Sibiu County brings wool heritage to life | pilot site inauguration

From tradition to hands-on experience: Sibiu County brings wool heritage to life

The Sibiu County Council has officially inaugurated a pilot site dedicated to wool processing, set within the historic household from Tilișca at the ASTRA Open Air Museum, as part of the project. The event brought together local leadership, cultural institutions, academia, and the community, marking an important step in transforming traditional crafts into living, learning experiences.

This is not just an exhibition space. Over the past months, the site has already hosted practical workshops, now integrated into a structured framework developed through the project. The 19th-century household has been carefully adapted into a functional learning environment, with the barn transformed into a fully equipped workshop featuring looms, tailoring tools, ironing stations, cutting tables, and pattern-making materials.

Participants – including artisans, students from the Ilie Micu School of Arts and Crafts, students from the Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, and creative professionals – explored the full journey of wool processing, from raw fiber preparation to spinning, natural dyeing, and crafting usable products.

“We wanted to create a place where tradition is practiced, not just displayed. By bringing together skilled artisans and young people eager to learn, we are offering real alternatives for meaningful engagement and ensuring these crafts are carried forward,” said Daniela Cîmpean.

Beyond preserving heritage, the initiative creates opportunities for education, community building, and local economic development. It lays the foundation for new local products and strengthens their integration into Sibiu County’s tourism offer.

The project has also led to the development of the HeriCraft Market platform, a digital tool that promotes traditional crafts, products, and initiatives at an international level.

Tradition is not just preserved here – it is lived, shared, and reimagined for the future.