Jobo Designs

I know, I'm a little behind in the times... someone who is in love with fiber as I am should have been all over this sooner!  But anyways here it is:

Pretty much every year the United Nations designates a special/important/relevant topical theme to the Year with the goal of encouraging the world to take notice of important issues - and hopefully draw attention and prompt discussions about these issues that affect the whole world as we know it.  Some of the past "Year of the" titles include:  

     1971 International Year for Action to Combat Racism & Racial Discrimination    

     1979 International Year of the Child

     1981 International Year of Disabled Persons

     1987 International Year of Shelter for the Homeless

     1993 International Year for World’s Indigenous People

     1996 International Year for the Eradication of Poverty

A lot of the yearly designations have been focussed on major social, economic and human rights issues, but in the past 10 years, have also focused on agricultural issues (i.e. last year 2008, being the International Year of the Potato - a little near and dear to me as one of my little island home's main exports is Potatoes) and cultural and health issues (i.e.2005 was the International Year for Sport and Physical Education,  2002 was the International Year of Culture Heritage)

This year - Is the International Year of Natural Fibres. (see here for a really interesting website all about this)

I really hadn't thought all that much about the real value of natural fibres, and how important they are to basically every culture in the world.  Myself, knitting and spinning is a pass-time and a hobby.  They don't pay the bills, or provide me with sustinance or shelter.  But for some, processing natural fibre is an absolute necessity - a way to clothe oneself, or make a living.  I also hadn't considered the fact that in a lot of areas of manufacture, synthetic fibres are becoming replacements for these traditional ones, and world economies are changing, some are suffering too.  

The goals of this Year, copied directly from the website:

     ** Raise awareness and stimulate demand for natural fibres;

     ** Promote the efficiency and sustainability of the natural fibres industries;

     ** Encourage appropriate policy responses from governments to the problems faced by natural fibre industries;

     ** Foster an effective and enduring international partnership among the various natural fibres industries. 

Silk:  from silkworms... who make cocoons of wound super strong smooth fibre

Flax:  long strong fibres from a plant... processed into linen fabric 

For more examples and information,  please check out the official website for the International Year of Natural Fibres

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Also, in honour of such an interesting and exciting event, www.fiberfarm.com is giving away 3 copies of a new book:

     Shear Spirit: Ten Fiber Farms, Twenty Patterns, and Miles of Yarn by Joan Tapper and Gale Zucker. 

Please go to their website to check it out!

Laterz... Fiber-Peeps!  

Jobo ouuuut.