Leather has always been a material that I enjoy working with. Not having to worry about fraying or hems allows for a far greater range of detail. If the truth be known, I still haven't got my head around intricate work with woven fabrics!

The images above and below show a soft and thick buffalo leather book cover. The hand stitched edging was completed using a fine hemp twine and all intricate stitch work was done with a 100% cotton thread and with the aid of a sewing machine. I try to incorporate woven fabrics into leather products and chose a 100% hemp fabric as the background for the circular patches.

Cases for mobile phones and Sat Navs are fairly crude designs which need to simply protect devices and allow for easy removal. Both of the cases in the photo feature a cord which will eject the device when pulled. With Sat Navs it is not so much of an issue, but for a mobile phone it is important to get at it quickly!

The following pouch is fucntional, but has had a little more thought put into the choice of materials. It is a simple flap pouch that holds a set of bamboo crochet hooks.

Again, I have used a soft buffalo leather with Belgium flax used for the hand stitched edging. Half a betel nut has been carved, sanded and encased in the double layered flap.

I tried to use as many different materials as possible for the decoration without making its overall appearance too busy. The pouch's closure relies on a slice of Japanese deer antler for a toggle and a soft suede cord finished off with a bead (the seed of a soapnut) on each end.

I am trying to move away from the use of zips, velcro and poppers for any closures on bags and pouches. This currently leaves me with drawstrings, toggles and buttons. I am trying to develop other ideas for secure closures that allow for some adjustment. Taylor made pouches are fine with toggles or buttons that do not adjust, but bags need some form of adjustment as fixed positions rarely work for bags when both almost emtpy and completely stuffed! Below is a simple drawstring pouch crafted from various leathers and suedes and again finished off with soapnut seeds as beads.

Notepad covers are also fairly easy to make and are a great way of both protecting and improving the appearance of a simple spiral bound pad. One downside to these is being able to source new pads of the appropriate size when the existing one becomes full. Hand stitching on the pad's cover was done with a very strong wax coated rayon.

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Leather Quiver

2011-11-03T10:06:00.000Z

One of the more unusual projects I have worked on this year is a quiver to hold 12 arrows. This quiver is more ornamental than functional as it will spend the best part of its life on a wall.

The main body has been cut from a beautifully soft, but thick buffalo hide and hand stitched with a sturdy flax cord. I have tried to keep to materials that fit the period for longbows, but as you can see, there is nothing period about the design.

A very large sun & moon motif has been crafted from two other tones of thinner leather. The stitching for the motif and the finer boarder stitch are 100% cotton threads. A much smaller Sorazora logo heat branded patch has been added to the upper most part of the arrow housing.

This quiver is made up of two sections held together by a large suede wrapped bamboo ring. The reason for this two part construction is that I wanted to break up the monotony of just a large expanse of leather for the quiver and the idea of the arrow shafts being a clearly visible part of the design appealed to me.

As this quiver is purely a decoration, I didn't worry too much about how it would be carried or worn. I didn't make any straps, but added strap loops at the bottom side of the main shaft housing.

As I mentioned, it has been designed to hold 12 arrows. Longbow arrows tend to be fairly large. These long broad shafts are made from poplar.

The poplar shafts are self-notched and have goose feather fletchings bound with linen. I tipped these shafts with bodkins, (medieval tips designed to penetrate chainmail), which are apparently not very welcome at club ranges!! As they are unlikely to see much use, I welcomed the bodkins because they allowed the use of holes in the leather that were not much larger than the shafts diameter. Broad points would require a much larger hole or at least slits incorporated into the hole.

This was a one-off project that I wished to share as it illustrates my favourite materials and some of the construction techniques that I tend to use time and time again.

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Weaving & Braiding

2011-11-02T09:49:00.000Z

One range of objects that I am always delighted to make are tools that produce something which will become part of a finished item. Below are a few of these tools, starting with three variations of rigid heddle that I use to produce straps for bags, pouches or decorative detail on garments.

The two objects below are the most recent to roll off my work bench. The slotted disc in the background is a version of a kumihimo disc carved from a slice of pine. Kumihimo is a Japanese form of braid-making where a number of threads or cords are interwoven to create thicker ornate cords. The four pegged disc in the foreground is for spool knitting (sometimes called French knitting) This I carved from a slice of boxwood and used just a simple pointed piece of bamboo for the hook. This is a very traditional way to teach the basics of knitting. With just four pegs, this produces a knitted cord from a single yarn.

The photo below shows two lucets. The smaller one I carved from boxwood and the larger from ironwood. These two prong tools are very similar in use to the knitting spool above. With just two prongs, it produces a thinner cord. Lucets, like rigid heddles, have a very long history and would have possibly been in use during the time of the vikings and in many parts of the world.

The following images are just a closer look at the rigid heddles I made for the construction of simple woven straps. The smallest is made up of individually carved bamboo slats that have been bound together with hemp twine, This was my first attempt at a rigid heddle. With a very small number of slots and holes, it is only possible to create rather thin straps on this one.

