NSCAD Flaxmobile hits the road to revitalize a sustainable fibre industry in Nova Scotia
From the Springboard Content Lab
A professor at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) has converted a small cargo van into a “Flaxmobile” and is travelling around the province in a quest to revitalize the flax fibre industry in the province.
Jennifer Green, NSCAD Associate Professor of Craft, is spending two years on the road in her Flaxmobile to show farmers how to grow flax and teach crafts people how flax can be used to make sustainable textiles.
Building a sustainable textile industry in Nova Scotia
Her goal is to create a more sustainable craft and textile industry by supporting the local fibre suppliers. The project will also create more jobs in the rural economy, and help farmers find new markets for flax. It will also build resilience in the resource economy.
The project is also building a network of farmers, fibre mills, craftspeople and consumers to connect businesses and people who share common goals and explore how to create sustainable practices in the textile industry.
Green says that the Maritime climate is ideal for flax. In the 1920s, a robust network of textile producers existed in Nova Scotia, but the industry declined after production was outsourced and the crop was no longer grown.
The Flaxmobile Project is encouraging a local and sustainable fibre flax industry to provide a consistent supply of high-quality fibres and fibre by-products to support our culture sector.
NSCAD University is proud to help lead industry efforts to phase out imported fossil-based fibres by promoting recycled and biodegradable alternatives that can be produced locally. Jennifer Green’s Flaxmobile project is an inspiring example of how makers in the cultural sector can work with growers in the agricultural sector to build a sustainable ecosystem within the Nova Scotian economy.
Peggy Shannon,
President, NSCAD University
The project has five objectives:
- Reduce barriers for Nova Scotians who wish to access locally produced and sustainable textiles and clothing, as well as natural building materials, such as flaxcrete and biochar
- Generate local, green jobs across the agriculture, craft, and building sectors that are in line with principles of the circular economy
- Contribute to a broader long-term shift toward buying local and removing virgin polyester and synthetic fibres from entering Nova Scotia and ending up in our waste stream
- Generate sharable knowledge to support climate change adaptation in other Nova Scotian communities
- Address Nova Scotia’s target for GHG emissions reduction by sequestering 68 tonnes of carbon by 2030 and 3,669 tonnes by 2050
Springboard assists collaboration between NSCAD, industry and community
The project has demonstrated how research expertise and students in Craft can work with community partners to improve the agriculture economy and craft industry.
The Springboard Industry Liaison Office at NSCAD helped Green share ideas about the Flaxmobile project. They also connected her with funding partners and supported applications.
Green received $230,000 from Research Nova Scotia and a $112,000 grant from the Nova Scotia’s Sustainable Community Challenges Fund.
Read more on NSCAD Flaxmobile:
- Meet the prof on a mission to revive flax and linen production in Nova Scotia
- NSCAD Professor Jennifer Green’s Flaxmobile Project Recieves Support From Research Nova Scotia
Springboard Atlantic is a network of 19 colleges and universities specializing in research commercialization and industry-led research in Atlantic Canada. It is supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency , Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and member institutions.