About us
Pirilana is born out of love for the natural product and its environment
About us
Pirilana is born out of love for the natural product and its environment
About us
Pirilana is born out of love for the natural product and its environment
Origins
In the Pyrenees we find sturdy valleys, high mountains, changing vegetation according to the slope of the mountain and unpredictable weather. The sheep spend their summers in high mountains, at about 2,000 m, and they spend the winters down in the valley with their shepherd. The weather changes of each season are reflected in their wool, just as the different breeds of sheep, adapt to the vegetation offered by each region.
Obrador Xisqueta` association
A few years ago, I met the `Obrador Xisqueta` association at a fair in Barcelona, where they were promoting their wool from the Pyrenees.
The association ‘Obrador Xisqueta’ was born to help the shepherds who reintroduced the native sheep in the Pyrenees Pallares, buying the wool at a fair price.
I really liked the project.
At home we had Dutch wool quits.
One day, after 25 years, I decided that they had already done their job and I thought, “Why don’t I make quilts here like the ones I have from Holland?”.With this fantastic wool of the Pyrenees!
Xisqueta sheep
That summer, while on vacation in the Pyrenees, I began my search for the xisqueta sheep.
I found them in Llessui, a small village on the top of the Pallars mountain. They are really nice and after talking for a while we realised that they never thought about making wool quilts. Blankets yes, but quilts no … they don’t weigh!
I wanted to learn everything about the “Xisquetas” and their wool.
Wool selection
I attended a “tría” (selection) of sheep in September: when they come down from a high mountain (2000 m) all together in a giant herd after spending the summer there, each sheep flies with its shepherd. In May we went to a “Xollada”, at the farm of the shepherdess of Llessui.
It is exceptional to be able to be there, helping to free them from their precious and warm layer of wool.
The wool goes through the critical hands of the girls of the association.
At this point they already separate the different destinations of the wool, in different sacks.
This way I could also choose the best for our quilts.