A beautiful slice of boxwood enabled me to create a slightly larger heddle with the ability to take more warp threads, therefore create broader straps.

The most recent and also the largest I have made is this heddle pictured below. Its frame has been carved from a single slice of soft pine with small bamboo rods used to create the holes and slots. The holes are quite small, which limits the range of yarns I can use on this heddle.

To give you an idea of the straps made so far, the image below shows three made on the boxwood heddle and one on the larger pine heddle. All of the weaving done to date tends to emphasize the warp threads. That is to say that the threads visible on the finished strap tend to be those of the warp, leaving the weft threads mostly hidden.

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Atslan Craft

2011-11-01T13:47:00.000Z

With ATSLAN craft I place great importance on the raw natural materials used. The image below will give you a feel for the timeless materials that have been used for a wide range of ornate and practical crafts through the ages. I don't wish to be limited to just these materials, but at present I am still exploring their potentials whilst looking for other materials to carve.

The deer antler is from "Sika Deer" also known as Japanese deer and was picked up by a friend from the hills of Yamanashi prefecture. The large leg bone and black horn are from water buffalo, these materials I collect in Nepal. The Areca nut (commonly referred to as Betel nut) is also sourced in Nepal. Although I have worked with several different woods, the two samples in the photo are Ipe (a large tropical hardwood from South America) and Boxwood (a small native tree and possibly one of the hardest in Europe).

I am always looking for new and interesting materials to work with, not just for pendants, but also all the beads, toggles and buckles that make up important parts on bags and pouches. The image below shows simple buckle rings crafted from water buffalo bone and water buffalo horn. Wrought iron is a material that I am extremely interested in (specifically for buckles) but without the neccessary skills or access to a foundry, I will have to rely on working with other craftsmen.

Areca nut is a material that is fairly new to me in terms of craft use. It's soft woodlike texture makes it fairly easy to work with and provides a beautifully unique pattern and texture each time. Areca nut is commonly called BETEL NUT although it is neither a nut nor from the Asian evergreen climbing plant called Betel. Areca is a tropical Asian palm.

The photo below shows a range of pendants made from the selection of natural materials in the first photo. I will continue using these materials in as many new and interesting ways as possible and continue the search for further organic materials that can be added to my stash.

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

PAIR UP with our FESTIVE FAYRE

2011-10-29T18:04:00.001+01:00

Our winter sale started yesterday and will run through to the 28th November. It may be a little early to be calling this a Christmas sale and with it not running into December, this sale is our way to celebrate the closing of 2011 and the beginning of our 2012 collection's production period.

We have selected various products and divided them into two groups. Whether you are looking to treat someone special or spoil yourself, all you need to do is PAIR UP any item from each group for the fixed price of £70.00. That is a great saving that could save you between £16 to £49 depending on your selection.

With our recent change to shipping rates, where all UK orders over £60 will be delivered free of charge, our FESTIVE FAYRE is covered and no shipping fee is needed. To view our FESTIVE FAYRE page, please follow this link:

(This sale has now ended. Many thanks!)

The following images will give you an idea of some of the selected products included in the sale.

HarVest

Picnic Bag

Natural Backpack

Natural Dye Raw Silk Shawl

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

5 New Pendants From Stone Dance

2011-10-24T12:53:00.000+01:00

Today's new product upload is another fine selection of 5 stone pendants that have been carefully selected and ornately encased and corded by STONE DANCE.

Created in 1999, Oren & Mami produce beautiful gemstone jewellery under the name of STONE DANCE.

Oren (Israel) and Mami (Japan) carefully source all the gemstones themselves in India and personally create individual pendants using various macrame techniques. This ancient technique and the fact that these stones are a snapshot of living history offer a timeless feel to each piece.

Based in Gunma, Japan, they make the most of the Japanese festival's off season to travel India in search of precious and semi-precious stones. In 2004, Stone Dance started working with Nepalese gold and silversmiths to provide alternative creations with gemstones.

The husband and wife team feel that each stone holds its own natural beauty and power, dictating how each stone is to be presented. They believe there is a special stone for everyone, a stone that will shine, glow and grow with its owner. Through their indepth knowledge of stones and clear explanations to customers, they hope the fascination of stones, nature and earth will be kept alive through their craftwork to maintain a connection with the crafts of our ancients.

To view these and other products from Stone Dance, just click on the following link.

http://sorazora.com/shop/TokyoCraft/TokyoCraftStoneDance.html

INCA ROSE

RED JASPER

SERAPHINITE

TURQUOISE

AMETHYST

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

The Natural Beauty Of Iceland

2011-10-18T17:42:00.001+01:00

After a busy festival season, we took a long weekend break to South West Iceland. Offering a vast amount of untouched natural beauty unlike any other country we have experienced, we were amazed by dramatic landscapes and the ways in which humans have adapted and colonized these barren lands.

