Waters of Faroe Island
Linda Egtved Olesen and Silke Foged, Denmark
Gallery.
Linda Egtved Olesen and Silke Foged, Denmark
Gallery.
Linda Egtved Olesen and Silke Foged in collaboration with Gu∂run & Gu∂run
This is project is a collaboration between the Faroese knitwear company Gudrun & Gudrun and two students from Kolding Design school, Linda Egtved Olesen and Silke Foged. Together with Gudrun & Gudrun, Linda and Silke decided to make a small accessory line consisting of a pair of sneakers, a pair of sandals, a tote bag and small wallet.
“We wanted to work with sustainability especially zero waste and local production”
The aim of Linda and Silke is to create a sustainable collection of accessories by extending the life of used fishing nets along with other waste from the fishing industry on the Faroe Islands. Since the fishing industry in the Faroe Islands makes up over 90% of the Faroese exports, it is natural and important to improve sustainability there.
Used fishing nets are normally burned after use; discarded fish skins usually are thrown out. However, the materials for this project are salvaged from here, from Faroese fishing industry. These used-to-be waste, are now turned into sustainable leather for the collection.
For the shoes, Linda and Silke only used recycled polyester for knitting and natural rubber for the soles and as glue. Both shoes are modular by concept, which means they’re easy to disassemble and therefore easier to recycle.
For the bags, the only application they did was to put in a Natulon zipper from YKK which is made from recycled polyester sewn on by recycled polyester thread. Linda and Silke heated the material to melt it onto itself, thereby avoiding using any extra materials and keeping the number of stitching to a minimum.
The collection Linda and Silke designed is not only sustainable and functional, but also aesthetic for everyday life. During a trip to Faroe Islands arranged by Gudrun & Gudrun, they were inspired by the culture and nature of the country. This collection is suitable for different occasions. They can be worn on the streets as well as in the nature of the Faroe Islands, while generating zero waste and only leaving green footsteps on our planet.
Waste is no longer waster until you find a purpose for it. The final collection doubles the life span of waste and bi-products by making beautiful designs out of them, making the earth a greener place.
Collaborating with Gudrun & Gudrun has been an amazing experience. Working towards the same goals and objectives, even for a short while showed Linda and Silke the strengths and possibilities that the Faroe Islands have to offer.
Guðrun & Guðrun is a knitwear company specialized in hand-knit. The company was founded in 2002 by two faroese women and the creative process of design is very closely linked to the isolation of the place. “It’s good to come to Europe for input and inspiration, but it’s crucial to come back home to the silence and not be disturbed by the hectic life of fashion” the designer concludes.
Our vision is to make a difference. Which is very simple and yet very ambitious. We want to make clothes that meet the standards of conscious customers that do care about each other, the environment, our common natural resources and that yet want to be stylish…
The hand-knitted collections are made in the homes of women’s knitters on the Faroe islands and in Jordan and Peru as part of our women’s empowerment projects.