Scheepjes: Journey through the history of a Dutch wool brand

Scheepjes, also known as Scheepjeswol (name introduced in 1930), is a Dutch yarn and wool brand whose origins date back to the end of the 18th century, more precisely in 1799. Created in the Dutch town of Veenendaal, it was born at a time when this region was flourishing in the textile sector, particularly wool. The term “Scheepjeswol” means “the wool of small ships” in English, in reference to the importance of the Dutch maritime industry at the time, and to the trade which brought raw materials to the country.

Bigger and bigger

Dirk Steven van Schuppen was also a wool comber in Veenendaal in 1799, with thirteen helpers. The wool, untreated, was brought by the farmers to Dirk Steven, who bought it and had it processed by combers and cleaners. Local women spun the worsted wool, then it was dyed and woven in the company itself. Van Schuppen's wool company grew continuously in the following years until 1885. Almost 100 years after its founding, it had almost 300 employees.

Meanwhile, in 1855 the company was renamed "Widow D.S. Van Schuppen and Son", with Dirk's second wife and widow Steven and their seventeen-year-old son taking over management. In the second half of the 19th century, the cottage industry gradually and successfully transformed itself into an industrial sector in its whole. More and more machines were used and in the 1930s, despite the global economic crisis, the company made significant investments in new production buildings, warehouses and an office building. During these years they also gave the name Scheepjeswol.

After World War II, the company continued to grow. In 1949, for her 150th birthday, she obtained a royal warrant. With 900 employees at its peak in 1962, Scheepjeswol has continued to grow and modernize.

A new beginning

The company enjoyed initial success, then struggled in the 20th century, due to international competition and outsourced textile production. Indeed, everything changed in the second half of the 1960s. Wages in Holland increased rapidly, in Scheepjeswol, certainly 10% per year for several consecutive years. It was not allowed to pass on this increased cost to customers. Additionally, the five-day work week was implemented, which led to a drop in production.

The 1970s brought other, more serious problems: more affordable products from countries outside Europe and a declining market ultimately led to Scheepjeswol's bankruptcy in 1988.

In 1989, the buildings of the Veenendaal industrial site were demolished. The Scheepjeswol housing and shopping center were built. It was the end of almost 190 years of wool production, at least for the moment.

Twenty-two years later, in 2010, the family business De Bondt, a fabric supplier located in Tynaarlo, Drenth, took over the Scheepjeswol (Scheepjes) brand, and gave it new life and developed an international reputation through its top quality yarns and partnerships with renowned designers, so that we can, once again, use the yarn of this famous Dutch brand.

Today, Scheepjes is recognized not only for the quality and variety of its yarns, but also for its dedication to innovation and creativity. The brand is known for its popular collections such as Catona, Stone Washed, Whirl and Color Crafter. By working in collaboration with renowned bloggers and designers, Scheepjes inspires a large community and has become a preferred brand for all knitting and crochet enthusiasts. (Source: the first issue “THE SEA ISSUE” of the Yarn bookazine, March 7, 2016).

The logo

The Scheepjeswol logo shows a ship based on a "Samoereus", an inland ship which was used, among other things, to transport peat from the swamps around Veenendaal. The same ship is visible in the coat of arms of Veenendaal.

The importance of the environment

Scheepjes wants to be as “green” as possible. The roof of the warehouse and office building is covered with solar panels which produce enough energy to light the entire building. In addition, Catona, one of their “favorite” products, is produced from recycled wastewater, offering a more sustainable choice to environmentally conscious artisans.

And now the pronunciation...

I am often asked how to pronounce this brand, to which I answer, "my Dutch is not veery good 😆, I pronounce it shipji". So I'm throwing you a very friendly little challenge, to pronounce it like the Dutch. I placed the audio below.

Why I chose to offer you this brand

It all started when I started making amigurumis. I used brands that I found in department stores. Then I turned to Phildar Phil Coton 3. Unfortunately, I had a lot of difficulty finding it easily and I noticed that it was treated with “Aloe Vera”. Which gave it a softness, but I didn't like the effect it left on my fingers and hands.

In 2019, I started looking for another product and that's when I heard about the Scheepjes brand, and more specifically the Catona. Everyone recommended it to me for making amigurumis. So, I did some research to find it but it was not possible to find it in Quebec. I had to bring it from Western Canada. I fell in love with this very durable thread, offering an incredible range of colors (109 colors at that time) and the little extra, for me, was the ecological awareness of this brand. Being very concerned about the environment myself, this played a role in my decision to use this yarn.

The store where I bought the Catona unfortunately closed its doors and I found myself back at the starting point. It is for this reason that in June 2021, I opened my own online store that I decided to offer the Scheepjes brand in Quebec.

And why do you like the Scheepjes brand? What is your favorite product?