Iceland has a total area of 103,000 square kilometres and a population of around 320,000. Like Australia, the majority of its inhabitants live in close proximity to the coast. The interior is mainly made up of uninhabitable plateaus, mountains and glaciers.

This European island country has a vast amount of untouched natural beauty and is very active, both volcanically and geologically. There is a large reindeer population (of which 10% is culled each year) and a large population of domesticated Icelandic sheep and horses. It is of no surprise that there is a strong traditional history of spinning, weaving and knitting wool. Undyed wools range in colour from white through grey to black and also various browns. Today's farming of sheep is primarily for meat with the fleeces being a valuable bi-product.

The large glaciers lying within Iceland's interior provide powerful rivers flowing to the ocean. Hydropower is a real option for sustainable energy as is the use of natural steam provided by the volcanic energy. You will find trees dotted around, but this is a far cry from the Iceland of the 12th century where it would have been covered with forests of Northern Birch, Aspen, Rowan and Common Juniper. Exploitation for firewood and building materials has led to loss of critical topsoil, now making the re-planting of trees difficult.

A delight to witness were the intermittent explosions of boiling water from Iceland's Strokkur geyser. This phenomenon exists in only a few places on Earth, usually located near active volcanic areas. The water is heated by hot rocks many hundreds of metres below ground where it expands until the pressure forces its way to the surface. We witnessed the geyser's eruptions with intervals of between 5 and 7 minutes and to heights in excess of 30m.

Lakes and glaciers cover almost 15% of the entire country and around 23% is vegetated. Large areas of lava rock is covered by a beautiful thick layer of moss. This moss appears to be the most abundant form of plant life surviving the elements on the rugged porous rock. In time the moss will develop into soil that will allow other species of flora a chance to take root.

The expansive old lava flows are very difficult to cross on foot as it is extremely rugged and made more dangerous by the layers of thick sponge-like moss covering gaps and loose footings. These areas are best, (if not only) enjoyed from the roads that carve through them. It was an educational trip that highlighted the delicate balance of nature and also the possibilities of sustainable energy production.

If you fancy a break with a difference, I would recommend Iceland. The terrain is as spectacular as it is different. You would be wise to pack very warm clothing, waterproofs and a camera. If you are lucky, you may also be treated to a dazzling display by the Aurora Borealis in the Northern sky.

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

5 New Pendants From Stone Dance

2011-10-11T15:05:00.003+01:00

Today's new product upload is a set of 5 stone pendants that have been carefully selected and ornately encased and corded by STONE DANCE

Created in 1999, Oren & Mami produce beautiful gemstone jewellery under the name of STONE DANCE.

To view the product page for these pendants, just click on the name of each design below the photos.

Rose Quartz

http://sorazora.com/shop/TokyoCraft/products/sz111819.html

Rose Quartz

http://sorazora.com/shop/TokyoCraft/products/sz111820.html

Charoite

http://sorazora.com/shop/TokyoCraft/products/sz111821.html

Malachite

http://sorazora.com/shop/TokyoCraft/products/sz111822.html

Ocean Jasper

http://sorazora.com/shop/TokyoCraft/products/sz111823.html

To view more of Stone Dance's work, click the link!

http://sorazora.com/shop/TokyoCraft/TokyoCraftStoneDance.html

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

The Eden Project

2011-10-05T12:49:00.000+01:00

In August we at Sorazora managed to take a quick break between events in our busy festival season and headed on down to Cornwall for a flying visit. We only had a couple of days before driving back to Devon for our next event. With limited time and many things on our must-see list, we knew we could only scrape the surface of what's on offer in beautiful Cornwall.

The first port of call was the Eden Project near St. Austell. This was an attraction I had heard people talk about, but knew little about. At Sorazora we are passionate about all aspects of the environment and rely on plants for our natural fibre clothing and also for our natural dye techniques. This was the deciding factor that put the Eden Project at the top of our must-see list whilst in Cornwall.

These large connecting domes (called Biomes) were built in a 160 year old disused clay mine to mark the year 2000. The conservatories are not only the biggest, but also home to the worlds' largest captive rainforest. The Eden Project is a unique organisation as it is not just a tourist attraction, but also an educational charity and social enterprise.

There are many ongoing conservation research projects both local and global with key issues such as tackling waste, sustainable construction and ethical buying. The project plays a large role in environmental education and has a lot to capture the attention and imagination of both school groups and general visitors.

I was amazed to see a tropical rainforest of such a size here in the UK and totally blown away by the engineering feat behind it all. How do you even begin to develop a conservatory that will house around a million plants from nearly 4000 species?

The plants and trees in the tropical Biome require not just humidity, heat and lots of water, but also a rich and organic soil that can hold all the water needed for such rapid growth. The Project did not want to deprive anyone of soil, so they made 83,000 tonnes by collecting minerals from local mine waste, sand and clay from clay works and combining it all with composted bark for the organic matter.

