»In situ« are words of our dialect that mean »sieve, too«, a traditional product of Sodražica’s craftsmen. In our sieve, one can find the most beautiful trees that grow embraced by one of the most densely wooded Slovenian regions, and the third most densely wooded European countries. The tradition of five-hundred-year-old craft skills and trading with wooden items is revived by new shapes and trading strategies. In our sieve, there are shining grains of green future, because this is the only one… Sustainable development means to endure in modesty, in the pleasure of sharing, cooperating, living hand in hand with nature, environment and people.
This is the reason for our cooperative organisation and social direction. And even if you rather than “In situ” choose the proverbial saying for local, indigenous, in the original and natural position in the sense of preserving heritage, we are not far from the common truth. Wood crafting is indigenous to our region of wooden ware – it is kingdom of wooden treasures. Its home is wood of the surrounding forests that wooden ware is made of. Wood itself is a home, warm and restoring. It is alive and has a heart, a heart of our Cooperative …
The handicraft Cooperative In situ with official name In situ, Rokodelska zadruga Sodražica, z.o.o., socialno podjetje was founded on 1 July 2021 with support of Sodražica Municipality, with financing of European Regional Development Fund and The Ministry of Economic Development and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia. Sodražica and its surroundings have had the most woodenware makers both in the past and until today. Since 2005, Sodražica Municipality holds one of the rare and therefore even more valuable geographic indications in Slovenia called “Ribnica Woodenware”. The indication connects municipalities Sodražica, Ribnica, Kočevje, Loški Potok, Velike Lašče, Dobrepolje and Bloke. The main goal of the In situ Cooperation is to connect and develop woodworking crafts and wood processing in the region for a better position of its members and better recognition of the environment where they work.
But prior to its goal, there is the mission… Woodenware making, especially manual work with wood, is the most sustainable manner of produce. It absorbs the energy of the human body, mind and hands. It finds materials for its items in its closest surroundings without doing harm. The cooperative organisation connects the mission of sustainable development and the circular economy with values of social enterprises, mutual cooperation, help and democratic decision-making.
Our
partners.
Into a green and solid forest-wood chain …
Along with the formation of the Handicraft Cooperative Sodražica, an initiative to form forest-wood chain for the area of wooden ware makers or the local initiative group Heritage Trails from Turjak to Kolpa was born. The initiative’s partners are also Regional Chamber of Craft and Small Business Ribnica, that traditionally connects small crafters and larger wood manufacturers, In situ Handicraft Cooperative Sodražica, Festival of Wood from Kočevje whose main purpose is to design and develop new items, and Kočevski les – a company who strives to supply the available, indigenous and certified wood mostly to entrepreneurs in the home region.
The intention of the forest-wood chain will be to connect the forest as an ecosystem and as a source of indigenous raw material with timber mills and manufacturers as well as experts in various fields. The purpose of connecting these is to establish a circular economy system in the whole region. We will provide the new value of our knowledge and work to the wood of our indigenous species. We will awaken it into finished products with higher added value. We will advocate natural environment and social economy as society values. We will strengthen region’s recognition as a natural forest area distinguished by traditional knowledge of wood processing and innovation at developing new wooden items.
Our friends
Les!
We dared to invite you to cooperation in our dialect, for »Les« means “wood” as well as »Come here!« in our area. Start an initiative, encourage us or present a critique, send us your suggestions and ask straight. Let’s get to know each other… Come and visit the forests where our wood and workshops dwell and our wooden products are born. At our end, good cooperation is natural.
