BIRD HOUSE, COUNTRY CABIN, Fair Trade Wild Woolies - 1 birdhouse

$32.00
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SKU:
845964027133

Description

The original hand-felted birdhouse, with lively designs and the varied functionality as an outdoor birdhouse or for indoor décor. Can even be a piggy bank! As an outdoor birdhouse, it’s primarily designed for wren, a cavity nester common all over North America. Wren prefer to nest in a protected area such as under a porch or breezeway, so hang your Wild Woolies birdhouse in protected place and it will also be protected from the elements! Comes with an informative Wild Woolies hangtag. A fun and educational gift. Fair Trade exclusively designed by and made for dZi Handmade.  Size: 9"h x 6"w

Walking into the Kathmandu production center’s reception you are immediately greeted by a cheerful ‘Namaste’ (‘I Salute the God Within You’) with hands pressed together in a prayerful expression. Proceeding into any of the production halls you’ll be greeted by a complete chorus of the same as dozens of ladies press felt into a variety of shapes, while others stitch, needle and applique to finish hundreds of different styles of decorative items for export.

Sheep’s wool is an amazingly adaptable fiber. It can be dyed any color and when hand felted using warm mildly soapy water it can be molded into any shape, or then cut and sewn together as per your imagination. Because the felting and most of the stitching process is all done by hand with natural materials that can be sustainably harvested, hand felted products have a relatively soft impact on the environment. Commercial exports of felted products from Nepal have grown exponentially since around 2000, benefitting thousands of mostly women workers, production managers and family businesses who help support their families and educate their children with their earnings.

DO BIRDS REALLY GO INSIDE?  YES! Small birds such as wrens, nuthatches and chickadees use them as a safe place to nest and rest. Birds such as titmice may also pull parts of the body to take the wool to add to their nests.

HOW LONG WILL IT LAST OUTSIDE?  If hung in a protected outdoor area, such as under a porch roof, our birdhouses will last for years and years. If placed in direct sun, colors will begin to gently fade over 2-3 months, but they will retain their shape for more than a year in fully exposed weather. Of course, it will last indefinitely indoors!

WHAT ABOUT RAIN OR SNOW?  Wild Woolies Birdhouses are made of water-repellent sheep’s wool. Moisture from rain or snow will wick through the felt and around the nest. Once the rain stops, the birdhouse will air-dry since wool naturally breathes. Also, wool is thermal; cool in summer and warm in winter!

HOW DO I CLEAN IT OUT?  It’s easy to remove old twigs and nesting materials from the handy clean-out hole in the base or through the entry hole. If the outside becomes soiled, a good brushing is usually all that’s needed. If it becomes stained, work the spot with water and mild soap, then rinse and air dry. Do not put into a washing machine or dryer.

ARE THE MATERIALS 'SUSTAINABLE'?  Our birdhouses are made with sustainably-harvested materials including natural sheep’s wool, a crocheted jute hanging cord and a hand-carved bamboo perch. All work is done by hand.