The humidity is quite something and I imagine many a native from these shores would not feel comfortable spending too long in the tropical biome. The humidity is all automated by misters that maintain 90% humidity at night and around 60% during the day. Rainwater draining into the disused quarry provides almost half of the project's water needs.

If you are ever in the area, I strongly recommend that you allow a few hours to check out this amazing place. For a whole wealth of information about The Eden Project, please click on the following link which will take you to the official website.

http://www.edenproject.com/

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

New Pendants From Green Glass Tokyo

2011-10-05T00:51:00.003+01:00

Today's new product upload is a set of four new glass pendants that have been beautifully crafted by Masaya Kuribayashi of Green Glass Tokyo. Based in Shibuya, Masaya uses various different techniques to achieve different distinctive results from fine glass.

This is our third year at Sorazora to be introducing our customers in the UK to Green Glass Tokyo's intricate work. We have seen many talented glass workers based in the UK, but we have yet to find anything quite like this and we look forward to maintaining a steady flow of Masaya's work. To view the product page for these pendants, just click on the name of each design below the photos.

Wokan (kinoko technique)

Hondo (neutral technique)

http://sorazora.com/shop/TokyoCraft/products/sz111817.html

Melita (inside-out technique)

http://sorazora.com/shop/TokyoCraft/products/sz111816.html

Antego (umi technique)

http://sorazora.com/shop/TokyoCraft/products/sz111818.html

To view more of Masaya Kuribayashi's work, click the link! http://sorazora.com/shop/TokyoCraft/TokyoCraftGreenGlass.html

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

New Pendants From STONE DANCE

2011-10-01T21:01:00.001+01:00

Today's new product upload is a set of 6 stone pendants that have been carefully selected and ornately encased and corded by STONE DANCE

Created in 1999, Oren & Mami produce beautiful gemstone jewellery under the name of STONE DANCE.

Three shades of Moonstone

Labradorite

To view the product pages for these pendants just click on the name under each photo.

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

OUT OF THE ORDINARY 2011

2011-10-01T13:23:00.000+01:00

The weather in Sussex through the weekend of 23rd to 25th of September was what all festival goers dream of. Clear skies allowing the sun to shine from sunrise to sunset were very well appreciated. Cold misty evenings and morning condensation were a small price to pay to be able to see people enjoy this festival.

This was our third year at this festival, one of just a few that has seen us return each year since moving to the UK. The festival now uses an adjacent field as I believe a go-kart track has now found its home on the previous site. This year the increase in size was noticeable and so too were the number of cafes and food stalls.

We had the great pleasure of being sited next to Nobu and his Japanese food stall "Muu". We became good friends with Nobu and his crew back in 2009 at this festival and it is always nice when we are at the same event. For more info about Muu and its menu, please check out the following link : muujapanesefood.co.uk

Improvements to festival security were quite obvious as too were the lack of compost toilets. Portable chemical toilets have now taken over, this seems a little strange for an event that claims to be environmentally founded. OOTO was a good chance to catch up with some old friends and to make new friends.

Like many other stallholders, OOTO is an end of season treat where we can relax. The focus is more on chilling out than it has been at any of the sixteen previous events of the festival season.

A nice end to the last day of the last festival of 2011 was the setting sun. It is usually hidden behind cloud cover throughout the season. OOTO has changed over the past three years and we always welcome changes, growth and improvement, lets hope the original spirit of this small festival remains a constant.

www.outoftheordinaryfestival.com

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Royal Berkshire County Show 2011

2011-10-01T12:39:00.000+01:00

September 17th and 18th were the dates for this year's Royal Berkshire County Show. It was our fourth County Show and our first at the Newbury Showground. A quick glance at the first photo will give you an idea of what the weather was up to. This was the 102nd show in Chieveley and saw a record number of livestock. The occasional downpour and economic climate would have made sure visitor numbers didn't reach any records.

Although this show was not as large as The South Of England Show, it felt larger and easier to walk around due to more pathways. It had all the usual stalls and exhibitions one would expect to see at this type of event and was fairly well attended considering the miserable weather.

Breaks in the grey cloud cover reminded us what a summer should feel like and as we were not particularly busy, we both had the chance to wander around and see what was happening in other corners of the showground. An amazing display of bonsai were on show in the Horticulture Marquee and the ladies promoting British wool were an absolute pleasure to meet.

Towering above the showground was a huge 40ft wicker man (woman?) designed and built by schoolchildren to help raise funds for cancer care centres. The rural crafts included bushcraft, thatching, pottery and basket making.

Hunters with their packs of bloodhounds even took to the stage. I had never really paid much attention to fox hunting as I am not from the ranks of the upper class nor do I condemn pest control. What interested me the most was the announcer who continued to praise these groups for adapting their "sport" so as to remain within the realms of legality. This got me wondering about what the laws actually are!

