Description
Fotos @ Èriu
ÉRIU
„Unsere charakteristische Mischung aus 100 % reiner irischer Wolle stammt direkt von unserem eigenen Hof und aus dem ausgewählten Fair-Trade-Netzwerk von Landwirten, das wir in ganz Irland aufgebaut haben.
Unsere einzigartige Mischung besteht aus einem bestimmten Verhältnis von Romney-Lammwolle und Blue Face Leicester, wodurch sie unglaublich weich und dennoch strapazierfähig ist. Sie hat einen wunderschönen Glanz und fällt wunderschön.“
Die Elements Kollektion besteht aus vier Farbpaletten – Luft, Wasser, Feuer und Erde – die einzeln oder kombiniert die natürliche Synergie der irischen Landschaft widerspiegeln. Jede Palette ist von einem bestimmten irischen Ort inspiriert, dan dem das jeweilige Element am kraftvollsten wirkt. Die Farbnamen schöpfen aus Irlands mythischer Welt und erwecken deren Zauber zum Leben.
The Blufaced Leicester and Romney Lamwolle yarn combines softhiet with elasticity. Comb yarn spuns, in DK strength it is iedeal for comfortable and craftsmanship demanding garments.
MATERIAL
100% Irish Wool (Bluefaced Leicester & Romney Lambsool)
100 grams about 233 meters
Needle size 4
Gauge 22 stitches x 30 rows = 10 x 10 cm
The Wool of ÉRIU
We work exclusively with farmers who share our philosophy of sustainability and a high animal welfare standard. Since we procure our wool directly and personally from the farms, we can see first hand with how much care and attention the land and the animals are cared for.
By working with these farmers, we learn more about how to rediscover our traditional appreciation of wool and build up our own herd of two distinct breeds on our farm in County Wicklow: Romney and Blue-Face Leicester.
Irish sheep farmers have faced seemingly insurmountable challenges in recent decades: the nationwide decline in the value of our wool, coupled with global economic developments, resulted in the cost of shearing a sheep being higher than the proceeds from the sale of the wool. We are now building a Fair Trade network of suppliers and guaranteeing a fixed and fair price for the selected breeds we use.
DER WEG VOM HOF ZUM GARN
We personally select each fleece on our farm and in our network of family-run farms and provide incentives to farmers through fair pay to revive the declining Irish wool industry.
Our wool is transported to Donegal Yarns for our wool mix and to the UK for our comb yarn mix, which is softer spun.
This year, we are setting up our own comb yarn spinning mill at Érius Hof, our headquarters and home, creating a narrower and even more circular supply chain.
ÉRIUS SPINNEREI
We work with Donegal Yarns who mix and spin our yarn. Chris and his team are real advocates of sustainability and small grassroots projects like ours. Their talent and knowledge, as well as his support and advice, were crucial along the way.
SUSTAINABILITY IN ÈRIU
Sustainability and cooperation are the vision and foundation of our company. We value every human and animal with whom we work and place great emphasis on respecting these relationships as much as our country.
We learn that sustainability is a long way and not a solution overnight. We can only change things step by step, but we are convinced that by working with like-minded people and companies, we can move faster and contribute to sustainability together.
How it all started telling Zoe:
Our story began – like so many stories – with my grandmother Kitsy. She has been knitting all her life. It was her art, her craft, her soul. For her, knitting was something practical, useful, but I suspect it was also an expression of love.
When my daughter was born – on Kitsy’s birthday, as it happened – she knitted a blanket for her. A baby blanket. She was perfect. Soft, breathable, soothing. I loved her. My daughter loved her.
Kitsy’s beloved blanket became a part of me, of my baby. A source of warmth, security, home. I still have it... And this little blanket got me thinking...
Our precious blanket was 100% merino wool. Soft, silky. All the way from New Zealand or China or any other far away place. Surely – I thought – there must be an Irish counterpart, here in the home of the Aran sweater, the famous “Bawneen Gansey”?
But as I studied all this, I found that Irish wool was considered too gross, even worthless, and is mostly exported all over the world to be used for carpets and other things. That seemed like a waste. A disgrace...
Then I discovered a new community: small, sustainable farmers who are committed to reviving our wool traditions and artisanal heritage. New breeds of sheep, new wool mixes, new ways to revive old skills.
I met Lionel Mackey, a farmer from Wicklow, who understood both the realities of sheep farming and the demands of the economy. Together we founded Ériu – named after the protector goddess of Ireland, the queen of fertility, sovereignty and abundance. We wanted to create a thoroughly sustainable process for the production of Irish wool blankets, in which we source the wool directly from farmers and involve local textile craftsmen. “Farm to Yarn” has become our mantra. For our hope. Even to our slogan.
Afterwards we recited our dream to Chris Weiniger from the famous company “Donegal Yarns”. Chris shares our passion and enabled us to develop our unique yarn.
Then I met the two Annes – Anne Byrne and Anne O’Brien – who have been working with natural fibres for a long time. They helped redesign the original Kitsy ceiling using this new Irish mix. They have lovingly crafted each piece on their own knitting machines at home by hand and make each blanket unique. Persönlich. A single piece.
We are now working with an inspiring network of farmers across Ireland. We source selected varieties of wool and also breed our own rare sheep herd on Lionel’s home farm. Hopefully we can continue to grow the industry and bring Irish wool back to being appreciated and celebrated, just as our ancestors did.
