Crafting and Civic Activism – Four Finnish Craftivists in Action with Textiles

Abstract

Craftivism has gained prominence as a contemporary mode of civic action that fuses crafting with societal and political engagement. As an active means of expressing opinions, craftivism remains rare in Finland, despite crafts, including craft techniques, self-expression, and sustainable development, being a compulsory subject in Finnish comprehensive schools. The deep-rooted practice of crafts in the Finnish culture is more commonly realized in the form of charitable crafts in the third sector. This study explored Finnish craftivists’ experiences of using textile skills and techniques in craftivist practice and examined the societal themes they highlighted in their work. Drawing on interview data analyzed in-depth through inductive content analysis, the findings indicated that textile techniques held deep meaning for the participants and were closely tied to values of the circular economy and sustainability. Community-based making provided spaces for peer support, learning, and new social ties, whereas collaboration was frequently experienced as boundary breaking and a means of reflecting on femininity and identity. The participants addressed local or national concerns and, to a lesser extent, global themes. On the basis of the results, craftivism in Finland appears to be expanding toward themes of well-being and sustainable development.

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