Wolwaeren Handmade TX
Handmade by people with mental or physical disabilities.
Sheep shearing often costs more than the revenue from the wool. For Dutch farmers, sheep wool was a by-product. And that’s what intrigued social entrepreneur Roland Pieter Smit to search for new possibilities for this wool. Looking for local techniques and work force to initiate a chain supply system, he joined the „Maartenhuis”, a social work community for people with disabilities on the island of Texel. He discovered that everyone in the community has their own talent: people with autism work very sophisticated and re ned with thin threads. People with Down syndrome are more in skilled with thick threads, because they enjoy fast results. Fascinated by their unique personal skills, Roland recognised the potential in each member of the community. That’s why his next step was to develop yarns that were the best match for the various disabilities. This produced a subsequent challenge: ordinary looms couldn’t process Roland’s yarns. The practically minded Roland developed his own weaving frames in which he enlarged and simplified the weaving process, also stimulating social interaction of its creators. The result is a beautiful series of woolen blankets and rugs with a recognisable authentic look, each with the unique ‘signature’ of the creator.
