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The Archives

In the year 2000, fashion designer Natalie Chanin conducted interviews for a short documentary film, entitled Stitch, and created a collection of 200 one-of-a-kind T-shirts, hand-crafted by artisans in and around the Shoals community of northwest Alabama. This work, originally called simply “Alabama,” is today the foundation of three connected organizations:

Alabama Chanin—A brand that designs and produces textiles and fashion through commitments to sustainable design, preservation of artisanal craft, organic supply chains, and local manufacturing.

The School of Making—Workshops, conversations, and experiences that explore creativity, craft, and design through the act of making, focusing on cultural preservation and education.

Project Threadways—A 501c3 not-for-profit created to document, study, and interpret history, community, and power through the lens of fashion and textiles. Programs seek to understand the impact of textiles and their creation—from raw material to finished goods—on local communities, the American south, the nation, and the world.
School of Design and Early Work Life

School of Design and Early Work Life

Photography and Film

Photography and Film

Venezuela To Brooklyn

Venezuela To Brooklyn

Brooklyn to Chelsea

Brooklyn to Chelsea

Alabama Collection

Alabama Collection

Stitch

Stitch

Chelsea Hotel

Chelsea Hotel

Julie Gilhart - Barneys New York

Julie Gilhart - Barneys New York

Sally Singer

Sally Singer

Orders

Orders

Project Alabama and Partners

Project Alabama and Partners

The Corset

The Corset

Steven Smith

Steven Smith

Chelsea Hotel and 9/11

Chelsea Hotel and 9/11

Collaboration

Collaboration

Lola Schnabel @ Project Alabama

Lola Schnabel @ Project Alabama

Nicole Phelps

Nicole Phelps

Vogue and Julia Reed

Vogue and Julia Reed

Picnic

Picnic

Stenciling and Lean Method

Stenciling and Lean Method

Paris and Oscar Wilde

Paris and Oscar Wilde

Laura Vinroot Poole

Laura Vinroot Poole

Emerging Designers

Emerging Designers

Jennifer Venditti

Jennifer Venditti

Prom Night

Prom Night

Billy Farrell

Billy Farrell

Bloomers

Bloomers

Fernando Sanchez Collaboration

Fernando Sanchez Collaboration

Stitch Book

Stitch Book

Tomas Maier Collaboration

Tomas Maier Collaboration

Habitual Jeans Collaboration

Habitual Jeans Collaboration

Organic Cotton

Organic Cotton

Studio Job Collaboration

Studio Job Collaboration

Project Alabama Machine and Hôtel de Crillon

Project Alabama Machine and Hôtel de Crillon

Eva Whitechapel Collaboration

Eva Whitechapel Collaboration

Rob Ryan Collaboration

Rob Ryan Collaboration

Michi Meko Collaboration

Michi Meko Collaboration

The Kitchen Project

The Kitchen Project

Angie Mosier

Angie Mosier

Alabama Adventure Weekend

Alabama Adventure Weekend

Sarah Cristobal

Sarah Cristobal

Alabama State Council on the Arts

Alabama State Council on the Arts

Collaborations

Collaborations

Bryant Park and UPS 10 to Watch Prize

Bryant Park and UPS 10 to Watch Prize

Women's Wear Daily

Women's Wear Daily

National Design Awards

National Design Awards

Maria Cornejo

Maria Cornejo

CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund

CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund

Tina Lutz

Tina Lutz

Council of Fashion Designers of America

Council of Fashion Designers of America

Alabama Chanin Founded

Alabama Chanin Founded

Online Store and Journal

Online Store and Journal

Diane Hall

Diane Hall

Textile Story Quilts

Textile Story Quilts

From Lovelace Crossroads to The Factory

From Lovelace Crossroads to The Factory

Future Fashion

Future Fashion

Alabama Stitch Book

Alabama Stitch Book

Charles Moore Collaboration

Charles Moore Collaboration

Lisa Fox and LF8

Lisa Fox and LF8

A World of Folk

A World of Folk

Ceremony

Ceremony

Goods of Conscience Collaboration

Goods of Conscience Collaboration

Ethics + Aesthetics = Sustainable Fashion

Ethics + Aesthetics = Sustainable Fashion

