Tèssere is a continuous opportunity for networking and socialization. Every day, we try to add to this road we are creating. We would like to become a brand for products, and a new way of thinking about work, a way to respect people, and the enhancement of their capacity and specialty: a new way of experiencing the environment.
Tèssere is a big team of more then 10 women with different background and experiences: weavers, tailors, designers, a kind of “supporter” and a coordinator for each workshop.
Tèssere included two different artisan workshops where the textile turns through a traditional weaving technique called “de sa trama’e manta“. This technique allows the re-use of discarded textile or clothing and creates new styles or strips that become the weave in the loom that joins the woven of wool or cotton creating unique and very original artifacts.
Some years ago I had the idea to start the project Tèssere. It began when I looked more carefully at an ancient artifact made with the traditional technique “de sa trama’e manta”. I thought that this product possessed an extraordinary value and it was a perfect combination of creativity and technology, history and culture of our communities. That object contained in itself another fundamental element: the recovery of what would end up in landfill. I thought that all these matters can be synthesized and linked with the social dimension of the work that would restore dignity to women and improve their quality of life. Because I dealt with social issues for years, it was natural for me to combine all these elements into a single project, so I cherished this dream for a few years until a competition announcement of the “Fondazione con il sud” allowed us to implement the project which was ultimately selected for a national competition that began December 2013. The project consisted of two workshops about thirty kilometers away from each other, in two different villages. 4 communities are involved as well as two social cooperatives, a cultural association, a society of environmental design and the Caritas all coming together for one goal: to create jobs in a new way, sustainable, with roots in the history and culture of their own land keeping an eye on the present and the future.
We are in Sardinia, in the smallest province of Italy, Ogliastra. It is an ancient land of great culture and extraordinary nature, but marked by deep economic crisis. We preferred to act, rather than feeling sorry for ourselves. We preferred to design and share ideas and dreams, rather than complain about the lack of jobs.
Tèssere is a challenge. We often repeat that with determination and courage we can overcome even the most difficult challenges. In this first years of work many beautiful things have happened: we have seen the generosity of people who donated clothes and fabrics destined to be thrown away; wasted fabric becoming transformed, contributing significantly in reducing pollution and last but not least, watching Tèssere enter the market force with quality artisan products, recognizably beautiful. We have also seen the windows of other shops with our products, our bags carried around with the natural elegance of women, new relationships blooming with other organizations, individuals, and designers, the large amount of brand new clothes donated to the Caritas for families in need; the smile and the satisfaction of women who have found jobs through us, and are still employed.
Tèssere is this and much more.
Because every day it opens a new window for us, new connections develop for our small company.
Tèssere is a continuous opportunity for networking and socialization. Every day, we try to add to this road we are creating. We would like to become a brand for products, and a new way of thinking about work, a way to respect people, and the enhancement of their capacity and specialty: a new way of experiencing the environment.
Have a look here!