“#Australia is the largest producer of #wool in the world, and while the fibre was once spun and finished here, ready to be made into new #garments, since the 1980s it has been shipped overseas – resulting in an estimated $2.6 billion annual loss for the #FashionIndustry.

On Thursday, the #AustralianFashionCouncil announced the “National Manufacturing Strategy for Australian Fashion and Textiles” with industry partner #RMWilliams and a parliamentary committee steered by federal Labor MP Matt Burnell.

Dean and Melanie Flintoft rescued #SilverFleece, a 75-year-old #KnittingMill in South Australia, from liquidation. AFC executive chair Marianne Perkovic called the strategy “a significant investment in the future of national #manufacturing”.
The first item on the agenda? More onshore #WoolProcessing.”

#sheep / #fibre / #micron / #yarn < https://www.afr.com/companies/manufacturing/fashion-industry-s-plan-to-add-4b-spin-to-old-yarn-20260311-p5o9jl> (paywall) / <https://archive.md/08jY1>

Nettle Fibre Processing
by Sally Pointer

"Follow along as I prepare fresh stinging nettles for coarse, medium or fine fibres. This method does not require any retting and only needs simple tools. Perfect for cordage making, or use fine fibre for nettle spinning."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTGLUDEEWko

#nettle #fibre #sustainable #crafts #spinning #textiles

I've just discovered the dayjob has purchased a 400G #ethernet tester (we look after some dark #fibre MAN circuits and this is where the tech is at)

This is insane. 1Gb networking still feels fast to me.

Also we won't discuss how much it cost.

📢#Europhoton: The call for paper is now open!

This conference focuses on the latest advances in solid-state, #fibre and #waveguide #light sources.

Europhoton 2026 will be held in Arcachon, France, from 21 to 25 September 2026.

✍️https://europhoton.org/submit
#physics #conference

Fricking cripes, can instagram calm its adverts of every “healthy” (hardly) ready meal, wellbeing preach, subscription support band and “yay, high fibre, we’re so clever” health food.

#food #health #wellbeing #fibre #diet