BIG NEWS – WE’VE MOVED!

Since the start of the ReMade in Leeds project and the founding of Antiform we’ve happily worked as a Leeds-centric team running events, producing collections and other creative happenings. But 2014 has opened new doors and Antiform is on the move…

Where have you moved to?

After 10 happy years in Leeds, I am taking Antiform HQ and the studio down to Bristol. Our spacious new studio is in the heart of Bristol’s industrial sector and housed in the newly opened ‘Bristol Textiles Quarter’ 5 minutes from Bristol Temple Meads. We’re sharing our new space with Working Wool, a knit and weave studio – so no doubt it’ll be a busy and exciting place to be! You can now find us at 1A Barton Road, BS2 0LF.

Will Antiform projects carry on in Leeds?

Of course! Many of the projects we’ve started during our time in Leeds have taken on lives of their own – The Leeds Community Clothes Exchange, for example, has grown from a tiny swapping event between friends when we first started it up to a completely community owned enterprise, and will continue to run and grow this year (the next swap is on 27th September 12-4pm so make sure its in your diary)!

Our incredible Leeds studiomates, Dots Printhaus, will remain open screen printing textiles and art prints. We’ll also continue to work with and support all the suppliers and makers we have been working with for the past 6 years based in Yorkshire, and will be visiting regularly. Our Yorkshire-based workshops will also continue so keep your eyes peeled for events.

Will there be new projects in Bristol?

That’s the plan! Once we have settled in and got the Bristol Textiles Quarter up and running we will be working on getting some of our best loved projects up and running in Bristol. Kate Uzzell, our new Bristol Studio Manager, is excited about getting workshops on the go and our new warehouse will have space to host events.

What does this mean for Antiform’s locally-produced approach?

Over the past 6 years Antiform has experimented with hyper-local production and developing close relationships with producers in Yorkshire. We’ll continue to make our Yorkshire sourced products like the tweed purse which is woven near Leeds and made on the Pennines. Our main studio will now be in Bristol and so that’s where a lot of the garments will be constructed – but there’ll be no change to our actual production approach – still the same amazing reclaimed and recycled materials, still UK sourced!

We’ll be working over the next 12 months to develop new supply chains near to us in the South West to add to our suppliers. We’re incredibly lucky to have Bristol Textiles Recycling Center less than half a mile away from our new studio. Our first project is the Fisherman Knit Sweaters, which will be released this month and are hand frame knitted in Cornwall.
Our move is a great opportunity to use what we’ve learned in Leeds to test creating other hyper-local supply chains in other areas of the UK.

Where else will Antiform be popping up?

It’s a very exciting year ahead for Antiform. Jade, our Researcher and Knit Designer is going to be in Manchester and kicked off our first workshop in the North West at Vintage by the Sea last weekend. We have an ever increasing team in London who have been running workshops and creative events. Fay, our workshop manager, is off to Australia and Cez, our production manager from 2013-2014, is now over in California – so look out for our first international projects in 2015! We’re going worldwide!

Thank you to all our makers, suppliers, customers, buyers, supporters, members and clothing activists for your ongoing support and encouragement! We hope you’re all looking forward to the new chapter in the Antiform story!