This day of events is delivered as part of The Flax Meitheal project.
At its core is the spirit of meitheal (pronounced meh-hal), an ancient Irish tradition of cooperative work, where neighbours come together to support one another during labor-intensive seasonal tasks. More than a method of working, meitheal embodies a broader ethos of collective care, shared knowledge, and mutual aid.
The vision is to inspire a movement for a fairer textile future - one where natural, locally grown fibres are at the heart of a regenerative, place-based system.
Our partners in this project are Artpark Hoher Berg, Fibreshed Ireland, Mallon Linen, and the Linen Bienalle supported by Culture Bridge.
Tuesday 17th June - Threads of Nature: Weaving Sustainability into Style (Brink! Belfast Stories)
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10-11.30am: Educating for a Regenerative Future for Textiles and Fashion (Panel)
How can art and design schools move beyond surface-level sustainability and radically reimagine fashion and textile education for a world in crisis? This panel brings together educators, researchers, students, and industry voices to explore how Belfast School of Art is embedding regenerative practices into its teaching from slowing down, mending, low-impact dyeing and fibre innovation to systems thinking and ethical design.
Together, we’ll examine how we equip the next generation not just to enter industry—but to change it. We’ll ask: What does meaningful sustainability look like in education? How do we connect students with land, labour, and legacy? And how do we avoid preparing graduates for industries that harm the planet?
Prof Alison Gault (Professor of Regenerative Textiles and Fashion)
Anna Duffy (Lecturer in Printed Textile, Belfast School of Art)
Hazel Bruce (Lecturer in Textile Art, Belfast School of Art)
Hannah McIlroy (Sustainability Lead @ Cooneen Group)
Jayne Harkness-Bones (Ulster Wool) Roisin Conway (Roisin Conway Design, Textile student at Ulster University)
Tess Carter (Textile student at Ulster University)Drop In Panel
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10am-1pm: Fibreshed Ireland: From Plants to Colours (Workshop)
Join natural dyer Malú Colorín from Talú in a fun workshop where we'll discover how to transform plants into colours for textiles! We will delve into the main principles to consider when choosing dyestuffs and learn tried and tested methods to get the colour to stay.
We will use a mixture of plants foraged on-site, kitchen scraps and some historical European dye plants known for their colour reliability. You will learn how to prepare the textiles and what are the best plants (and kitchen scraps) to use for dyeing.
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10am-11.30am: Tea Blending: Make Your Own Blend (Workshop)
Craft your very own tea blend using unique ingredients and expert advice from SUKI co-founder Oscar Woolley. Discover how flavours balance in blends and unleash your inner tea blender.
Aurora Prehn (Kew) will join us to introduce her tea growing research project.
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11.30am-1pm: Matcha Workshop: How to Blend Traditional vs Modern (Workshop)
Learn the secrets of the global phenomenon super powered green tea matcha. Matcha expert Oscar Woolley will demonstrate and discuss flavour and techniques, from heritage whisking to modern twists.
Aurora Prehn (Kew) will join us to introduce her tea growing research project.
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12.15-1pm: Moral fibre - Linen the #1 sustainable fabric of the future
In a world where speed, innovation, and sustainability drive success, our business stands as a rare thread of tradition and modernity. For decades, we’ve been leading the charge in the global fashion, interiors, and film industries—powered by flax and linen, one of the planet’s most sustainable natural fibres. Without relying on government support, we’ve built an internationally recognised brand that thrives in a fast-paced, competitive market.
Join us as we explore how we’ve turned a timeless material into a cutting-edge business advantage, why linen belongs in your wardrobe, your home, and even on your table—and why the future of textiles must be both beautiful and sustainable.
Judith Neilly (Design and Development Director of Fergusons Irish linen)
Duncan Neil (Textile Designer) -
1-2pm: Lunchtime Screenings: Hot Poets (Screening)
The Gaia Foundation teamed up with the Hot Poets - a community interest company bringing together poetry and science to make the planet cool again. Together, they commissioned 10 incredible spoken work artists to tell the stories sprouting from regenerative farms through 2024-2025, covering issues from climate resilience to food justice. 10 poets, 10 photographers, 10 food growers were brought together as part of the campaign: We Feed The UK, which showed at Belfast Exposed in February this year, presenting works about Mallon Farm.
The 10 poetry pieces will be screened during lunch.
Drop In Screenings
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2-5pm: Screen-printing workshop with textile designer Duncan Neil (Workshop)
In this screen-printing workshop with textile designer Duncan Neil, we will be celebrating the bounty of Summer Solstice by working with natural pigments in hues that can be derived from the plants in the Brink! Garden. Combining geometric patterns and natural motifs we will be layering colours and creating spontaneous designs on natural fabrics.
