Since 2019, Project Threadways has hosted annual symposia exploring the intersections of design, art, making, power, labor, and community. Each gathering has expanded on a central inquiry: how can making—especially through design and textiles—help us better understand the social, economic, and environmental systems we live within? 

Held April 24-25 in Florence, Alabama, the 2026 Project Threadways Symposium continues this exploration of textiles through the theme of Regeneration. Presentations, workshops, and exhibitions center cotton, from soil to shelf to symbol—who grows it, how it is nurtured, who benefits in the global marketplace, and its generational legacy. Speakers explore power and representation in the supply chain, connect craft and culture, and showcase pioneers who are restoring health and humanity to the world’s most ubiquitous fiber.