Tapetos, the artisan tradition of weaving meets contemporary design

Sardinia holds the long-lasting tradition of weaving. A story made up by strong know-how, deep roots and identity. Since ancient times, one of the renown places for this art is the small village of Samugheo, taking place in between the Mandrolisai hills, pretty close to Oristano. A sector predominantly run by women. Regardless of social status or position, every girl, since her childhood, was due to learn how to weave. This skill was usually acquired from her mother, and it is thanks to all these relationships that traditional motifs and ancient techniques got preserved until today.
 

Two main ingredients contribute to make the final products so special: the slow, accurate handmade manufacturing process, and the finest quality of the materials applied, to begin with linen and wool, the latter still largely steaming from home-made production. The whole process of weaving brings back memories to an ancient ritual, composed by a slow sequence of stages that start with the wool washing to conclude at the loom. A particularly intense phase is the dyeing of the wool: in the past, the dye was extracted from natural elements such as barks or roots of certain plants. After boiling into deep water, the wool assume the same colours: dark green, black and deep red, the prevalent ones. The same colours still reflect into the traditional dress of locals. Motifs and decorations respect the original schemes, including elements from natural and animal worlds, as well as geometric decorations along the edges.

Since the late Sixties onwards, the economy of small rural centres in Sardinia started to open up progressively: in Samugheo this trend turned into an evolution of the weaving sector and a new conception of its potential: switching from the domestic use only to wider market perspectives. If the first artisan cooperative dates back to 1965, today there are many operating in the same sector, some of which has been experimenting new business models: one of those is the enterprise of Maria Antonia Urru, who is cooperating with the high-profile designer Carolina Melis. The result of this combination is a collection of products under the brand Mio Karo, whose aim is to promote fine rugs and wall hangings inspired by traditional motifs and techniques hand made in Sardinia the at the international level. 
 

[Photocredit: Dario Sequi]