(Re)Valuing Local Sheep Wool in the Czech and Slovak Republic: Some Examples of the Border between Arts and Crafts

This paper explores the devaluation and recent revitalization efforts of local sheep wool in the Czech and Slovak Republic, where wool has become a waste due to economic and structural changes in the agricultural and textile sector especially after 1992. Through an interdisciplinary and (post)qualit...

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Main Author: Špinková Tereza
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2025-06-01
Series:European Countryside
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2025-0016
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author Špinková Tereza
author_facet Špinková Tereza
author_sort Špinková Tereza
collection DOAJ
description This paper explores the devaluation and recent revitalization efforts of local sheep wool in the Czech and Slovak Republic, where wool has become a waste due to economic and structural changes in the agricultural and textile sector especially after 1992. Through an interdisciplinary and (post)qualitative approach combining interviews, observation, and theoretical insights from posthumanism, ecofeminism and Actor-Network Theory the study analyzes initiatives that bridge eco sheep farming with arts and crafts. Through three case studies – the Kubák Weaving mill, the multispecies art practice of Kateřina Žák Konvalinová, and the Slovak initiative Naša Vlna – the article analyzes how human, and nonhuman actors collaborate to build alternative wool communities, economies and values. The research examines wool’s potential as a transformative material within ecological, social, and cultural contexts. This study aims to uncover strategies that are still in the infancy, but they reestablish wool’s value in sustainable production chains, promote community building, and foster innovative practices.
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series European Countryside
spelling doaj-art-b91a7fa912a743e5b5c3db5e532a9cd22025-07-07T06:03:12ZengSciendoEuropean Countryside1803-84172025-06-0117228930510.2478/euco-2025-0016(Re)Valuing Local Sheep Wool in the Czech and Slovak Republic: Some Examples of the Border between Arts and CraftsŠpinková Tereza0Student, Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University in Brno, CzechiaThis paper explores the devaluation and recent revitalization efforts of local sheep wool in the Czech and Slovak Republic, where wool has become a waste due to economic and structural changes in the agricultural and textile sector especially after 1992. Through an interdisciplinary and (post)qualitative approach combining interviews, observation, and theoretical insights from posthumanism, ecofeminism and Actor-Network Theory the study analyzes initiatives that bridge eco sheep farming with arts and crafts. Through three case studies – the Kubák Weaving mill, the multispecies art practice of Kateřina Žák Konvalinová, and the Slovak initiative Naša Vlna – the article analyzes how human, and nonhuman actors collaborate to build alternative wool communities, economies and values. The research examines wool’s potential as a transformative material within ecological, social, and cultural contexts. This study aims to uncover strategies that are still in the infancy, but they reestablish wool’s value in sustainable production chains, promote community building, and foster innovative practices.https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2025-0016czech and slovak sheep woolartcraftvalue chainposthumanismcommunity economymultispecies agency
spellingShingle Špinková Tereza
(Re)Valuing Local Sheep Wool in the Czech and Slovak Republic: Some Examples of the Border between Arts and Crafts
European Countryside
czech and slovak sheep wool
art
craft
value chain
posthumanism
community economy
multispecies agency
title (Re)Valuing Local Sheep Wool in the Czech and Slovak Republic: Some Examples of the Border between Arts and Crafts
title_full (Re)Valuing Local Sheep Wool in the Czech and Slovak Republic: Some Examples of the Border between Arts and Crafts
title_fullStr (Re)Valuing Local Sheep Wool in the Czech and Slovak Republic: Some Examples of the Border between Arts and Crafts
title_full_unstemmed (Re)Valuing Local Sheep Wool in the Czech and Slovak Republic: Some Examples of the Border between Arts and Crafts
title_short (Re)Valuing Local Sheep Wool in the Czech and Slovak Republic: Some Examples of the Border between Arts and Crafts
title_sort re valuing local sheep wool in the czech and slovak republic some examples of the border between arts and crafts
topic czech and slovak sheep wool
art
craft
value chain
posthumanism
community economy
multispecies agency
url https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2025-0016
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