Aika Felt Works Blog

Thursday, September 5, 2013

New blog of Aika Felt Works

Hello people!
Aika Felt Works Blog in English is moving to a new place: come here to see new posts!

I will keep this blog open, but new posts will be in the new blog.
See you there, I'm posting a lot of pictures!
www.aikafeltworks.com/blog

Friday, May 31, 2013

WINNO project, possibility to utilize Northern wool

Recently I had a meeting with Ms. Heli Tuovinen, Project Manager of WINNO project in the University of Lapland, Faculty of Art and Design.

The woollen Innovations (WINNO 2012- 2013) - project studies the use of the Northern sheep's wool and felted woolen material and the qualities of the materials to promote well-being.

I had a meeting several years ago with her when they were carrying the previous project called HOIVI, where they were researching if wool felt could relieve pain of sufferers from rheumatism.

I was most interested in hearing their result of the research. They designed some kinds of thermal cape by wool felt, which were worn directly on sufferers' shoulders.

They didn't make scientific examination using numerical value, but they got feedback of users that showed the good effect of relieving pain by wearing wool felt.

There are inconsistent opinions if it should be cooled or warmed to relieve the pain of rheumatism. In Japan, it is said that soaking in a hot spring has good effect for rheumatism, and I hope that wool's high thermal ability works the same.

They also found that wool felt was not itchy wearing directly on their shoulders, although normally wool products like knitted sweater is itchy.

I'm wondering - if I make a felting kit of shoulder warmer? Grandchild making a shoulder warmer for her grandma who suffers from rheumatism - hopefully their hearts will be warmer then :)

These are wool felt textiles that they are developing in the current project: