Gift of Hands

Gift of Hands is a social enterprise which upcycles materials to make craft items, with all sale proceeds donated to other voluntary groups and projects in Mulranny, to support their valuable work on behalf of the community. The project also brings people together and creates a sense of connection and community. The shop also showcases a range of other Co Mayo Artists and Crafters.

This voluntary groups ethos is Learn, Share and Contribute. The group of creative people give their time and skills to make beautiful craft items, largely made from pure wool offcuts and end pieces from Foxford Woollen Mill. Many tons of this material, formerly sent to landfill, has been repurposed to produce hand crafted rugs, cushions, fibre art pictures, soft toys and much more. The project follows the ideals of a Circular Economy.

What is the Circular Economy?

Our current economic system is not circular, it is linear. In a linear economy, we take resources from nature to create products. These products are used and then thrown away. However, an economy that is based on taking, making, and disposing of products causes significant environmental problems. The way we live in Ireland and in most European countries is unsustainable, depleting the world’s limited resources and creating ever more waste. If every human used as many resources as Europeans, we would need 2.6 Earths to support our population. Realising the limits of our planet’s resources, a new way of thinking has emerged: the circular economy. The circular economy aims to create positive value for society, economy and the environment. Moving towards a circular economy, based on long-life products that can be renewed, reused, repaired, upgraded and refurbished will preserve precious natural resources, protect habitats and reduce pollution.