Wool - the super material
Wool is one of the oldest materials used for clothing. The thick tent-like woolen coats of the shepherds, who spent more time outdoors than indoors in those days, provide protection from many influences. Wool warms, envelops and also creates a cozy feeling in the interior. Wool makes my rugs more than an object. It is known that sheep’s wool warms, but in addition it absorbs and releases moisture from the air, so it pleasantly regulates the air in the room. Noise is also muffled, as the wool has a sound-absorbing effect. This is especially true for my carpets, as they can be up to 35 mm thick.
The special structure of the wool fiber and the lanolin (wool grease), which the sheep give, makes it dirt-repellent, which is very favorable for furnishing textiles.
Sustainable & Regional
Many of my works are made of natural, undyed sheep’s wool. The wide spectrum of natural wool colors inspires me again and again.
The advantage is that this wool does not need to be bleached and dyed. In this way, some production steps can be omitted and the wool remains compostable in the end. To keep the transport distances short, I try to use wool from the region and from Germany. But it can also happen that I process wool from Holland or Scandinavia, the neighboring countries.
In my opinion, this distance is justifiable in terms of transport routes, since sheep’s wool, which is mainly purchased for clothing, usually comes almost exclusively from New Zealand, Australia and South America. In collaboration with a wool combing mill in Wendland, I am working to make my products more and more regional.
My goal is to be able to visit all the sheep whose wool I process! In addition, old sheep breeds that are on the red list are also kept in the Wendland. These are mostly wool sheep, which bear very beautiful wool. So far I process the Pomeranian Landschaf, Skudde, Coburger Fuchs and Moorschnucke from it.
Unfortunately, still a lot of wool is disposed of, because there are not enough buyers or the effort is often not worth it for the holders. I’m working on getting more wool processed! I also have scraps left over from my production processed into small wool pellets at the Wendland combing plant. These get a second life as pillow fillings in my inlays. This keeps everything in the cycle.
The felt
Depending on the breed of sheep, the wool differs in structure, softness and felting properties. Not every wool is suitable for felt, and therefore must be carefully selected. The individual sheep wool fibers have small barbs. When soap, warm water and pressure are added, they interlock. Thus, a stable mesh is formed, which is called felt.
I use this felting technique to make a sturdy felt for my pillows and blankets. The wool is felted with biodegradable soap by hand and in the washing machine. This also makes my pillows and blankets washable in the washing machine.
Animal Welfare
For my products, in addition to the whole process to the product, the sheep are very important to me. I was able to get to know some of the sheep whose wool I process. That’s the ideal situation for me, and of course it doesn’t always work out. I pay attention to where my wool comes from and that everything I process is mulesing free.
Dyeing technique
I dye individual pieces in my collection with vegetable dye or acid dyes (vinegar based) according to customer’s request.
I also like to work with indigo, because this natural dye has a high light fastness. This UV resistance of my products is important to me because my carpets have a long life, whether on the wall or floor.
The colors I work with should not change too much over the years, if possible.
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