A pioneer in recycling - Printa blanket jacket

When Zita found colorful, checkered blankets from an old pioneer camp in a place selling retro antiques in the summer, she couldn't leave them there: the idea for a blanket jacket was born immediately, which János Deák cut into a molded shape. This jacket is spectacular and captivating, with wonderful colors and patterns, while recalling colorful memories of the past. Due to the specific use of materials, this piece is only available in limited numbers. This is why the zero waste tailoring solution was important, as only a few blankets were available, and we wanted to get the maximum number of blankets out of them by combining different patterns. No two pieces are the same.

"At Printa, we have been experimenting with the recycling of various textiles for 14 years, sometimes from quite unexpected sources, using upcycling techniques. The definition of upcycling is the modification and redesign of a given material in order to increase its value, which in this case captures and recalls a collective memory." - Zita

The Association of Hungarian Pioneers was founded in 1945, while the first section of the Pioneer Railway, the Széchenyi Mountain Children's Railway, opened in 1948. Here, travelers were welcomed by children dressed in railway uniforms, who were chosen from among the best students, a triple grade was already a disqualifying factor.
Communist ideological education, sports, nature walks, playful competitions, beachcombing, and learning and singing movement songs played a prominent role in the pioneer camps operating during socialism. Before the system change, almost all students were required to join the pioneering movement: the 2-4. graders were drummers, while the older ones were pioneers.

"The fact that the blankets come from pioneer camps also stirred old memories in me, since I was a pioneer in Yugoslavia during the eighties," Zita recalls.

The blanket jacket is reminiscent of red and blue ties, the pioneer whistle, youth and the whole camp atmosphere. To complete the nostalgic experience, we also selected photos from Fortepan's collection , so we can recall the lovely moments of childhood together.