A purse with handwoven front, Irish linen back and zip closure, handmade by Nicola Gates in her studio in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Olla Nua is Irish for ‘new wool’ – using a natural, sustainable material in a modern, imaginative way.

A successful marriage of function and design make this a stylish gift choice.

Length 14cm, Height 11cm. Please note; the beauty of handmade is that no two products will be exactly the same. All items are handmade, this means the product may vary slightly from the image.

About the maker:

Nicola weaves contemporary cloth, on a traditional floor loom, powered entirely by hand and foot. Using yarns spun by mills in Ireland and the UK. Inspired by the tradition of weaving in the rural west, many pieces incorporate authentic Donegal yarn, produced in Kilcar, with its distinctive fleck and homespun texture.

Olla Nua is known for attention to detail at every stage… after the meticulous setting up of the loom and weaving, the cloth is washed and often lightly felted to produce the desired softness and texture. Cutting and stitching follow, sometimes combining the handwoven cloth with Irish linen.