A separate blog with my findings can be found through the following link : Fox Hunting

Further details of this Show can be found through this link : Newbury Showground

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Fox Hunting

2011-10-01T12:10:00.000+01:00

The photo above should provoke strong feelings from a wide range of people from all aspects of the community. It was taken at a recent County Show in one of the main arenas. I was interested in the types of cattle on show in this arena and hung around long enough to see the horsemen and bloodhounds take to the stage.

I had never really paid much attention to fox hunting as I am not from the ranks of the upper class nor do I condemn pest control. What interested me the most was the announcer who continued to praise these "hunters" for adapting their "sport" so as to remain within the realms of legality. This got me wondering about what the laws actually are!

Hunting has been regulated for many centuries, most often for the benefit of the upper class. Prior to 2004, several UK laws on animal welfare, such as the Protection of Animals Act 1911, the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 and the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 all contained specific exemptions for hunting activities, thereby preventing prosecution of hunt activities that might otherwise have been considered cruel.

It is common knowledge that the pro-hunting camp see their sport as a very important contribution to the control of foxes, and involves less cruelty than most other methods of controlling them, (namely, shooting, gassing, trapping and poisoning). This argument I find difficult to understand as fox hunting seems like a lot of effort to eradicate a single fox that has been chased throughout the countryside before being mauled to death if the huntsmen get lucky. A rifle and a keen eye seem to make for far less work and at least the fox doesn't know what hit it!

In 2003 Lord Donoughue proposed the Wild Mammals (Protection) (Amendment) Bill that would have made it the case that "any person who intentionally inflicts, or causes or procures, unnecessary suffering on or to any wild mammal shall be guilty of an offence." This failed to become law as they were blocked by Labour members who wanted a specific hunting ban and also animal welfare groups criticised the Bill on two grounds. Firstly, they opposed the exemption of activities undertaken "in accordance with an approved code of conduct" This obviously was put into place so that the traditional pressed red jackets and packs of bloodhounds would be considered a code of conduct! The second objection was that if an activity was inherently cruel, it should be deemed so in law and not relying on prosecutors having to argue and prove cruelty in every single court case.

So what is the law?

It appears that the current Hunting Act 2004 is just a return to the defeated or withdrawn Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949. A person guilty of an offence under the Hunting Act 2004 is liable to a fine not exceeding £5000 and there are no jail penalties!

This Act is to outlaw hunting with dogs (particularly fox hunting, but also the hunting of deer, hares and mink and organised hare coursing.) in England and Wales from 18 February 2005. Now I am confused! What do the likes of the chap in the photo actually do that keeps them within the realms of the law?

Are there exceptions?

It looks like there are exceptions and the fact that Police Forces have said many times that enforcement of the Hunting Act is a low priority, although they say they will enforce the law, most notably by investigating evidence of illegal hunting. A quick search of hunting violations will list all the types of poaching (taking of wild plants or animals contrary to law), but no mention of traditional fox hunting is made!

Most prosecutions under the Hunting Act have not involved hunts, but individuals who have hunted with a dog without consent of the landowner. To date there have been just nine attempted prosecutions involving registered hunts and just three of those ended in convictions.

An easy way for huntsmen to remain inside the law is to capture a fox, let it accidentally escape and then hunt it. The recapture of accidentally escaped wild animals are not covered by the Hunting Act 2004. It has also been ruled that the term "hunts" does not include the mere searching for an unidentified and unidentifiable wild mammal!

It is quite clear that any ban is unworkable as Police are not interested in enforcing the law and not altogether clear on what the laws are.

I finish this blog just as unclear as when I started. It is illegal, yet continues, Pro-hunters and Anti-hunters continue to campaign and Prosecutions rarely successful. This half-baked law keeps reminding me of the laws that surround Cannabis. Regardless of whatever evidence or facts available, it appears that the Government's personal opinions dictate what laws to pass. I just wish the Police Forces' enthusiam to spend time and money were more fairly focused.

Useful Links

League Against Cruel Sports

Support Fox Hunting

Hunt Act 2004

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Remaining Events for 2011

2011-09-14T14:36:00.000+01:00

2011 has been a busy year for us at Sorazora. Spanning the weekends from the last of May until the end of September we will have exhibited at a broad range of events, festivals and shows. 17 events has been the most for us in any season by far and a great way of meeting customers from all walks of life and a massive learning experience of the general public's awareness of environmental issues. With just two events remaining for this year, we are already busy designing and planning for 2012. The remaining events are listed below.

The Royal Berkshire County Show

17th - 18th September

Berkshire's Newbury Showground will again be the setting for this weekend's show which promises to be packed full activities and entertainment. This will be our first time at the show, but fourth time to be exhibiting at a County show through EcoVillage.

EcoVillage was set up to provide green and ethical organisations a distinct area within big events that allows us to promote environmental issues to larger audiences. More information about EcoVillage can be found through the following link. www.theecovillage.co.uk

One particular attraction at this year's show that is of great interest to us is the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas. The band was formed in 1859 as part of an Indian Army Gurkha regiment, but now based in Folkstone. For more information about this band, please follow this link, Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas

Out Of The Ordinary Festival

23th - 25th September

Out Of The Ordinary is a three day celebration held over the autumn equinox in the countryside between Brighton and Eastbourne. This will be our third year to join all the people at OOTO for this eco friendly family festival.

