A cheeky little nubbly-textured 100% wool felt cushion
I’ve been cooking up a new range of cushions using softly textured, hand dyed 100% wool felt, and they got a warm reception from homewares boutiques and design-led stores alike at the recent LifeInStyle tradeshow.
The cushions have an appealing, nubbly surface texture and well stuffed interiors for total comfort and joy. The cushion inserts are made from 100% recycled PET bottles, so you are saving the planet whilst lounging. Marvellous multi-tasking.
Why 100% wool?
There are cheaper synthetic felts which are widely available, but their carbon footprint is alarming when compared to natural fibres, and the dyes used are full of nasty chemicals. But it is the look and feel of 100% wool that made up my mind. Synthetic wools just don’t feel right. They have a slippery, non-breathable character that isn’t conducive to snuggling up to. Wool is also more hard wearing. The synthetic types just can’t cut it after a while – they produce pills – little balls of fluff that congregate all over the surface and end up looking ragged. And any fibre that can naturally repell dirt, thereby requiring less cleaning, is a favourite of mine. Clever, clever little sheepies.
Why hand-dyed?
The hand-dying process produces a subtle variation in texture and colour that isn’t achievable in factory produced fabric. The hand-dyed felt has a character and depth that is both tactile and visually appealing. It also means I can use non-toxic food-safe dyes, a good alternative to industrial processes with nasty side-effects. If the dye is safe enough to use for icing kid’s birthday cakes, its definitely nice and safe to lay your head on. (It’s also lots of fun standing over a boiling cauldron, pulling freshly minted colours from the richly coloured potion).
Why use recycled cushion inserts?
PET bottles are uniquely suited to a second life as cushion stuffing, as they produce a soft but hardwearing stuffing. They function better whilst also using less resources than newly manufactured synthetic fibres in typical cushion inserts. Win win. Each 35cm square cushion saves about 9 plastic bottles from landfill.
The pillows will be added to www.bowerandbeyond.com in the next month, and are available for wholesale orders now (the wholesale order list is available – just drop me a line at info@bowerandbeyond.com).
designRomp 