Taking care of our heritage

Ever since I went to University I carried a book with me wherever I went. I used to roll it in a scarf or a t-shirt because in my bag I also carried an apple/ banana/sandwich. I used to smoke so my tobacco was there, a bottle of water, you name it. 

Then I started sewing my book covers and I never looked back. Funny how life shows you the way. And now we have a whole lot of people carrying their books in our Ezelsoor book sleeves as if it's always been this way. 

Even nicer of course is the combination with the fabrics I use. I embarked on a journey to buy fabrics straight at the source, where they are hand (!) made and now every Ezelsoor is a piece of timeless and gorgeous Unesco heritage fabric. 

Sweet tasting journey.

Thank you all, everyone who ever bought a book sleeve from me!

From the early ones I made in the African (*) batik that I found on the markets in Brick Lane in London, to the block printed and hand drawn batik treasures I am making right now.

I hope you and your books are enjoying your colourful companions :-)

Much love and appreciation,

xxx

Marijke

(*) Little did I know 10 years ago that the African style batik is (most) often made in factories in Holland. The Dutch had Indonesia as a colony (btw, we are talking 17000 islands... how do you keep that as a colony?!?) and this is how batik (or wax printing) became known and loved in Holland and Africa. Africa has it's own traditional types of resist-dye but to my knowledge they didn't used to use wax.