Hammock weaving
The Colombian artisan Albeiro Camargo designs a hammock and a swing made of natural fiber for Let’s Pause.
The creative crafts allow us to travel back in time and learn about unique ways of working like those practised by Albeiro Camargo who keeps the culture of textiles alive within a small community in the region of Santander, Colombia with his extraordinary products made with organic, vegetable fibres.
Back when he was a child Camargo went to sleep playing with knots and ropes (perhaps inspired by tales of the Guane, indigenous peoples of the area world renowned for their textiles). This little ritual ended up becoming his job after learning as much as he could from other craftsmen and women, combined with his interest in nature.
“I’ve always been fascinated with cord and natural fibres. I learned to weave from several people and worked it out by taking pieces apart myself by hand, explains Albeiro while working the fique fibres.”
The fique fibres, a plant that he cultivates himself, and spins into yarn, is a material that he uses extensively in his designs. “I like getting the materials without using any machinery” he adds, showing all the different process that the fibres go through.
Once the vegetable yarn is obtained, it’s combed and woven; this is the most labour-intensive part of the process and connects directly to the old ways of working cotton fibres practised by the Guane people. Camargo uses natural vegetable dyes for his creations but there’s still some way to go before he can guarantee colour stability.
The artisan has designed a very special hammock for Let’s Pause: a knot-free piece, comfortable, that wraps around the body and does not require a mattress for its use and enjoyment. The Albeira hammock is also available in the Albeira Swing version, a natural fiber swing that adds an organic touch to contemporary interiors. Albeira and Albeira Swing are unique, limited, and numbered pieces, delicate in appearance and production, yet resistant; a natural cocoon to revive the original custom of rocking.
The Albeira hammocks are unique pieces, in limited numbered editions, refined and beautifully produced yet very hard wearing; a natural wrap around hammock for rediscovering the custom of dropping off to sleep.
