Al Khat

Al Khat is a multifunctional textile inspired by the haïk, a traditional Moroccan garment and interior object. It refers to the history of two designers, one Flemish and the other Moroccan. After thorough research, the Belgian wool was spun in a small traditional spinning mill and then woven on industrial Flemish Jacquard looms. Al Khat thus forms the bridge between craft and industry. The pattern in the textile forms a deconstructed barcode, referring to overconsumption.

The jury on Al Khat:

Al Khat is at once a celebration of the haïk, a traditional Moroccan garment, and an ode to Belgian wool and Jacquard weaving. By showing new appreciation for materials that have been pushed out of the market and reusing traditional weaving techniques and looms, Al Khat also signifies a strong rejection of quick-consumption goods. The jury values the dedicated pursuit of local relevance and experimentation.

How did the idea for this project come about?

We were selected by Flanders District of Creativity (Flanders DC) as part of the FOR THE NOW design platform because of our diverse cultural and artistic backgrounds. The aim was to develop a new visual language. An is an object designer who finds inspiration in local history. Nabil works on themes relating to determinism in society and communicates via text-based and video art. After months of exploring each other’s work and visions, we came across a historical photograph of Nabil’s native village showing a mother and child wrapped in a haïk. The haik is a traditional, multipurpose wool fabric. An immediately made the link with the Flemish Jacquard weaving tradition, a traditional craft for which Flanders is still recognised worldwide. Textiles were the visual storytellers of that era. 

How does it contribute to a better world?

Currently, local wool largely ends up in the incinerator due to cheap competition from abroad. Belgium’s once flourishing wool processing industry has almost disappeared. By inspiring designers and the public with tangible applications, we want to restore the value of this valuable material, discourage the incineration of this sustainable fibre, and reconnect people with locally crafted objects. We hope this initiative will make people reflect on our rich craft traditions and make them proud of our recent industrial developments: roots 2.0! Cherished objects instead of fast fashion, local production, high-quality “circular” fibres and meaningful employment.

Do you have any further plans for this project?

Our aim is to inspire designers with locally available materials. For this, we have submitted a project proposal to Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) to work with herders and the industry to identify available sources of wool and various options for producing woollen yarn locally. We are planning to carry out tests with various woollen yarns on the looms and would like to offer a first batch of locally woven yarns to designers. Although these woollen yarns are currently too expensive for large-scale production, we see short-term opportunities for smaller collections and unique objects. The tailoring sector has also expressed interest in involving their employees in reviving the local wool supply chain.