Dedicated to clever and innovative trends of art and design in activism.

We seek out artists from around the globe who are using their talents for social change. We design for artists and activists at our other website.

Alabama Chanin does Civil Rights

James David wrote this post at 11:30 am on February 5th, 2008.

After reading yesterday about the role and ethics of photojournalism (an oft-discussed topic here at Groundswell) it’s opportune to hear news of the new Alabama Chanin line. The eco-fashion studio is currently showing for Fall/Winter ‘08 at LF8 Studio in New York City alongside civil rights photographer Charles Moore’s work. Designer Natalie Chanin chose to create this season’s work as an “homage to Charles and all of the people of this nation who stood – and walked - together for change.” Alabama Chanin uniquely focuses:

not only on sustainable textiles, but also on preserving the traditional crafts techniques of rural America. Working with artisans in Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi, where the civil rights movement was born, their mission is to create treasured life-long clothing steeped in history, but with a “contemporary design aesthetic”.

Alabama Chanin + Charles Moore

Alabama Chanin is also showing with Italian accessory designer Henry Beguelin, whose handmade work makes use of recycled materials.

Via TreeHuger.

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Lovely as a Tree

James David wrote this post at 1:49 pm on December 7th, 2007.

Lovely as a Tree is a fantastic resource for environmentally conscious graphic designers. They offer info on how your design practices impact the environment, and offers resources to both calculate and reduce your impact. They are UK-based, but they offer global insights. They also have a fantastic website.

Lovely as a Tree

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WWF: Money Makes the World Go ‘Round

James David wrote this post at 1:19 pm on November 13th, 2007.

I’d heard quite a bit about this spot, and finally decided to finally take a look. It’s quite worth sharing:

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The Groundswell Blog has a new look!

James David wrote this post at 4:57 am on November 4th, 2007.

I spent a great deal of time this weekend cleaning house and checking things off my to-do list.  One of those things was a redesign of the blog.  Take a look around, and let me know what you think!

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7 Steps, No Footprint

James David wrote this post at 10:00 am on October 31st, 2007.

Metropolis recently set forth clear guidelines for planning to minimize the environmental impact of design work.

Since there is still no perfect product, think of these as seven pieces of a Platonic whole, a set of best practices, and a possible road map for a new model of twenty-first-century manufacturing.

Since creating inherently means making a thing which may create or become waste, the goal is to limit the extent to which designers leave a lasting impression/footprint.  The “seven pieces of a Platonic whole” are:

Seven Steps and No Footprint

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