It's been a brilliant morning welcoming our new volunteers to the SDC Textile Collection!
Today has been all about learning more about the SDC, getting to know each other and exploring the archive further.
Our collection is home to more than 50,00 artefacts relating to colour and the wider textile industry, so it's always a pleasure for the society to be able to share this with even more people.
There's plenty of ways our volunteers will be getting involved with the collection, including cataloguing, photography, event support, and research.
If you'd like to get involved and join our next volunteer morning, please get in touch with our Historical Collections Officer Shelley Hollingdrake MA via [email protected]
Following on from yesterday’s announcement of our Midlands Heat winners, we’re delighted to confirm the winners of the Northern Heat of the SDC’s International Design Competition, which took place at the SDC’s offices at Perkin House in Bradford last Wednesday on 29th April.
The Northern heat showcased a diverse and thought-provoking range of work, with projects exploring material innovation, storytelling, and responsible approaches to design.
A huge congratulations to our Northern heat winner, Joe Gurr, whose project 'Coconut to Concepts' impressed judges with its innovative exploration of sustainable alternatives to leather and its focus on plant-based materials and the evolving definition of luxury.
Congratulations also go to:
• Jasmin Lindo-Clarke (joint runner-up, Bradford College) for 'Where are you from?'
• Isabel Baker (joint runner-up, Manchester Metropolitan University) for 'Faded Threads'
• Tracey Jayne Plummer (highly commended, Manchester Metropolitan University) for 'Grow, Gather, Guide'
Joe will now go on to represent the Northern region at the UK final on 15 May, where he will compete against winners from the Midlands and London and Southern regions.
A huge thank you to all entrants for their inspiring contributions, and we wish Joe the very best of luck in the UK final. 🍀
The SDC's International Design Competition continues to spotlight the next generation of textile talent. And, the Midlands Heat was no exception, showcasing an inspiring mix of creativity, technical colour application, and sustainable thinking.
This year’s theme 'Climate Threads' challenged students to explore the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and commercial viability in textile design.
A huge congratulations to our heat winner, Seren Thomas from De Montfort University, whose project MEWN! impressed judges with its deeply conceptual and material-led approach. Combining knit and ceramic, Seren’s work explored identity, place, and environmental change through tactile expressions of memory and landscape.
Congratulations also go to:
• Runner up: Olivia Broomhead from De Montfort University for her project: Interwoven: An Investigation into Colour and Structure
• Highly commended: Aimee East from Loughborough University for her project: for A Love Letter to the Reef
• Highly commended: Catrine Reynolds also from De Montfort University for her project: Worth the Time
We also recognise Jacaranda Brian from Nottingham Trent University, who was recipient of this year’s John Morris Award, for the sustainable knitted sportswear collection Weedy Sea Dragon.
Seren will now go on to represent the Midlands at the UK final in Bradford on 15 May!
To find out more about the winning projects, please visit the link in bio.
Entries are now open for our Global Colourist Award for 2026! 🌍️
Do you have a talented early‑career colour professional on your team who deserves recognition?
Or are you someone who’s bringing fresh ideas, problem‑solving skills, and real value to your business?
Entries are now open for those across the wider coloration sector within the first 10 years of their career. Whether you're involved in textiles, pigments, leather, food, printing, cosmetics or even plastics, if your role involves colour, we encourage you to apply.
Why enter?
🏆 £1,000 prize for the winner
✈️ Fully funded UK trip to attend SDC’s Day of Celebration
🌍 Global recognition across the international colour community
📣 A professional profile showcasing your work, achievements, and impact
To find out more and apply, please visit the link in our bio.
The SDC International Design Competition continues to showcase incredible emerging talent, giving students a platform to push boundaries and shape a more sustainable future for textiles.
We’re excited to share the winners of the London and Southern heat of this year’s Climate Threads brief.
Huge congratulations to Niamh Hill, winner of the heat, for her visionary project A Biophilic Cycle – Navigating the Urban Cluster, which explores sustainable, biophilic design for the future of urban mobility in a 2050 Bristol.
Congratulations also to Bethan Cooper (runner-up) for Dyed by the Tide and Lilian Stephenson (highly commended) for Threads of Home.
Niamh will now go on to represent the region in the global grand final — good luck! 🍀
Read more via the link in bio. 🔗
Interested in volunteering and passionate about textile heritage?
Join us on Saturday 9th May (10:00–12:30) at our head office in Bradford to learn more about how you can get involved in the SDC Textile Collection.
Home to over 50,000 artefacts, the collection continues to grow and with ongoing cataloguing, there’s always something new to discover. We’re looking for volunteers to support this exciting project, with opportunities to gain valuable hands-on experience in:
• Cataloguing
• Photography
• Event support
• Research
Whether you can spare a few hours now and then or on a more regular basis, we’d love to meet you. Come along, meet the team, and see how you can contribute.
📍 Bradford, UK
🕙 10:30am–12pm
To register your interest, please contact: [email protected]
🎉✨ Happy Birthday to the one and only William Morris! ✨🎉
Today we’re raising a patterned, hand-crafted, Arts & Crafts–approved toast to the legendary designer whose work still makes us swoon.
Did you know the SDC has some of his original designs tucked safely in our Textile Collection? Yep — we’re basically hanging out with design royalty. His creativity was bold, brilliant, and just a little bit rebellious… and we love that energy.
Here’s to Morris, the man who proved that great design never goes out of style. #archive #colour #sdc #pattern #history #morrisgallery
SDC Textile Collection Launch 🚀
Preserving the past. Inspiring the future ✨
So many familiar faces and new supporters joined us - great conversations were had, plans were hatched, and memories were made. We’re absolutely chuffed to bits with the support! 💜
Come visit us and explore the collection for yourself!
More info: collections.sdc.org.uk
#Archive #textiles #sdc #colour #coloureducation
Interested in volunteering for the SDC Textile Collection? If you could spare a few hours in Bradford to help catalogue, photograph or research our wonderful objects, we would love to hear from you! Follow this link or click the QR code 😊#volunteer #colour #sdc #history
/SocietyDyersColourists/lopjf6r6w0/fill?id1=YourValue3&id2=YourValue4&id3=YourValue5&id5=YourValue6&id6=YourValue7&id7=YourValue8&id8=YourValue9&id9=1&id10=1
✨ New The Colourist online article out now – exclusive for members ✨
SDC bursary recipient Viveca Mellegård shares her experience at the 44th Dyes in History and Archaeology conference in Ottawa, where she presented research on rare Surinamese textiles at the National Gallery of Canada.
From global dye research to Indigenous craft at the Canadian Museum of History, her report explores how colour reveals culture, history, and place.
📖Read now: sdc.org.uk (members only)
💳Not a member yet? Leave a comment below or send us a DM for more info 🎨
#TheColourist #SDC #ColourResearch #DyesInHistory
A fabulous time was had celebrating the launch of our SDC Textile Collection. So many faces old and new came out to support us, we're chuffed to bits! #archive #textiles #sdc #colour #Bradford #collection #history #proud #support #membership #