Instagram - duncan.neil
Duncan Neil (Textile Designer)
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2-3PM: Sow What? Seeds, Soil & Fibre Futures (Panel)
From soil to sustenance to sustainable style — this panel digs deep into the vital role of land. We’ll explore regenerative farming, seed saving, and soil care not just for food, but for natural fibres like flax. Discover how growing with care supports biodiversity, nourishes the earth, and weaves a future rooted in balance — where what we eat and what we wear both help the planet thrive.
Helen Keys MBE (Farmer, Entrepreneur in Residence at QUBSU, Director of Irony Metalworks Ltd, Mallon Linen, co founder of Venture Folk and Source Grow)
Richie Walsh (Seed Sovereignty Programme Coordinator for Ireland, The Gaia Foundation)
Cormac Dolan (NI Manager, Nature Friendly Farming Network)Drop In Panel
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3-4pm: Thread Counts: From Fast Fashion to Future Fabric (Panel)
From global giants to grassroots makers, this panel unpicks the tangled threads of the fashion industry. We’ll stitch together big-picture questions and small-scale solutions — from ditching fast fashion to embracing natural fibre processing. Join us as we explore how local producers and multinationals alike can weave a more ethical, sustainable textile system.
Christian Volkmann (Enviro Retail Coordinator UK and Ireland at Patagonia)
Joel Anderson (Founder and Creative Director at Kindred of Ireland)Drop In Panel
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4-5pm: Textiles for liberation: weaving the future we want to live in (Talk)
In this talk, Malú Colorín – co-founder of Fibreshed Ireland – will give us an overview of the current state of the textile industry in the island of Ireland, with a focus on natural fibres. She will then offer some invitations to prefigurate or co-create the kind of collaborative and regenerative textile ecosystem we want to live in.
Drop In Talk
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2-3.30pm: Tea & Health: Why Tea is the 2nd Most Drunk Liquid on the Planet (Workshop)
Tea is the second most drunk liquid on the planet next to water. Dive into the science and stories behind tea’s health benefits. Explore why this ancient brew continues to captivate the world.
Aurora Prehn (Kew) will join us to introduce her tea growing research project.
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3.30-5pm: Tipsy Tea: Tea Cocktail Making with Tea (Workshop)
Mix, muddle, and shake up tea-inspired cocktails with a twist. Raise a glass to creative mixology, infused with the world’s favourite leaves.
Aurora Prehn (Kew) will join us to introduce her tea growing research project.
In partnership with
Brink and Alice Malseed present Luminous; a night of new theatre, performance, literature and music. This night of site-responsive performance invites audiences to experience five unique performances.
Each artist responds to the environment, light and our world.
The five short pieces will explore everything from mushrooms to queerness, pronatalism to hypercapitalism, and are set in contrasting locations such as Silent Valley and Belfast City Centre.
Join us at 5.30pm for music from The Shrub and a drink with The Sunflower Bar.
Performances starts at 7pm
End 10pm
This event has been supported by Arup and A&BNI.
5.30-10pm: Alice Malseed and Brink present LUMINOUS.
With music by The Shrub
Performances by
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Presented by Harmony
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Blueprint by Sara Walmsley
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Fás Aon Oíche / One Night's Growth by Ass Gaeilge
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Scim (performed play-reading) by Louise Parker, directed by Colm G. Doran
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Bealtaine - written and read by Deirdre Kelly
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Nurturing Resistance by Louise Mathews
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The Shrub
Food & Drink
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Coffee & Tea
Native Coffee are about more than just serving coffee, they host a variety of independent businesses and artists from Belfast and across Northern Ireland. They have built their community on coffee, connection and creativity - check out their Climate Cafes & Sober Socials.
They’re going to be serving hot drinks through the day.
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Pastries
Bakari Bakery are a family-run artisan bakery in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Inspired by Scandinavian baking traditions, we strive to bring the people of Belfast delicious baked goods using local, organic ingredients where possible and imported organic where necessary.
They’re supplying our beautiful pastries each day.
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Food
Rather than bringing food trucks onto our site, we would love if you would support our food neighbours - the local businesses who serve up amazing food from pizzas to bagels, from lebanese to cheese - we’re spoiled, so please support them.
Deerah, The Boxing Hare, Bodega Bagels, Mikes Fancy Cheese .. don’t forget the Watson food hatch!
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Drinks
Our favourite bar in Belfast just happens to be our neighbour too & have been an important part of our events during our time on the Belfast Stories site. During the festival the Sunflower Pub will be our bar partner during the evening events on the site.
Brink! is a social enterprise using culture to engage with people on issues related to the climate crisis.
We work and play at the point of change exploring new ways to think and act in our city.
This June, Summer Solstice from the Brink! brings 10 days of culture, conversation and climate action to Belfast.
We’re also on the hunt for a new home — so every penny you chip in helps us keep creating space for bold ideas and big change.