Process

The Landscapes are made by hand using a traditional craft process and are each unique. They are made from the shorn wool of very rare breeds of sheep that are maintained by a small group of shepherds. Only natural ingredients such as water, olive soap, salt and vinegar are used during the felting process.

The rugs are therefore 100% human and animal friendly.

The sheep I work with are distinguished by their special long locks, natural tones and texture.

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Felting

Felting is one of the oldest processing of wool. By rubbing the wool with hot water and soap, the wool fibers interlock and shrink and a very sturdy textile is created: the felt.

A lot of felt is made with carded wool: the wool is turned by a card mill (or machine) and comes out in long strips. It is also often further processed in advance by washing and painting.

I choose to work with the uncarded, rough sheared wool, straight from the sheep, in order to preserve the texture and character of the wool as much as possible in its origin. Because I use the wool in its rawest form, the felting process is a very labor-intensive and physical challenge. Carded, preprocessed clean wool can be processed faster and lighter, but only the raw wool gives me the texture and unique signature that I am looking for for my Landscapes.

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History

In previous centuries sheep have made an important contribution to the improvement of agricultural land. During the day the flock roamed the moor with the shepherd and at night the sheep were shut up in the sheepfold. The manure collected in the cage was mixed with heather layers and the field was fertilized with it. At that time, arable farming was practically impossible without sheep manure. Many varieties have almost disappeared with the advent of fertilizers.

 

Properties of wool 

Wool is a beautiful natural product with very good properties: It is fire-resistant, insulating, water-resistant, dirt-resistant and elastic.

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Maintenance advice

• Treat a wool coat as you would a delicate wool sweater.

• Every wool rug gives fluff, a felted rug is a natural product and gives hair. Depending on the type, this can be more or less.

• Sheep spread seeds through their fur. You will continue to find seeds and straws in every coat to a greater or lesser extent.

• Regular shaking or tapping removes loose dirt and loose hair and gives air and volume to the rug.

• For stains, use some salt and lukewarm water and then blot the moisture as much as possible and let it dry further over a line or rack. Don't      rub!

• Do not use warm water and soap; the wool will become extra felt and will show flat and fluffy spots.

• To neutralize odours, use a little white vinegar. Dilute in warm water and spray over the rug. Let it dry well.

• Protect your rug by taking adequate moth-resistant measures!

• Tips: Vacuum and / or tap regularly. Pinning moth paper to the bottom or back of the rug also has a preventive effect.

• For people with dust mite allergy I recommend Sanamedi anti-dust mite Spray.

https://www.allergiezorg.nl/neemboom-spray-1000-ml-inclusief-verstuiver 2 x spraying at an interval of 4 weeks and then no longer necessary for a year.

• A wool rug is naturally dirt and water-repellent. If you still want to thoroughly clean your rug, use a steam cleaner that is suitable for clothing, floors and windows.You can clean both the front and back of the rug with the steam cleaner. Let it dry well.