TMU Urban Farm and Fashion School launch sustainable textile exhibition

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) has opened The Flax Project, a collaborative exhibition developed by its Urban Farm and School of Fashion, showcasing the historical and contemporary process of producing linen from flax plants. The exhibition launched on Jan. 21 and highlights connections between sustainable fashion practices, traditional textile production and hands-on learning.

The project originated from a natural dye workshop linked to the Urban Farm’s Natural Dye Garden living lab, where fashion students participated in growing, harvesting and processing flax and natural dyes as part of coursework on sustainable fashion systems. Fifth-year fashion student Mika Soetaert, whose family background includes linen production in Belgium, described the experience as both educational and personally meaningful.

Tools used in the exhibition—including a flax brake and hackles—reflect traditional techniques that have been employed for centuries, giving students insight into the labour-intensive craft behind textile creation. TMU Urban Farm coordinator Jess Russell said the exhibition demonstrates how campus farms can extend learning beyond food production to include plant-based materials relevant to sustainable design and local textile possibilities.

Organisers hope The Flax Project will inspire greater appreciation of fibre cultivation and circular fashion practices, and illustrate how academic collaborations can bridge agriculture and fashion education at TMU.