From Early Anglo-Saxon Textiles to the Fashion Industry: textile archaeology and sustainability

Starting our journey in early Anglo‑Saxon England, this lecture will explore the remarkable breadth of textile production networks in the early medieval period, tracing the process from the harvesting of natural resources to the skilled craftspeople who created fabrics using knowledge shared across international borders. We will examine the animals and plants that contributed to textile manufacture and consider the vital relationship between craftsmanship and the natural environment.

We will also investigate how textiles were cut, draped and styled into sophisticated garments that expressed wealth, artistic creativity and regional identity. Through this, we can study how elements of the natural world were transformed from raw materials into everyday necessities, works of art and powerful forms of communication.

Then we will fast‑forward to the present day, reflecting on how the study of archaeological textiles - and their deep connection with nature - can inform our modern approach to clothing consumption. This is particularly relevant in an era dominated by fast fashion, where excessive production and waste have a significant impact on the environment. Our discussion will reframe the relationship between fashion and nature, exploring how archaeological insights can inspire more sustainable practices that benefit both the fashion industry and the natural world. 

Georgia Gould is a doctoral candidate at University College London, specialising in the development of northern European textile production in the early medieval period. In addition, she has experience of weaving different types of textiles; she has woven and sewn her own textiles and garments ranging from medieval to modern fashion styles.