Wool Innovation - Punch Needle Embroidery Participatory Art-Workshop Incorporated with Arctic Region’s Sustainability and Tourism.

Abstract

This master’s thesis aims to explore the revitalization of Arctic wool production within small stakeholders through wool innovation, a particular embroidery technique named the “Punch Needle, ” which will contribute to the engagement of tourists who visit Lapland year-round. To support this study, there is collaboration with the University of Lapland as an artistic partner under the project “Villalnno,” which is Wool Innovation; the European Union as a financial partner; and Hulluporo-Tonttula as a project execution partner. The study has several purposes. The most prominent one is to demonstrate how sustainable wool innovation can be impactful to revitalizing local wool production and contribute to the Lapland Tourism sector artistically. The study elaborately discussed the existing literature review to have an impactful understanding of the subject, and at the same time, it explained how the project was conducted to get the outcome of the study. To do this research, art-based action research was chosen, which focuses on the practical and theoretical practices alongside the qualitative research approach to prepare documentation during the study. The project application methods that were followed combined place-based, collaborative, and prototyping. The outcome of the study can be analysed from more than one perspective: what was done and the way it was carried out. The findings of this study are valuable and impactful on both the individual and the extended scales. On a personal level, they enhance the knowledge, skills, and experience within the topic. On the expanded level, the outcomes highlight the importance and potential of multicultural and innovative collaboration, which is important to meet the evolving demand of sustainability in the Arctic, especially to increase engagement in the tourism sector.