Announcements
Welcome to the future home of Slow Mode Journal
First issue to be published Summer 2026
Call for Papers
What is Slow Mode?
Slow Mode Journal (SMJ) is a newly formed open-access, peer-reviewed journal that welcomes interdisciplinary research from scholars and practitioners whose work addresses the acceleration of global systems related to textiles–from fashion and product design to computing and digital communication. SMJ’s origins are rooted in the goals of “slow fashion”, “slow design”, and “slow technology”–concepts that emerged in tandem during the early to mid 2000s from critiques of industrial systems that prioritize speed and disposability. Our interest in slowness also speaks to the 21st century’s heightened awareness of the Anthropocene, defined in 2000 by Crutzen and Stoermer as an ongoing period of significant human influence marked by excess waste and exploitation of natural resources. In the two decades since that research first appeared, the severity and urgency of the global situation has not abated; rather, with generative AI hastening the production of fashion, data, and e-waste, the problem is expected to worsen. What can be done to challenge the breakneck pace of the current mode of production? As our name suggests, Slow Mode Journal foregrounds deliberative research on textiles, art, and technology.
Submissions
The inaugural issue of Slow Mode Journal, to be published in summer 2026, requests articles and reviews that address questions concerning the pace of change in an era of disposability. Through a textile lens that emphasizes renewable and recycled materials, how can we downshift the gears of industry and discourse toward slower, more sustainable modes? How do we encourage designers and consumers to adopt different attitudes toward novelty? How might collaborations with Indigenous textile producers provide culturally and environmentally informed solutions? The journal welcomes a diversity of perspectives and methodological approaches, and seeks to include work that expands upon, but is not limited to, the language and practices of slowness.
- Articles
Please send completed papers of between 6,000 to 8,000 words to: slowmode.journal@ubc.ca by February 13th, 2026.
- Reviews
SMJ also seeks submissions for book, exhibition, and film reviews (600-1,000 words). To submit a review proposal, please contact: slowmode.journal@ubc.ca.
- Creative/Artistic Works
In addition to written materials, SMJ accepts works in other media. Please submit creative or artistic works along with an artist statement of no more than two pages to: slowmode.journal@ubc.ca. For questions or more details concerning acceptable formats, contact the same address.
Bibliography
Clark, Hazel. 2008. “SLOW + FASHION—an Oxymoron—or a Promise for the Future …?” Fashion Theory 12 (4): 427–46. https://doi.org/10.2752/175174108X346922
Crutzen, Paul J. & Eugene F. Stoermer. 2000. “The ‘Anthropocene.’” Global Change Newsletter 41: 17–18. Print.
Fletcher, Kate. 2013. Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys. 2nd ed. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315857930.
Fuad-Luke, Alastair. 2002. “‘Slow Design’: A paradigm shift in design philosophy?” Development by Design, Bangalore, India, December 2002.
Hallnäs, Lars, and Johan Redström. 2001. “Slow Technology – Designing for Reflection.” Personal and Ubiquitous Computing 5 (3): 201–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00000019.
