The world of fabrics

This summer, a wisp of history blew over textile manufacturer Danish Art Weaving (DAW) in Tylstrup. A very particular commission put the fabric producer in connection with the historical assembly that almost 200 years ago authored Norway’s first free constitution.
 
“Of course it is very exciting to be able to contribute to such a historical project”, says DAW director Kurt Johansen.
 
The project he is referring to is the renovation of the so-called Eidsvoll Building north of Norwegian capital Oslo. This is where 112 Norwegians met in April 1814 after the Danish king Frederic VI was forced to relinquish Norway to his Swedish archrival. After some five weeks, the assembly adopted a constitution and elected a Norwegian king. Norway thus became a sovereign state and has celebrated its national day on 17 May ever since.
 
Today, the Eidsvoll Building is one of Norway’s most important national landmarks. Previously a private residence, the stately white building has been owned by the Norwegian state since 1851 and functions as a museum.
 
In connection with the 200^th anniversary of the Norwegian constitution, the government has commissioned a thorough renovation of the famous building. The plan is to restore it to the exact way it appeared in 1814. This means that only specific materials, colours and work methods may be applied and only after having been approved by historians and conservators.
 
This is where DAW enters the stage. A number of rooms in the Eidsvoll Building are to be equipped with carpet, and the Norwegian conservators were searching for a textile with a structure and texture resembling the so-called gaol carpets of the 1800’s. Hence, they contacted DAW.
 
“In our product range we have a rather heavy furniture fabric that we call horsecloth. We sent that to Norway so the conservators could examine it and try to walk on it. After a while they reported back that the quality lived up to their requirements”, says Kurt Johansen.
 
Later followed a more detailed dialogue about colours and design. The conservators needed two different carpets – one in gray mélange and one with gray and green stripes – both woven out of special yarns. Shortly before the summer holiday both qualities were shipped off to Norway and are now waiting to be installed in the newly renovated rooms of the Eidsvoll Building.
 
At DAW, the commission is seen as an appreciation of their specialist knowledge of furniture fabrics and textiles.
 
“We have kept our specialist weaving mill and are thus able to quickly switch to special kinds of assignments – also when it comes to adapting modern furniture fabrics for use as historic carpets”, says Kurt Johansen.