No secrets here. We asked Zhazgul, from the Art Group in Bishkek exactly how your Woolenstocks are made. “During the whole process – from the creation of the idea to the final product – we focus our attention on a functional design with real ecological value,” she says.
But how is it done? Here are Zhazgul’s seven steps to make perfect embroidered slippers.
- Buy 100% natural wool. We buy it locally here in Kyrgyzstan, where traditional sheep farming in the highlands goes back generations
- Card the fibres to disentangle and prepare the wool
- Dye the wool. We use aniline dyes which are harmless to health
- Add water and soap to turn the wool into felt sheets
- Cut the sheets to shape
- Decorate with embroidery. This is the fun part!
- Assemble and stitch the decorated pieces into one whole shoe
