About

Welcome to the vintage inspired, comforting woolly world of Woven Textiles by Hannah Bentley!

With a strong focus on a conscious and ethical approach, I am currently developing my woven practice through naturally dyeing sustainable fibres, using fabric scraps and reusing wool yarns and natural fibres, that would otherwise have been wasted from previous projects. From one of my most recent stripes collection, the yarns were sourced from two heritage based silk mills, one of which aided the mills' own sustainability project.

My current Final Major Project collection focuses on 1960s nostalgia with a combination of retro florals, heritage check designs and tweedy textures. Through discovering more about my own family heritage on my mother’s side and her childhood during the 1960s, I have based my designs on a collection of domestic objects that my mother had growing up. My yarn choices for this collection have consisted of many natural fibres, in particular an exploration into wool. To help reduce textile waste, many yarns were sourced from charity shops or as second hand, as well as using a variety of deadstock yarns. By using a combination of thick woolly yarns, I could create tweedy textures that pay homage to my family heritage and provides a personal connection to my own relations in the Outer Hebrides and weavers within the Harris Tweed industry. The tactility and heavier weights of the woven pieces aims to provide a comforting and nostalgic personal connection with the cloth.

Interested in collaborating on a future project? Use the contact link below!