For almost a century, the Coast Salish knitters of southern Vancouver Island have produced Cowichan sweaters from handspun wool. These distinctive sweaters are known and loved around the world, but the Indigenous women who make them remain largely invisible. Combining rare archival footage with the voices of three generations of woolworkers, The Story of the Coast Salish Knitters tells the tale of unsung heroines--resourceful women who knit to put food on the table and keep their families alive. Written and directed by Métis filmmaker Christine Welsh, this is a story of courage and cultural transformation--a celebration of the threads that …
Useful for discussions and research projects on economic theory and consumerism. Research the labour and material costs involved in hand-knitting a Cowichan sweater, and then the costs behind a mass-produced sweater sold at a store like Walmart. What factors account for the difference in the prices of these sweaters? In your opinion, which sweater is worth its price, and why? Should local industries be protected and supported against competition from mass-produced alternatives, and why?