The production of “charentaises” (tradional French slippers) produces waste composed of three layers of different materials glued together (a visible patterned textile, a polyester foam, and a woolly jersey), which cannot be manually separated in a large-scale production system. Due to the difficulty of recycling its byproducts, the “charentaise” cannot claim a second life.

How can we substitute the use of foam in the slipper? How can we reintroduce local wool into an emblematic product of the region? And how can we reestablish connections between local stakeholders involved in the “charentaise” production, from the farmer to the manufacturer? These are the questions that Florence Wuillai, a textile designer specializing in wool felting, will attempt to address.

Florence Wuillai is a textile designer, graduated from the Haute école d’art du Rhin in Mulhouse. During her studies, she specialized in the technique of wool felting. Eager to develop innovative materials respectful of the environment, she envisions fabrics based on wool through the felting technique. She is part of the French wool industry where she explores a fertile ecosystem ranging from the shepherd to the designer. Linen and hemp also feature in her textile explorations, questioning the cooperation of industries within her materials.

In addition to her artistic practice, she leads educational workshops on Breton wools in schools and recreational centers. In a spirit of innovation, she conducts research on the development of natural technical textiles with ITECH.