2026 is the anti-brainrot year. It is the year for us to get off of our phones and cut back on the doomscrolling. At least, that’s what our phones keep telling us. But if we are not doomscrolling, what is there to do? Maybe it’s time to pick up a hobby. Arts and crafts are back, and this time, instead of putting them on the fridge, we’re wearing our projects.
Fibre arts refer to art forms and crafts that use natural or synthetic materials. This includes crochet, embroidery, macramé, sewing, and more. Fibre arts are most notoriously used to make, upcycle, and decorate clothing. Imagine making art and being able to wear it afterwards.
There are various ways fibre artists learn their crafts. Some learn by enrolling in classes or partaking in workshops while others learn by utilising the thousands of YouTube tutorials that are at our disposal. But what seems to be most common in fibre artists is learning from friends and family. In this way, you can bond with your loved ones while also learning a useful skill which you can in turn share with others.
When asked what personal benefits they have gained through practicing fibre arts, various students said they found that their anxiety decreased and focus increased. Others found that their craft was an outlet through which they can exercise their creative freedom and enhance their personal style. Nothing compares to being able to be seen crafting something one day and wearing it the next. Handmade items can also be used as a source of income or as gifts. This way, you get to share your creations with your friends, family, and larger community (and make a bit of extra money). Remember the heirloom that has been passed down in your family after it was made by your grandma? You can be that grandma!
In an era of overconsumption and fast fashion, pursuing the fibre arts, particularly to make clothing, is a political statement – a conscious standing against environmental damage and the unsustainable modes and rates of creation. By taking the time to knit your own sweater rather than buying it, you are exercising your agency and rebelling against the consumerist urge to buy without second thought. Fibre arts are a slow process that require patience and consistency. Creating your own clothes thus teaches you to be intentional about what you make rather than falling into the trap of trend cycles and microtrends.
Fibre arts can also be a medium of political expression. TikTok user Alexandria Masse has spent every period she has had for the past year crocheting her birth control information sheet. This project is an effort to start conversation around contraceptives and reproductive rights. Through crochet, she has learned more about the medication she takes and encourages others to do the same while simultaneously starting a conversation about the necessity of access to contraceptives.
Fibre arts can be difficult to learn at first. They require a level of patience and dedication that some of us are not sure we have. But it is important to prioritise the value of craft over the instant gratification of doomscrolling. It is normal to take a while to get the hang of things, and it is okay for your projects to not come out perfect. It can be hard work, but it is also rewarding work. Besides, it all becomes worth it when someone compliments your outfit and you get to say “Thanks, I made it myself!”
Visual: Esther Ndebele
