That's why you should buy a unique, hand-sewn, sustainably produced cushion cover in linen for SEK 950 from Madeleine Wideland Designs.
In this post, I will develop the idea of why you should spend 950 SEK to buy a unique, hand-sewn, linen pillowcase instead of a cheap mass-produced one.
I know you're not allowed to say that summer is coming to an end but maybe it's just as well to take the bull by the horns and say it out loud?
Summer and summer, by the way..where I am, the summer has been weird weather-wise and it's just a matter of realizing that climate change is here to stay. I am very grateful that I personally have not been more severely affected than that there have been no baths or sunbathing for my part. Many people have had their houses and homes destroyed and I really suffer with them. In addition to this, we have a recession that hits hard on those who are already having a hard time and we have probably all started to hold tighter to our wallets. I clearly notice this in my own business, which is based on the fact that there are sales.
On May 1 this year, my colleague and best friend Anna and I opened our joint Boutique & Textile Studio at Torekällberget in Södertälje.
We are very happy about that and since we also have our studio in the same premises, everything becomes much easier to overview. Here we offer our own textile products with our brands Madeleine Wideland Designs and Lilla Anna Design. We sew and talk, sometimes in reverse order. Planning for the future and how we can best use our knowledge together.
With hindsight, we can state that Torekällberget had a great season with over 18,000 visitors, while our store had a fairly steady stream of visitors during the holiday period but was otherwise very quiet. Sales have been..sparse…
What this is due to, we can analyze as much as we like, but at a guess it is a combination of the visitors largely consisting of families with children, the poor economy and our range. It is also certain that we are brand new as a physical store and that people do not know that we are here.
This is worth thinking about.
My passion and the idea behind Madeleine Wideland Designs is to create designs and manufacture textiles that are genuine craftsmanship and with a manufacturing that does not contribute to the destruction of nature or at any stage involves poor working conditions or child labour.
You can read about how our process looks in more detail here .
In practice, this means that my fabrics and products - cushion covers, kitchen towels, tablecloths, etc. - have a higher price than similar products from larger chains.
A hand-sewn cushion cover in 100% linen costs SEK 950 at my place, a kitchen towel costs SEK 280 and a table runner SEK 450.
Although these are not exorbitant prices - of course there are interior design products that cost much more - you may need to think a little before making a purchase.
And that's exactly what I want you to do - think.
The textile industry is dirty and many parts of the process often leave much to be desired. To be sustainable, as a creator, I have to be careful, careful and patient. There are still things to improve, there always are, but I can guarantee you as a customer that no one was hurt and that no harmful substances are used in the production of the textile.
This is what you pay for.
The knowledge that I and those of us who work with my business do everything to enable you to trade with a clear conscience. You should feel that the pillow you rest your back against has a pillow case with a design that comes from my heart, with hours of detail work before it is finished. You should know that those who printed the pattern on the fabric are adult professionals whom I know personally and who guarantee a sustainable printing process. You should see and feel that the seams are sewn by me, in my studio, and that the particular pillow you have is unique. There's only one of it and it's yours!
If we together decide to think and be careful in our choices, we have at least done something to ensure that the situation on our common earth does not get worse.
Actively choosing slow production and sustainable craftsmanship also contributes to maintaining knowledge and traditions that we soon see being lost otherwise. Not everything gets better with the help of AI and fast processes. I myself am weak for YOU, natural intelligence. The one that allows you and I to think independently in several ways, put ourselves in imagined situations and make conscious choices.
A very fun thing that I am busy working on, is a brand new collection of wallpapers!
A couple of years ago, I had some rugs produced with a hand-painted pattern that I brought to an exhibition. That's when I found Kullastintan in Dalarna, who helped me get a wallpaper that was exactly what I wanted. Now the time is ripe for a collaboration and I am working on a number of hand-painted motifs and patterns that will be included in the collection. I have felt that I want to develop my hand painting and it works as well as wallpaper!
The idea is also to produce textiles that complement the wallpapers. Both wallpaper and textiles will only be manufactured after ordering, which then further contributes to the sustainability concept. No inventory that costs and takes up space and no waste because we manufacture exactly the quantity that is needed.
My dream is to offer entire concepts with everything from interior design tips to customized color palettes and then wallpaper, textiles and maybe even wall decorations in the form of paintings and prints. But one step at a time. It is also important to be sustainable with yourself.
Until next time,
If you want to know more about what's happening in the store, on the web and in life and to receive some special stuff from me to you, you can entrust me with your email address. I will not bombard you with emails about everything, but only when I have something new and fun to tell you about. You can sign up directly on the website, in a pop-up form or scroll to the bottom of the page. Or send me an email at info@madeleinewideland.com