There is a hint of salt in the air when you touch coastland fabrics. You can almost hear the sound of the North Sea and see the changing light over the dunes – that quiet, shimmering ‘cloud theatre’ that the North German landscape re-enacts day after day. Heinz-Jürgen Gerdes has translated this very feeling into his work: with his small wool weaving mill on the coast, he not only preserves an almost forgotten craft, but transforms it into contemporary design – raw, honest and touchingly beautiful.
At the Grassimesse 2025, his commitment was recognised with the smow Design Award. In conversation, Gerdes explains how old machines give rise to new ideas, why wool is more than just a material to him – and why every piece of coastland carries a little bit of the North Sea within it.
smow: Congratulations again on winning the smow Design Award! What was your first thought when you found out you had won?
Heinz-Jürgen Gerdes: I was completely surprised – this is our first time here and, as a newcomer, I really didn't expect it. It was amazing for me.
smow: What particularly inspired you in your design or your wool weaving?
Heinz-Jürgen Gerdes: We come from the North Sea, we are the only wool weaving mill in northern Germany and we try to transfer all this diversity – the landscape, the colours, the light – into our products. We know that this is an ancient cultural technique, a cultural treasure that we want to revive. To do this, we need a completely unique design language. We draw heavily on our landscape, on the North Sea. What we experience there in terms of cloud formations, beaches and vastness should be reflected in our fabrics.
smow: Lovely. That seems to be exactly what convinced the jury! You are the winner of the 2025 smow Design Award. What is the central idea or concept behind coastland?
Heinz-Jürgen Gerdes: Four years ago, we took over the last wool weaving mill in northern Germany, which had gone bankrupt, along with its machinery. We were determined to preserve and revive this old cultural technique. At a time when the textile industry is increasingly disappearing, we saw our chance to build an exciting, independent brand – with excellent craftsmanship. For us, this also includes treating everyone involved fairly, both our employees and our customers. This is important to us, and we put it into practice every day.
smow: It seems you have succeeded.
Heinz-Jürgen Gerdes: I hope so – thank you.
smow: So there's a whole company behind your concept and your project?
Heinz-Jürgen Gerdes: Yes, we started out with seven people – all experienced textile craftsmen who know their stuff. Despite our old machinery, a lot of manual work goes into every piece we make. We focus on modern design, but work with analogue machines. What may seem like a contradiction at first glance ultimately ensures the special quality of our products.
smow: With the prize money... do you already have plans for what you're going to do with it?
Heinz-Jürgen Gerdes: I didn't even realise there was prize money.
smow: Oh, congratulations – you've won €2,500.
Heinz-Jürgen Gerdes: Wonderful, I'm delighted! (laughs) I don't have any concrete plans yet, but I think I'll do something nice for the team. Motivation should remain high – that's the best basis for quality.
smow: When you look to the future, where do you want your creative journey to take you?
Heinz-Jürgen Gerdes: We want to develop fabrics that are very comfortable to wear, similar to tweed. We want to show that great, wearable wool fabrics can be produced in Germany. We think wool is a fantastic material, and we want to continue expanding our range. Always in small batches, because we are not an industrial company – but we want to do our bit.
smow: Great. We wish you all the best and thank you for talking to us!
