Presentation CraftsLab Clog making part 2

On June 10, the presentation of the results of the Craft Lab Clog Making part 2 took place in the Dutch Open Air Museum.

While the guests gather under the canopy of the Wagenhal in the Dutch Open Air Museum, a familiar sound (to some) is heard. The sound of clogs on clinkers. There is no better time to wear wooden footwear: the presentation of the Craft Lab Clog Making part 2 is about to start. After a few short speeches, those present can look around the exhibition in the Wagenhal. The results of the Craft Lab are displayed there or run on screens. In this Lab, experiments were carried out with the clog by bringing it into the digital world .

As the name suggests, this Craft Lab was a sequel to Clog Making part 1, where designers Marijke Bruggink and Thomas van den Bliek came to the conclusion at the end of that Lab that the clog no longer evolves. The shape and material are fixed. From that idea, a new path was taken. What would be the possibilities of a digital clog?

Iris de Vries , designer and participant in the Lab, says that she became intrigued by the clog, because this shape is now also often seen in the fashion world. In addition, you see that a lot of digital fashion is being created. There are brands that only make digital shoes. That is an interesting development, because you cannot wear those shoes in real life. This is where the idea of also digitizing the clog comes from. By scanning a clog , editing and animating it and then having it printed by the 3D printer, you play with ideas about the interaction between the digital and the 'offline' world.

Klompen deel 2 AL — Online en offline klompen

Paul Hulsenbosch , product designer, also wanted to experiment more with the idea of creating digital products. He adds a sustainable thought. Where in the 'real' world a tree has to grow and you make a clog from the wood, in the digital world you can bend nature to your will and grow a tree in the shape of a clog. The apparent futuristic idea of growing a real tree like this is not far off, according to Paul. The location, the Dutch Open Air Museum, also played an important role in the thought process. The clogs from the museum's (digital) collection are preserved, but may eventually decay. However, in the digital world, products can be kept forever.

Klompen 2 AL hout — Klompen Paul Hulsenbosch

Although no clog makers participated in the Lab part 2, a number of them were present at the presentation. Entrepreneur Jack van der Voort indicates that he finds the developed clogs interesting, but wonders whether they contribute to keeping the clog commercially interesting. In his view, this side of the craft of clog making is sometimes forgotten and he sees more opportunities to use the clog as a tourist product.

It is clear that making clogs still raises questions in 2022. Are clogs durable shoes? How do you market the clog so that the craft of clog making remains interesting? And to what extent will we continue to see the clog in the digital world? Questions to which, according to the participants, more Labs could be devoted.

Designers Marijke Bruggink, Thomas van den Bliek, Paul Hulsenbosch and Iris de Vries participated in this Craft Lab . Students Luuk Span, Fenna van Eldijk , Leanne Posthuma and Nina Sy participated from the ROC Rijn IJssel .

The next CraftLabs scheduled for the fall are Blueprints and Wool of Sheepherds . Keep an eye on our website for more information.