Aside from musical entertainment, OOTO offers a wide range of talks and workshops, from bushcraft to circus skills. All packed into a friendly and intimate setting, it will be our last event of the season and a good chance to meet friends and relax. Naturally, we will be explaining the benefits of natural dyes and natural fibres and perhaps demonstrating some traditional craft skills.

For further information regarding this festival please follow the following link, www.outoftheordinaryfestival.com

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Mayor's Thames festival 2011

2011-09-14T13:37:00.000+01:00

The Mayor's Thames festival is a free multicultural celebration of London and the river Thames that succeeds in promoting environmental awareness and community spirit. Held over the weekend of the 10th & 11th September, Sorazora were pleased to participate in the festivities that spanned the South bank from the London Eye to Tower Bridge.

This was out third year to exhibit our range of natural fibres and natural dyes at the Thames festival and our second to be exhibiting in front of two of London's historical landmarks. The Tower of London sat across the river with Tower Bridge connecting it to the South bank.

Joji Hirota and his world-renowned Taiko drumming ensemble performed at More London's The Scoop on the Sunday to a packed crowd. A wide range of performances kept people entertained throughout the weekend at this free event. For more information about Mr Hirota, please follow the following link to his website. www.jojihirota.com

The weather was mostly good for this part of the world and just brief spells of rain made an appearance on the Sunday. The resulting rainbow was ample compensation for the day's drizzle.

For more information regarding the festival, Tower of London or Tower Bridge, please follow the following links.

www.thamesfestival.org

www.towerbridge.org.uk

www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Lodestar Festival 2011

2011-09-06T12:29:00.000+01:00

2011 saw the third annual Lodestar Festival held in the beautiful Fenlands surrounding the village Lode in Cambridgshire. Being held in the first few days of Autumn, we were blessed with two days of glorious clear skies followed by a slightly greyer Sunday.

The Line-up of musical talent is expanding year on year and so to are the number of people attending. Not only was the crowd larger, but also the site layout with the addition of a healing area and more stalls. Bands that particularly appealed to me were the Magic Numbers and also the return of Ryan Keen and The Jude.

Pictured below are Chris & Tom who will participate in The WoodVale Atlantic Rowing Race at the end of this year. The boys will depart from the Canaries and hope to arrive in Antigua up to three months later. Whilst raising money for Parkinson's UK, we wish them all the success and hope they enjoy this challenge of a lifetime. To learn more about the boys, the boat or the race, please visit their website www.oarraisers.co.uk

Cambridge Community Circus we on hand throughout the event to provide both entertainment and workshops for those wishing to try their hand at juggling, unicycle and a host of other circus skills. For a more detailed look at all the activities on offer at Lodestar, please check out www.lodestarfestival.com

Last year I mentioned in the festival's review that this was a festival destined to grow.. and it has. I can't wait to see what next year will bring. Word of mouth will continue to do Lodestar justice as everyone attending had a really enjoyable time.

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Shambala 2011

2011-08-30T19:24:00.000+01:00

Northamptonshire's Kelmarsh Hall was again the beautiful setting for this year's Shambala festival. Using the lawns and woodlands of this magnificent hall, the festival was a showcase of art installations and creative energy from not only the people involved, but also the festival customers.

The weather could have been a lot kinder with a mixture of continuous drizzle, sunny spells and sudden downpours. I know that everyone carries on regardless of the weather, but we all know the difference a sunny day can make. Wellington boots and a waterproof outer were definitely a requirement.

There was an impressive display of fancy dress on the Saturday as many of the revellers made an admirable effort to bring a smile to everyone's face. There is something for everyone at this festival which was broken down into distinctive areas. The Meadows was a quiet chilled out area for healing, yoga and permaculture. The craft area hosted workshops galore, whilst the woodland area provided an atmospheric area for partying or just relaxing. The main arena was by far the noisiest party area where candles were being burnt at both ends.

If you love to party late into the night and require an exciting, artist and energetic environment in which to do so, you can't go far wrong with Shambala. The size of the festival is perfect for that big festival feel, yet offers the intimacy of a collectively shared experience.

The festival was brought to a spectacular end on Sunday night with the burning of an art installation and firework display on the lawns in front of Kelmarsh Hall.

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Lime Bark Cordage

2011-08-23T16:48:00.000+01:00

A chance encounter with David Speakman at last weekend's Beautiful Days Festival turned out to be extremely informative.

I am familiar with various types of cordage made from natural fibres, but I found the idea of using Lime trees both surprising and impressive.

David runs wilderness and survival weekends with Devon Tree Bushcraft. To view his website, please click here!

The photo below shows a sample of David's cordage and also samples of the bark fibre after soaking.

