FUR vs. FAUX FUR

WHICH ONE IS WHICH?

One is humane. The other can be heartless and cruel.
Can YOU spot the difference between them?
Many can't. But the difference is much bigger than appearance.
It's more of a choice.

Faux fur. Fake fur. What ever you'd like to call it.
It may not look too different, but faux fur is actually VERY different to real fur. The production process doesn't involve the slaughter of animals.

It LOOKS the same. It even FEELS the same. But it's NOT the same.

Don't wear real fur. Don't encourage animal cruelty.

It's your choice.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

At the moment, our group is just putting the finishing touches on our screen-printed outcomes.

Rhyia is stitching on some awesome embroidery - a net over the fox on her t-shirt. Ginny is also stitching on some cool embroidery - mainly outlines at the moment. Mahmood's outcome is looking pretty good - he is about to print his final layer and (I think) he's stitching? Callum has just finished his final layer and is also stitching at the moment. I (Maddie) have just finished the embroidery on my t-shirt.

I'm pretty pleased with the final outcome as it meets all my specifications and although the design has evolved a bit over the past few weeks, I really like the way it has turned out. I think everyone is pretty pleased with their work so far and I think their printed outcomes will be just as good!

Hopefully, I will be able to post some photos of the fantastic work here.

WATCH THIS SPACE!

HOW TO: The Screen Printing Process

ONE: At the top of the stack, we see the Film. It is clear with the exception of the image to be printed, which is opaque (black).

TWO: Next, a photo-sensitive material called 'photo mask' or 'photo stencil' is exposed to strong light. The light exposed areas (that are not covered by the image) of this material become hardened. The areas which are covered by the opaque image stay soft - eventually washing away. This is where the ink(s) will pass through.

THREE: This 'photo stencil' is embedded into fabric stretched very tightly across a printing frame. After the stencil dries, the 'screen frame' is pressed against the item you want screen printed (in this case a t-shirt) and ink poured onto the surface of the screen is dragged across the design with a squeegee. The ink is deposited on the item.

And that's how screen printing works!

WARNING! EXCESSIVELY DELICIOUS!

Chocolate Brownies! Makes 20.



-175 g butter
-2 teaspoons vanilla essence
-250 g cooking chocolate
-3 eggs, beaten
-1 ½ cups standard plain flour
-chocolate icing/icing sugar (optional)
-1 cup sugar 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)




Method:

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over a low heat. Remove saucepan from the heat and add flour, sugar, vanilla essence, and eggs. Stir until well combined.

2. Pour mixture into a greased and lined tin. Bake at 180°C for 30 mins. Leave in tin for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack.

3. When cold, ice with chocolate icing or icing sugar with chopped walnuts. Cut into squares.

Screen Prints to Inspire

BELOW: Rushmore Cushion by Mibo.

ABOVE: XOXO Juniors' Foil Screen Print Top by Chic Apparel

ABOVE LEFT: Screen Prints by Lorna Etsy, fabric & paper.

ABOVE RIGHT: Folklore and nature inspired screen prints by Sanna Annukka.

Fur On The Runway... Is It Stolen?

FUR ON THE RUNWAY... IS IT STOLEN?



Headwear by Haute Couture designer Jean Paul Gaultier.

These MONSTROCITIES were worn at the Paris Fashion Week runway.

About... Fox Fur in the Textile Industry

Fox pelts are used in the production of fur coats, jackets, hats, scarves, blankets, hair accessories, and even mobile phone covers! Finland is the world’s leading producer of fox pelts - producing approximately four million fox, mink and raccoon pelts each year. Canada produces ten to fifteen times the amount produced in the USA, while fur farming is banned in Austria, Croatia, and the United Kingdom.