The Kardenwelt Allgäu is based in Upper Swabia. The wonderful Municipality of Baienfurt.
The head of the weaver’s card adorns the town’s coat of arms for a reason. In history, the municipality was among other things with the card to prosperity.
In Baienfurt, you can still follow the traces of that time in Germany’s only “Kardelmuseum”.
Aerial photo: Werner Riehm (FLY-FOTO.de).
Independently of Baienfurt, the Weaver's card a great and significant past. “Of course!” you would think – it has traditionally healing effectsIn the Middle Ages, preparations made from the root of the teasel were recommended externally for cracks, warts, small wounds, styes, fistulas, skin lichen, and internally for liver complaints or stomach diseases.
That is also correct, but it is just not the reason for the fame or the importance of growing regions such as Baienfurt. In folk medicine, the teasel is almost always used in the first year of growth. Since it only develops the stem in the second year of growth, its head cannot be of any importance here.
In traditional textile processing On the other hand, it depends almost exclusively on the wonderfully spiky Head of the plant This is ideal for “scratching” or “roughening” fabric.
“Carding” is another process that is still called that today…
Before a tissue is formed, the individual threads freed from wool and brought into a parallel position Arranged in this way, they are suitable for yarn or fabric. This process is called “card” or “carding”The machine used for this is also called a "carding machine". When carding by hand or with machines, the heads of the carding machine were used because of their shape.
In traditional handicrafts, wooden “carders” are still used today. They come in different designs to produce ever finer fleece ribbons. The picture shows one such “Hand carder”.
Around 1830, the process of “Carding” increasingly automated. The head of the carding machine was also still used in the machines at the beginning. There was therefore an enormous demand for weaver’s cards. This brought the growing regions – of which Baienfurt was one – unexpected profits and led to prosperity.
Due to new manufacturing techniques, the head of the weaver's card was later replaced by corresponding shapes and the card lost importance in this area.
The first “carding machines” were true marvels for their time. They were able to produce enough material for the beginnings of industrial textile production.
In contrast, modern carding machines actually look very boring – at least we think so.
The picture shows such a “carder” from the first hour.
Faster, cheaper, higher volumes and higher profits through sheer volume.
Characteristics of the modern textile industry.
Did we promise too much?... Boring compared to the old “carder” :-).
In today’s world, the carding machine has only symbolic significance in the textile industry. It gives the name to the “carding machines”.
However, many people are learning to appreciate them more and more through their presence in natural medicine. Traditionally, this has always been the case, as even in
In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) the wild teasel is a helpful ingredient.
The Allgäu author Wolf-Dieter Storl has even dedicated an entire book to this wonderful plant: "Naturally curing Lyme disease" (published by AT-Verlag). You can also find this book in our book corner. Just take a look. Mr. Storl is a real explainer and captivates readers, and not just in his lectures.
We hope you enjoy it.