Obenaus Filzwerkstatt

Actually, Julia Obenaus wanted to become a journalist after studying German Studies and Ethnology in Vienna, work with children in Africa, and take photographs. She has done all of that. But there was also the family business in the small Upper Styria community of St. Gallen, where her great-grandfather Richard Obenaus settled in 1903 to open his hat and felt shoe business. Her grandfather and father learned this trade and successfully continued the company together with their families. The love for sheep wool and the fascination for craftsmanship have always been present in Julia Obenaus as well, and so she decided to learn from her father, build up her upper arm muscles, and become familiar with the intricacies of traditional slipper production. It developed into a very close and strong friendship.

Manufacturing

For this, the washed sheep wool is processed into a fleece, felted several times under the influence of steam, and then finely felted in a hammer mill. This gives the felt material the desired firmness and size.

After being placed on a shoe last, the slippers are dried, cut to shape, and edged with a trim. This comes from a family business in the Waldviertel region that has been in existence for over 150 years. Finally, a felt sole is sewn on.