Ronel Jordaan’s Felt Feels Fabulous…

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Africa, Art and Craft, craft, Felt, Felting, Fibre Art, Johannesburg, Jordaan, Ronel Jordaan, Social Responsibility, South Africa, Textile Design, Wool

Ronel Jordaan’s Wool Rock Pillows
(Image from here)

Can you imagine making these incredible lifelike AND seamless rock pillows from felt?

Ronel Jordaan is an internationally recognised award-winning felt artist who lives and works in Johannesburg, South Africa.

After 26 years as a textile designer, Jordaan began exploring the possibilities of using felt as a creative medium. Entirely self-taught and following her own creative instincts, she began to turn fine gossamer thread into robust felted forms. By patiently rubbing and coaxing threads of pure wool into shapes in nature, she found her direction and started a small home industry. She merely created her own product and went with it… That’s not so hard, is it?

All of Jordaan’s felt pieces are made with an eye to environmental and social responsibility. The wool is treated by hand, the soap used is biodegradable, the dyes are lead free, and the grey wastewater is used to grow a vegetable garden. Job creation is at the forefront of the company’s planning. At present, 40 previously unemployed women have been trained under Jordaan and are now felters of international standing. A small group of men in Sebokeng, outside Johannesburg are supplying her with wire sculptures which form the sculptural support for the exotic felted lamps.

Ronel Jordaan’s Wool Rock Pillows
(Image from here)

Ronel Jordaan’s Wool Rock Stones
(Image from here)

Jordaan’s felt cushions are completely hand-made, hand-dyed, hand-carded, made out of felt, and have no stitches. They are not several pieces of textile put together and made to look like a rock. It has a complete feel. The inners are a choice of polyester or 100% wool. All rocks can be treated for outdoor use.

Ronel Jordaan Felt Bedroom
(Image from here)

Ronel Jordaan Pebble Mat
(Image from here)

In Sydney, Emily Ziz has a comprehensive catalogue (available here) of the extensive Ronel Jordaan range. It’s amazing!