Calico cotton

Gus Casely-Hayford tells the story of how calico cotton first grown in India gave rise to the global trade of a fabric that is both contentious and revolutionary.

It’s 1719 and the vitriolic words of weaver-turned-activist Claudius Rey penned in his book condemning the “evil” import of cheap calico cotton from British-ruled India help pour fuel on the fire of civil unrest.

The British parliament responds by introducing various amendments to the Calico Act aimed at protecting owners and workers in Britain’s textile industry. This has the knock on effect of crippling India’s weavers by preventing them from exporting processed cotton. While Britain’s workshops flourished from weaving calico cotton from India, the immoral game changer was an influx of raw cotton from plantations in the British colonies in the Caribbean and the southern states of America worked by enslaved people.

The globalisation of fashion has its roots in colonisation and the industrial revolution it spurred. Think of the simple calico tote bag that many of us sling over our shoulders. It has become almost universal as an alternative to plastic bags. But like 20 percent of all fashion items made of cotton, millions of tote bags are made every year in garment factories in China’s Xinjiang province where allegations of slave labour abound.

With V&A Museum benefactor and Indian textile collector Karun Thakar, fashion journalist Grace Cook, and the historical writings of British weaver-turned-activist Claudius Rey and the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.

Presenter: Gus Casely-Hayford Executive Producer: Rosie Collyer Assistant Producer: Nadia Mehdi Researcher: Zeyana Yussuf Production Coordinator: Francesca Taylor Sound Design: Rob Speight

A Novel production for BBC Radio 4