Textile hemp takes me, today, to the south of our peninsula, to Modica (Sicily) to be precise, where Antonella Floridia is bringing tradition back into the homes of Sicilians with various handcrafted objects made of textile hemp. Each item is a valuable object, created to last over time and to bring sacredness back into the rituals of daily life.

HSM: How did you approach textile hemp?

IC: It was hemp that chose me, a few years ago, when I still didn't know the use I would make of it. My first contact with this fabric was in fact when there was not yet much talk of sustainable fashion. In Florence, in a shop dedicated to sustainable clothing that sold ethical fashion and natural and organic fabrics, I found a hemp kimono that I bought cheaply because it was slightly defective, and I was immediately fascinated by this fabric. In addition to the kimono, I also took a sample of the hemp fabric and wanted to explore its possible uses, especially for the babywearing bands, which I was producing at the time. I was attracted by its vibration that brought me back to something incredibly alive and authentic. Only later did I also realise its practical benefits: breathable, temperature regulating, antibacterial, resistant and durable. A special and profound relationship with this fibre was immediately born. Industrial hemp is a plant that is still little known, also due to long prohibitionism that has caused us to lose the tradition of both cultivation and processing of the plant, but it has enormous potential in various sectors. I think I have also seen parts of myself in hemp: in some ways, I feel the same way. I have several skills that I have so far struggled to show and make people appreciate. I have always been passionate about fashion (in the sense of the human being's profound relationship with clothes) and hand creation, but also about tailoring and loom weaving. Creating with my hands has always been a very exciting process for me and a moment of connection with myself.

HSM: How did you decide to sell hemp textile products?

IC: The decision came by chance. I had recently left the administrative job I had done for 20 years in a company and had decided to dedicate some time to myself. Talking to the owner of a shop specialising in the sale of environmentally friendly detergents and other organic products, it emerged that he wanted to expand the offer by introducing textile products as well. At this point, I remembered the hemp fabric I had bought a few years earlier and proposed to him to create a home textile hemp collection.

HMS: Why did you decide to focus InCanapa on household products?

IC: I believe that home is an extension of our inner space. I have always attached importance to all those family traditions that we grew up with, there was an authenticity that needs to be recovered. Our hectic way of life has made us lose some important values, such as conviviality and the pleasure of being at the table as a family. With the lockdown then, we have been helped to re-evaluate these traditions, that is, to rediscover the connection we have lost with the things around us, with daily rituals, restoring a sense of living space. Valuing also the affections and bringing back the sacred in daily gestures.

HSM: How are your works created?

IC: All my creations are conceived, designed and handmade by me. I have a craft workshop next to my house. Sometimes, to get rid of the amount of work, I rely on some seamstresses. In time, I would like to collaborate with social tailors in my area who offer immigrant women a chance at redemption. And one day, why not, I would like to create a place where I can make use of the great power of manual labour, i.e., sew up atavistic wounds and put together the parts in which we women sometimes find ourselves disjointed.

‍HSM: Ho avuto modo di apprezzare anche la tua recente collezione di gioielli tessili...

IC: Yes, this hemp jewellery project also came about by pure coincidence. A friend organised an exhibition a few months ago and asked me if I was interested in presenting my jewellery collection, which I already had, but not with hemp fabric. So I decided to dare, creating a collection of jewellery mostly in hemp yarn. Sometimes I also use burette silk or raw, hand-spun wool. It is a collection of jewellery with essential lines, which mainly plays on the oriental concept of kintsugi, the art of repairing what is broken with gold.  The jewellery was created as a symbol of feminine value and power, understood as the ability to flourish and shine in the world, to celebrate the great inner work that in my opinion many of us women are doing at this particular moment in history. It is no coincidence that hemp accompanies me: a plant, which despite a very troubled history, is now more than ever making a comeback in various sectors.

HSM: Where can we buy your creations?

IC: Online you can mainly find me on Instagram, where I have a showcase of all my artefacts, on WhatsApp, but also on WhatAEco and soon I plan to reactivate the shop on Etsy. In addition, I participate in trade fairs and local markets in Sicily. In Modica, the home line is currently on sale at Candiano Shop. I would like to have a real shop and get out of the virtual because I am of the opinion that hemp fabric and artistic creations tell stories that can hardly be conveyed immediately with an online shop. At the moment, my customers are private individuals who want to buy a natural, handmade product for their home, but I would also like to propose myself to the world of hospitality and catering, i.e. hotels, spas, and restaurants sensitive to the value of natural and handmade.

HSM: Thank you very much Antonella for sharing your special story and your textile hemp products.

Photo Copyright: InCanapa

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