 | Felt OrnamentsTsagaan Shuvuut and Jargalant Khairkhan Mountains, Altai Republic |
This felt ornament is handmade in Mongolia by women in rural herding communities in the Altai Mountains. It is made of lamb’s wool, sheered using hand tools and coloured with natural dyes. The women use the traditional ‘wet-felting’ technique. Felt making is important in Mongolia, where nomadic tribes practice the ancient tradition of building unique felt dwellings, called Ger, which are still inhabited today.
Mongolian felt artisans designed these eco-friendly ornaments that can also be used as toys. They come in the shape of snow leopards, mice, horses, fish, snakes, birds and balls. The ornaments come from the Tsagaan Shuvuut and Jargalant Khairkhan Mountains. Land there is not privatized, allowing herders to follow their grazing livestock daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 3 000 – 4 000 metres. The herders share these mountains with snow leopards.
Processing technique
Once the sheered lamb’s wool is washed and dried in the sun, a small drum is used to card the wool to make it fluffy. Then the wool is dyed with onion peels, red turnips or other vegetal dyes that are usually employed in baking. Finally, the wool is flattened into sheets with water and household soap, cut into toy patterns and sewn together. The ornaments are ready to decorate Christmas trees and children’s bedrooms.
Producer
These traditional nomadic communities are dependent on their livestock for food and income. In the past, poverty often forced them to hunt snow leopards to prevent attacks on their herds. Now, these families are protecting the cats. The Snow Leopard Trust is helping families earn a living through their traditional wool-working skills. In exchange, herders protect snow leopards.
Further information
