Acorns felt

Naturally designed and handsomely draped on oak leaves, these acorns, unlike their natural counterparts, enjoy the not-to-be-underestimated advantage that they will neither wilt nor shrivel. Hand-felted from pure New Zealand virgin wool, they will contribute atmospherically over several seasons to the autumnal decoration of their homes.

And this has more than just tradition - the European culture is simply not imaginable without the oak. As it were, from the very beginning, this mighty tree was revered, not only in autumn, when it bears its acorns. The ancient Greeks saw in the oak the tree of their chief god Zeus. There was even the oak oracle of Dodona, in which the priests walked forebodingly among the trees and interpreted the rustling of the leaves into divinations. The ancient Germanic tribes dedicated the oak to their thunder god (Donar or Thor), the Celts to their sky god Taranis. Less mythical but more pragmatic, farmers drove their pigs to fatten up in the oak woods in autumn, where the animals could gorge themselves on the nutritious acorns. Today, the oak may no longer symbolize a deity, but still stands for eternity, and so the tree, acorns and oak leaves not only adorn coins and coats of arms, but are an indispensable decoration in the autumn decoration of human dwellings.

During her backpacking tour through Nepal, the Dane Gry Staunstrup got to know the astonishing openness and warmth of the country’s inhabitants, and their craftsmanship bedazzled her. She was able to observe in detail how adeptly and skilfully Nepalese women felted wool into a wide variety of objects. Staunstrup felt it was time to make something good out of the untapped potential, and an idea was born: to combine Nepalese handicrafts with Danish design. And the idea was immediately followed by action.

The company Gry & Sif started producing a variety of products made of wool felt in Nepal in 2000. The designs created by Gry Staunstrup are as remarkable as they are understated and, characteristic of Danish design, at the same time fresh and merry. Nepalese women turn them into products employing traditional handicrafts. Fair Trade certified by now, Gry & Sif stands for fair wages and working conditions, environmentally conscious production and transparency. The company exclusively sources pure new wool from New Zealand sheep for the felting; each of the resulting products is handmade and unique.

This product is an example of genuine handicraft; therefore, minor deviations in size and colour may occur.