Santorini News

Oia Santorini has always been revered for bringing the traditional Greek weaving mill into the 21st century. Having been home and representative to the weaving technique for 22 years, the past four years have also elicited support from the Communal Development Office of Oia. From rugs to patchwork, blankets, cushions and much more, women from Oia use traditional looms to keep alive their heritage.

Present Day

Today the weaving mill has two weavers that keep up the tradition on the island and who very often go beyond their limits in order to bring their work to completion. However, any woman who is interested may sit beside our weavers and learn the art of the loom. It's a fact that tourists really like those products. This year the community has employed more people in the mill's shop which has resulted in a clear improvement on a commercial level. The weaving mill's exhibition area can be found next to Oia's Communal office. This offers all those interested the opportunity of viewing a wide range of manufactured goods in traditional and also modern colors, as well as designs that suit all types of houses and hotels. The Traditional Weaving Mill of Oia now has the 'Greek Handicraft Producer' trade-mark, which is awarded by the Hellenic Organization of Small & Medium Industry & Handicrafts (EOMEX) to notable traditional products.

History

From the Homeric period through the classical period and into the Byzantine period, the loom was prevalent in Greek homes. This continued even through the Turkish occupation. The 18th and 19th centuries saw the art of weaving flourish and production of wool, cotton and silk increased significantly. Presently, Greek textile products are implemented in luxury decoration for shops, hotels and homes.