A few days ago, a press release arrived in my inbox for the 2026 Redress Design Award. In capital letters, it read, “2026 finalists announced, tackling common to complex textile waste.” After I wrote the book Knit Green: 20 Projects & Ideas for Sustainability (Wiley & Sons 2009), I ended up on several PR lists. These marketing specialists somehow concluded that I had unique pull and could publicize their events.
This continued even as Wiley sold off their craft book line, stopped marketing my books, and sales fell away. Then, I discovered that another, remarkably similar book was published, first in German and then translated into English, while my book was pirated for free download. Then Anthropic scraped my books, along with many others, to create an early version of AI. Long story short, although I care about sustainability and the environment, my efforts as an author don’t give me enough clout to warrant all the press releases. That said, I enjoyed reading about new young designers’ efforts to promote textile reuse, so I stayed on this e-list.
I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m writing about this for a Jewish publication. Don’t fear! There are so many references to textiles, their production, use and value in Jewish sources. As well, our investment in tikkun olam – the notion of fixing the world – applies here, literally, when it comes to sustainability.
This year, when the Hong Kong-based, “Asia-focused environmental NGO Redress, dedicated to reducing clothing’s negative environmental impacts since 2007” announced its finalists, the list included something exciting. An Israeli won one of the coveted finalist spots. This is not a minor competition. The “finalists, who out-designed hundreds of applicants globally, represent seven regions across Asia, Europe and Middle East.” These finalists offer circular design solutions for textile waste, including “factory excess, clothing waste and furniture waste.” According to the release, there are currently 92 million tons of textile waste produced by the fashion industry annually, and only a miniscule amount of this is recycled.
The press release describes that “Tal Zohar (Israel) repurposes recycled fibres, discarded leather scraps, second-hand hardware and factory leftover yarn, including wool yarn cones donated from a closed factory.” This is all admirable. Zohar’s sketches show an Israeli/Middle Eastern ethos, with stylistic influences from her Moroccan (North African) family. However, that’s not what struck me as most remarkable.
We’re experiencing a moment in which Jewish and Israeli creatives are harassed and isolated due to the Gaza conflict and wider antisemitism. PEN America recently documented Israeli and Jewish writers’ experiences of growing isolation and exclusion on their social media. I saw the post on Instagram, but its comments absolutely proved the point. They were a dumpster fire, full of hate. Shortly afterwards, Dinaw Mengestu, the PEN America president, resigned in protest. He was protesting the lack of support for pro-Palestinian activism.
In this context, I was ridiculously excited to see that a young Israeli designer’s work was being celebrated on a wider stage. Will Zohar win? Will her designs and sustainability efforts become well-known or upscaled in a meaningful way? I don’t know. Still, I want to thank an NGO for choosing and valuing a designer on her merits, while a country and our people are being actively forced out of many arenas.
This confluence of two of my interests, fibre arts and Judaism, also happened elsewhere. After nearly a year of grassroots efforts, our Winnipeg congregation is beginning to embrace a once-a-month, co-ed needlework group. This group of knitters, beaders, crocheters, spinners, weavers, quilters, embroiderers and others, is largely sourced from our membership. Many of these fibre artists were cast out of their neighbourhood groups after Oct. 7 because they were Jewish or supported Israel.
One in three women in North America knits, so this group of needleworkers is in fact a big market share of our community. We deserve to feel proud and recognized not only in the wider world, via fashion competitions, but also in our neighbourhoods. On a basic level, if you want a synagogue member (me) to wash and mend all the plush Torahs for the family services, you need to show you value that member’s textile skills.
More broadly, you may not care about sustainability, textiles, fashion or traditional women’s work, but our tradition teaches us to say “yashar koach” (“well done”) when someone reads Torah, has an aliyah at synagogue, or does a good deed. We need to celebrate and congratulate each other every day, especially in the current environment.
As a mom, I am increasingly proud of people who step up. Not just my kids, but anyone’s children, and even those who are older than me, all fall under this new feeling of pride. I am proud when someone does something good! Also, I’m proud when someone is there for others or is celebrated for their professional skills. This is a special kind of Jewish joy we can all do more often. Jewish joy is something we all need to feel, share and acknowledge.
So, Tal Zohar, you don’t know me, but I wish you a hearty mazal tov on becoming a finalist in the Redress Design Award competition. As a Jewish mom and an author who writes about fibre arts, textiles and sustainability, I’m here to celebrate people like you who’ve done beautiful work under pressure.
A rising tide lifts all boats. We owe it to one another to applaud a job done well. This is a Jewish tradition, this chance to say “yashar kochech” (for a woman) or “yashar koach” (for a man) – or, in English, “well done!” Let’s do more of this special Jewish form of congratulations to bolster one another during difficult – and, hopefully soon, easier – times.
Joanne Seiff has written regularly for the Winnipeg Free Press and various Jewish publications. She is the author of three books, including From the Outside In: Jewish Post Columns 2015-2016, a collection of essays available for digital download or as a paperback from Amazon. Check her out on Instagram @yrnspinner or at joanneseiff.blogspot.com.
