What's The Story? Felted Wool Bird Houses
For over 30 years, dZi Handmade has worked directly with Tibetan, Indian and Nepalese artisans to create, import and market designs that celebrate the beauty of the natural world and the amazing culture of that region.
Walking into the Kathmandu production center you are
immediately greeted by a cheerful "Namaste." Enter any of the production halls and you'll be greeted by a chorus of the same as dozens of ladies press wool felt into a variety of shapes. Others stitch, needle and applique to finish hundreds of different styles of decorative items for export.
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Sheep's wool is an amazingly adaptable fiber. It can be
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Wild Woolie Bird Houses are made from this same felted wool and eco-friendly dyes. The birdhouses are functional as a birdhouse as well as unique indoor décor.
Do Birds Really Go Inside? YES! Small birds such as wrens, nuthatches and chickadees use them as a safe place to nest and rest.
What About Rain or Snow? Since they are made of water repellent sheep's wool, moisture from rain or snow will mostly wick off of the felt and around the nest. Once the rain stops, the birdhouse will air-dry since wool naturally breathes. Also, wool is thermal; cool in summer and warm in winter!
How Do I Clean It Out? It's easy to remove old twigs and nesting materials from the handy clean-out hole in the base or through the entry hole.
The founding mission of the company dZi Handmade was to increase economic opportunity for Tibetan artisans in India by selling their products to American consumers and to educate customers about the culture of Tibet. In time they also started working directly with artisans in Nepal.
During the pandemic, dZI has maintained
contact with their artisan partners. Even though everyone was ordered to stay home, one bright spot was that the air in Kathmandubecame unusually clear and everyone could see the Himalayas again!
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Fun Fact: Nepal is the birthplace of Buddha. Siddhartha Gautam (Buddha) was born in 623 B.C.
In Kathmandu, people show great respect to others by joining their palms and bowing, while saying "Namaste." It means they are respecting the "God in you".
Destination: Kathmandu, Nepal
Kathmandu is the capital and largest metropolis of Nepal. Its timeless cultural and artistic heritage reveals itself in hidden temples overflowing with marigolds, courtyards full of drying chilies and rice, and tiny hobbit-sized workshops.
Kathmandu is dissected by 8 rivers and has an average elevation of 4600 feet. The climate is temperate, with highs in the mid 80's and lows in the mid 50's. Nepal has the highest mountain, the highest lake, and the highest concentration of world heritage sites in the world.
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