I have yet to try my hand at harvesting and retting the fibres of Lime Tree Bark, but thanks to some strands that David had given me, I was able to try my hand at making cordage. My attempt is pictured below.

The bark of the Lime Tree is peeled from the wood and soaked for eight weeks. A running stream is ideal, but failing that, a bucket of water would do just as well with a change of water each week. At the end of the eight weeks, the fibres should have separated into very thin layers that can easily be twisted and turned into cordage.

Having spent a large part of my life living in the shadow of a lime tree and enduring it's annual molt of sticky resin, I am pleased to now look on that tree in a different light.

I wish to thank David and wish him all the success with his courses that cover Shelter, Warmth, Water and Food (the four main aspects of survival in the wild).

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Beautiful Days 2011

2011-08-23T16:10:00.000+01:00

Escot Park in Devon was again the setting for this year's Beautiful Days festival. Held from 19th to 21st August and blessed with good daytime weather, this was a big weekend!

Tickets had sold out and the crowd was a nice mix of ages.

It was our first time to exhibit at beautiful Days and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

Our stall was located in a fairly chilled out area very near the big top. This made it easy for us to pop over and see the acoustic performances or just relax at our stall and enjoy the music. One delight was the opportunity to see Ade Edmonson perform with his Bad Shepherds (pictured below). The Levellers are the band behind this festival and they played an acoustic set in the big top and finally closed the festival with a set on the main stage.

A small woodland workshop area proved very popular with kids big and small. Activities in this area included pole lathes and wittling. At night the woodland area was closed, but we were treated to fire dancing in an adjacent area. There were so many activities to entertain the youngsters which made this one of the best family festivals out of the larger events.

It was obvious that an awful lot of effort was put in to the decoration of public spaces and additions of various art installations. Willow was used to great effect for several large sculptures dotted around the site.

A collection of very large wooden mushrooms and garden seating had been lovingly carved and displayed near the big top. We had seen these sculptures at Glastonbury earlier in the summer, but it was nice to see them being appreciated at Beautiful Days.

For more information about this festival, please visit their website by clicking here!

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Gaunts House Summer Gathering 2011

2011-08-23T15:29:00.000+01:00

August 12th to 14th saw this year's Summer Gathering held in the beautiful grounds of Gaunts House, Dorset. It was our first time to exhibit our range of natural fibre and natural dye products at this event.

There were lots workshops being run throughout the weekend for all ages and an abundance of activities to entertain children. Below is a photo of a girl holding the dream catcher she had made. I apologise to her for not getting her name and we look forward to meeting her again next year.

With such a range of activities and entertainment on offer, it is hard for me to list them all and do them justice. For more information about this intimate gathering of like minded individuals, please click here!

Bourne-Craft was a stall that impressed me greatly. These mirrors are all uniquely cut from various types of plywood and have a strong coastal theme ranging from surfing to VW inspired.

Wayne, the sole craftsman behind these creations was on hand to show his techniques for these original mirrors. For more information about these mirrors, please visit Wayne's website.

I have to mention that I was totally impressed with the quality of the compost loos at this festival. They were well thought out and regularly maintained, making them infinitely more agreeable to use than the standard chemical toilets that we are forced to encounter at almost all other festivals.

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

What Is Bamboo Fabric?

2011-08-09T23:05:00.000+01:00

Bamboo has been heavily publicised by manufacturers as being the ultimate in green fibre. Is this true or are we being bamboozled? I wanted to know how a bamboo T-shirt came to be. The following information is not a complete account, but hopefully covers enough ground to give you a rough idea.

Growing Bamboo

The commercial growing of bamboo has the potential to be quite an eco-friendly process. As with all forms of commercial farming, profit often overides environmental issues. Harvesting wild bamboo in sustainable quantities would ensure minimal impact on the environment, but would sadly not satisfy the world's demand.

With commercial growing operations there is the real fear of clearing vast swaths of diverse wildlife and replacing it all with just the one plant type. Although bamboo grows well without chemical assistance, one would find it hard to believe that all producers resist the temptation of boosting production.

Most of the bamboo used to make clothing is grown in mainland China and bought up by Hebei Jigao Chemical Fiber Company. They hold the patent on the most widely used process for turning bamboo into fabric.

The Process

Modern bamboo yarn is a regenerated cellulose fibre. The fibres may be derived from bamboo pulp, but they have not been made from natural bamboo fibres and are, in fact, rayon fibres made through a chemical process. Bamboo fabrics, for the most part, are synthesised fibres and should really be labelled rayon or viscose. There is a mechanical process for extracting the fibres and producing yarn, but this is more labour intensive, therefore expensive, resulting in a fabric unlike the soft bamboo you would have likely experienced.

For the chemical process, the crushed bamboo is cooked with the help of Sodium hydroxide in to a cellulose fibre liquid and then pressed to remove any excess sodium hydroxide solution. Carbon disulfide is added to sulfurize the compound and cause it to jell. Sodium hydroxide is again added to create a viscose solution. The solution is then forced through tiny spinneret nozzles into a larger container of diluted sulfuric acid which hardens the viscose bamboo cellulose, creating tiny threads that can then be spun into regenrated bamboo fibre yarns.

