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A family of craftsmen and entrepreneurs
Erica got her love for wool from her mother, who knit a lot and skillfully. 'Look, this is real wool!' As a child she was not very interested, but in the meantime Erica recognizes the appreciation her mother had for this beautiful material. 'Such special qualities, simply from nature!' Now she enjoys the contact with wool lovers and shows others the wonders of wool.
With a blacksmith as grandfather and great-grandfather and a plumber as father, Erica has traditional work in her genes. Enterprising women are no stranger to her family either. For example, Erica's grandmother opened a shop with household items in Paterswolde in the 1960s. After her training as a programmer, Erica did not see herself becoming an entrepreneur. A wool shop didn't even cross her mind twenty years ago. Until her career took a surprising turn.
Christmas balls as the start of the largest Rauma webshop in the Netherlands
In 2012, the company where Erica works went bankrupt. Although she cannot weave, she buys two large looms. With plenty of time on her hands, it seems like a good time to learn something new. Her approach is simply to practice a lot. She doesn't just learn to weave. She also remembers her mother's enthusiasm for wool. With a book by the knitting icons Carlos and Anne at the ready, Erica discovers the special, raw Norwegian Rauma wool. A type of wool that, as it turns out, is not available in the Netherlands. Buy and sell yourself. And a few months later, Wol in Huis was a fact. The start of the largest Rauma webshop in the Netherlands!
'I enjoy the contact with people who are also enthusiastic about wool as a natural product.'
- Erica Tepper-Oosting -
Scandinavian weaving as a unique hobby
And the looms? She still has it! As Wol in Huis grew, Erica continued to develop herself. 'Within ten years I wanted to be able to call myself a wool specialist. That was my goal.' So she took weaving lessons and took courses to learn all kinds of handicraft techniques. Now she translates Norwegian patterns with ease, knows everything about felting and weaves her own scarves and bags in a traditional way - with ten shafts. And although weaving is one of the most important textile production methods, today there are not many people who master the craft. 'The weaving process is so satisfying. It is the magical process of processing loose threads into a cohesive fabric that continues to intrigue me and I feel privileged to be able to do this. But it is a labour-intensive job, which is why I only work with the high-quality Rauma wool that stays beautiful for a long time!'