You'll find The African Fabric Shop at textile shows and exhibitions around the UK and occasionally in Europe.
Also, along with a group of friends, we organise a series of free events called World Textile Day at various venues around the UK.
And, Magie always brings along a selection of fabrics, beads and baskets when ever she travels to a textile group for a talk.
1 Apr to 28 Apr 2024
Under African Skies
A selling exhibition linking Africa’s ancient textile traditions with contemporary creative innovation. Curated by Magie Relph and Bob Irwin of The African Fabric Shop.
'Under African Skies will be a land mark exhibition,' says Andrew Haughton of The Nomad's Tent.
'The culmination of two years of planning at the Nomad's Tent and almost 40 years of African travel, research and buying by Magie and Bob.'
Exhibition entry is FREE, of course
Special exhibition events - modest entry fee
10 April : Guest speaker
25 April : Symposium
26 April : Postcards from Africa
Venue: The Nomad's Tent, 21-23 St Leonard's Lane, Edinburgh, EH8 9SH
More information: nomadstent.co.uk
20 Apr 2024
10 - 4
Mundford Village Hall, St Leonards Lane, Mundford, Norfolk, IP26 5DW
East of England - Norfolk
FREE ENTRY to our exhibition and sale of fair trade textiles
In many ways, Norfolk is where it all started… way back when Magie and Bob used to go there ‘on safari’ with the African Fabric Shop. From those humble days, grew World Textile Day at this great village venue in Mundford - just up the road from Thetford and an easy hop from Norwich and Cambridge. We’ve got great support from all over East Anglia – heaps of regular visitors and new visitors discovering us every year. See you there!
11 am : main talk : Textile Animal Trappings - Celebration and Endurance
2 pm : short talk : plus World Textiles Show & Tell
FAIR TRADE MARKET from makers, workshops and villages around the world
Plus: delicious onsite catering and refreshments all day
View and print flyer: World Textiles Spring Events [ PDF format ]
More information: worldtextileday.co.uk
11 May 2024
10 - 4
Frodsham Community Centre, Fluin Lane, Frodsham, WA6 7QN
North of England - Cheshire
FREE ENTRY to our exhibition and sale of fair trade textiles
Frodsham Community Centre is home to an amazing array of textile groups - and one of our favourite World Textile Day venues. Fordsham is very easy to get to from Manchester, Liverpool, the Wirral and even north Wales. We’re always amazed at the turnout and enthusiam. One year we had so many visitors that we had to ask our guest speaker Janice Gunner to repeat her talk in the afternoon!
11 am : main talk : Japanese Country Textiles - Traditions Moving Forward
2 pm : short talk : plus World Textiles Show & Tell
FAIR TRADE MARKET from makers, workshops and villages around the world
Special Guest Exhibitors
Plus: delicious onsite catering and refreshments all day
View and print flyer: World Textiles Spring Events [ PDF format ]
More information: worldtextileday.co.uk
1 Jun 2024
10 - 4
Parish Church of Scotland, 12 Keir St, Bridge of Allan, FK9 4NW
Scotland - Bridge of Allan
FREE ENTRY to our exhibition and sale of fair trade textiles
Bridge of Allan has always been a special World Textile Day for us. It’s a really easy venue to get to from both Edinburgh and Glasgow. But guess what? Those textile-fanatic Scots come from as far away as The Borders, Aberdeen and Inverness. Now that’s dedication!
11 am : main talk : Textile Animal Trappings - Celebration and Endurance
2 pm : short talk : plus World Textiles Show & Tell
FAIR TRADE MARKET from makers, workshops and villages around the world
Plus: delicious onsite catering and refreshments all day
View and print flyer: World Textiles Spring Events [ PDF format ]
More information: worldtextileday.co.uk
Our friend Oklah Tetteh in Koforidua, Ghana makes all of our bottle glass beads from old bottles. Some colours are hard for him to make because the bottles are scarce. These are the really valuable ones:
If you have any, please bring them to us and we'll take them to Ghana. Meda ase - thank you - from Oklah Tetteh.