The heavy processing of bamboo cellulose into fibre "can" be cleaner than that of conventional viscose if a closed loop process captures and reclaims all the solvents used in the process, unfortunately this is not standard practice.

The mechanical process involves machines crushing the woody parts of the bamboo plant and then broken down into a mushy mass with the aid of natural enzymes. The individual fibres are then combed out and spun into yarn. This is similar to the process used to make linen.

The mechanical process is much less popular than chemical processing primarily because it is much more labour intensive and costly. If your T-shirt were processed in this way, I am sure the manufacturer would be advertising the fact to boast less harmful processing and to justify why it is comparitively more expensive.

Dyeing The Bamboo

A large amount of industrial water pollution is due to textile dyeing and treatment. Most often, it is the conventional petrochemical dyes from exhausted dyebaths that take a heavy toll on our waterways. Undyed clothes are unquestionably better for the environment. If the idea of a totally off-white wardrobe isn't for you, then perhaps it is time to explore the vast range of botanical dyestuffs.

If your bamboo T-shirt's label doesn't boast a natural dye, then the chances are it is almost certainly a chemical colour. Chemical dyes are cheaper, easier to use and offer a wider range of colours that can be repeated and matched time after time.

Labelling

The main problem for the consumer is lack of information that allows them to make an informed decision. Of course, manufacturers only like to tell us the good things about their products. Law doesn't require labels to state ingredients used in the production process or even what processes are undertaken.

Consumers may be paying more for garments on the assumption that the garments have environmentally friendly qualities. As "going green" becomes ever more important, it is vital that there is adequate access to all the facts as opposed to being "Greenwashed!"

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

Big Chill 2011

2011-08-09T16:44:00.000+01:00

Eastnor Castle was again the setting for the Big Chill festival from the 4th to 7th of August. It was the first time for Sorazora to be exhibiting at this big UK festival.

Located within the Enchanted Garden, Sorazora was there to provide organic products to those who care about the environment as much as we do. The weather was typically British and offered a mix ranging from glorious sunshine, cool grey cloud cover to miserably wet!

Some of the art installations within the festival site were pretty impressive and the Enchanted Garden was very well decorated. The line-up was of little interest to us, but then it would be hard to follow the musical delights from the previous weekend's WOMAD.

A giant birdcage provided the focus for entertainment within the garden, making this area the best for chilling out by far. We rarely ventured into the main arena, although we could clearly hear the happenings of adjacent fields.

This large festival was set up to cater for a crowd between 30,000 to 40,000, but the actual turnout was around 12,000. This made the entire site seem too large with areas left almost deserted for most of the time. Those that did come to party tended to be of a younger non-family age group. The childrens' area was out of bounds for those without children or the correct wristband. It was the first time for me to experience this kind of segregation and it didn't go down too well with the general customers or activities held within that area.

It was a rather disappointing festival for us as we had heard so many great things about this well promoted large festival. Weather can not be blamed for the overall turnout, so I think some positive action is required if the festival is to once again live up to its reputation. For more information about this festival, check out their website by clicking here!

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/

WOMAD 2011

2011-08-02T22:10:00.000+01:00

The 29th to 31st July saw 2011's WOMAD held near Malmesbury near Wiltshire. WOMAD is by far our favourite festival in the UK and there is something new to discover for absolutely everyone. Everyone's WOMAD will be different!

As last year, Sorazora was located right in front of the Charlie Gillett stage. Named after the late British radio presenter who helped promote world music, this stage had a great line-up all through the festival. Pictured below are Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono who entertained all with Tsugaru-shamisen and a Shinobue bamboo flute.

We would love to thank Kasia & Padro, who both agreed to let us show the world the photo below. Many thanks for your continued custom and we hope to meet you on the festival circuit soon.

Pictured below is Omara Moctar AKA Bombino! Bombino is a Tuareg musician from the Agadez region of Niger, at the edge of the Sahara Desert. This desert rocker has to be one of my favourite discoveries at WOMAD 2011.

Everyone was spoilt by the weather over the course of the festival with just a little drizzle on the Friday and bright blue skies for the remainder. WOMAD is not just a spectator's party as there are plenty of things to get involved with. TASTE THE WORLD is a stage where artists prepare and cook their favourite dishes with a side order of spontaneous music. Workshops were a plenty for both adults and children!

Bellowhead performed on the main stage on Thursday night and proved to all why they have scooped the Best Live Act at the BBC Folk Awards five times over. Pictured below is Jon Boden who provides Bellowhead's vocals, fiddle and tambourine.

Anyone who knows me will have heard me recommend WOMAD festival as a great all round family festival with more musical discoveries to be found than the rest of the entire festival season. For more information on this festival, please click here!

Natural fibres, Natural dyes and Original designs http://www.sorazora.com/