Description
PUMPKIN SHAPED BIRDHOUSE. Hand-Felted and Fair Trade
- If hung in a protected are outdoors (such as under a roof), these birdhouses will last for years. If placed in direct sun, colors will begin to fade over 2-3 months, but they will retain their shape for more than a year in fully exposed weather.
- Made of naturally water-repellent sheeps wool, moisture from rain or snow will wick through the felt and around the nest, and will air-dry since wool naturally breathes. Also, wool is thermal; cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Do not put in washing machine or dryer. If cleaning is needed, spot clean with water and mild soap, then rinse and air dry. - Made with sustainable-harvested materials including natural sheep's wool, a crocheted jute hanging cords and a hand-carved bamboo perch, all work is done by hand by artisans in Kathmandu, Nepal, who are paid a fair wage and work in a clean, safe and environmentally responsbile workplace that meets international social compliance standards.
- Your purchase supports artisans in marginalized communities, most of whom are women, and empowers them to earn a sustainable living through Fair Trade. Fair Trade is so much more than a product assortment. It's about safe workplaces, fair wages and community investment for factory employees. Fair trade aims to combat this widespread poverty by providing opportunity for economically disadvantaged producers.
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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.