Songbirds and 1 Turtle Dove

Songbirds and 1 Turtle Dove

CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund

CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund

Gary Graham

Gary Graham

White House Christmas

White House Christmas

Creating a New Craft Culture

Creating a New Craft Culture

Commune Design

Commune Design

Roman Alonso with Lisa Eisner and Wyatt Troll

Roman Alonso with Lisa Eisner and Wyatt Troll

Alabama Studio Style

Alabama Studio Style

Why Design Now? - National Design Triennial

Why Design Now? - National Design Triennial

Heath Ceramics Collaboration

Heath Ceramics Collaboration

Cathy Bailey

Cathy Bailey

The Cultivated South

The Cultivated South

Vivian Howard

Vivian Howard

Alabama Studio Sewing + Design

Alabama Studio Sewing + Design

Jessamyn Hatcher

Jessamyn Hatcher

Makeshift - Design Week 2012

Makeshift - Design Week 2012

Zoe Turnbull and Serious Business

Zoe Turnbull and Serious Business

The Organic Cotton Project

The Organic Cotton Project

Rinne Allen

Rinne Allen

The River & the Thread

The River & the Thread

10-Year Vision

10-Year Vision

CFDA/Lexus Eco-Fashion Challenge

CFDA/Lexus Eco-Fashion Challenge

The Camellia Pattern

The Camellia Pattern

Kerry Diamond

Kerry Diamond

Makeshift Tote Bag Project

Makeshift Tote Bag Project

Eileen Fisher - Women-Owned Business Grant

Eileen Fisher - Women-Owned Business Grant

Building 14 Founded

Building 14 Founded

The School of Making

The School of Making

Jennifer Rausch

Jennifer Rausch

The Factory Café

The Factory Café

Yewande Komolafe

Yewande Komolafe

The Factory Store

The Factory Store

Little River Sock Mill Collaboration

Little River Sock Mill Collaboration

Maira Kalman

Maira Kalman

Patagonia Truth to Materials Collaboration

Patagonia Truth to Materials Collaboration

Friends of the Cafe Dinner Series

Friends of the Cafe Dinner Series

John T. Edge

John T. Edge

Gael Towey

Gael Towey

Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns

Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns

Stella Ishii + 6397 Collaboration

Stella Ishii + 6397 Collaboration

Alabama on Alabama - Heath Ceramics

Alabama on Alabama - Heath Ceramics

Bon Appétit and Heath Ceramics

Bon Appétit and Heath Ceramics

Brooks Reitz and Jack Rudy

Brooks Reitz and Jack Rudy

Alabama State Council on the Arts Fellowship

Alabama State Council on the Arts Fellowship

Erin Reitz

Erin Reitz

The Shelter Collection Collaboration

The Shelter Collection Collaboration

Flags of Hope

Flags of Hope

Scott Peacock and Indigo Dyeing

Scott Peacock and Indigo Dyeing

The Geometry of Hand-Sewing

The Geometry of Hand-Sewing

Hambidge Residency

Hambidge Residency

Zero Waste - Burt's Bees Baby

Zero Waste - Burt's Bees Baby

The Gathering

The Gathering

Malia Mills and the No Bullshit Breakfast

Malia Mills and the No Bullshit Breakfast

Project Threadways Symposium

Project Threadways Symposium

Heath Ceramics - Jewelry Collaboration

Heath Ceramics - Jewelry Collaboration

COVID-19: Alabama Chanin Pivots to Face Masks

COVID-19: Alabama Chanin Pivots to Face Masks

CFDA/Vogue "A Common Thread" Fashion Fund

CFDA/Vogue "A Common Thread" Fashion Fund

Left on the Café Table

Left on the Café Table

Women Who Revolutionized Fashion

Women Who Revolutionized Fashion

Nest Partnership

Nest Partnership

Mary Celeste Beall + Blackberry Farm

Mary Celeste Beall + Blackberry Farm

Peter Stanglmayr

Peter Stanglmayr

Kimry Blackwelder

Kimry Blackwelder

Trend Union and Philip Fimmano

Trend Union and Philip Fimmano

Acknowledgements + Gratitude

Acknowledgements + Gratitude

21 Years

21 Years

A History of Collaborations

A History of Collaborations

21 Years Index

21 Years Index

Embroidery: Threads and Stories

Embroidery: Threads and Stories

What We Are Reading

What We Are Reading

Business of Fashion

Business of Fashion

Project Threadways Symposium: The Future

Project Threadways Symposium: The Future

Far West

Far West