TwoTowel

The TwoTowel is a 'new' product for the kitchen where two functions, normally used side by side, come together in one product.

When you hang the TwoTowel in the middle, there is one side that can be used as a towel, while the other side serves as a tea towel!

Particularly special about the TwoTowel is its production process where two different kinds of fabrics, normally produced on two different machines, are now intertwined in one towel. As a result; the colours and functions literally flow into one another through a carefully designed gradient in colour and fabric.

Looking for larger quantities or to use this product in a project? Ask for a free quotation here. On our download page, you can find 3d models, high-res images, and other product information.

Variations

Vij5
steps
of the
TwoTowel

Transparency of the production chain comes naturally to us.

For us, that doesn't just mean giving information about where something has been produced. Our chain starts much earlier: with the designer of the product!

We'll tell you the whole story. Click on the buttons to discover the different steps:

TwoTowel 's designs can be found at by andAnieke Branderhorst. In addition to being a designer, she is also one of the founders of Vij5.

In a Dutch kitchen, a tea towel and a towel often hang next to each other and form a kind of inseparable duo. This inspired Anieke to combine these two functions in one towel.

Anieke Branderhorst

"I wanted the two fabrics to be literally intertwined. This was an important starting point in my design process. That's why I designed a pattern where the different types of fabrics alternate with each other and grow more and more towards each other."

Anieke Branderhorst

The TwoTowel has been part of the Vij5 collection since 2014. This collection was originally created because we wanted to be able to market our own designs. Because we enjoy it too much to be involved in the realization of ideas from other designers in addition to designing new products ourselves, there is, of course, less and less time left for our own ideas..

But the concept behind the “ TwoTowel ” was so powerful in its simplicity that we knew right away this product had to be part of the “ Vij5 ” collection. We didn’t hesitate for a moment and set to work turning the concept into a manufacturable product.

Why the TwoTowel isn't produced in the Netherlands

During our search for a suitable manufacturer for this product, it turned out that this “simple” idea wasn’t so easy to implement after all. Several factories in our region told us that this product was impossible for them to make. This only made us more motivated and convinced that we had a truly unique design on our hands! At the very least, it was something that wasn’t produced as standard within existing manufacturing processes. We had to find a manufacturer who was truly willing to take a chance on this project with us.

We therefore decided to further develop the design from a technical standpoint in collaboration with textile designer Jolijn Fiddelaers. She, too, was fascinated by by the unique construction of this product. Ultimately, we found a manufacturer in Turkey who was willing to take on this experiment with us based on our technical drawings.

Why is it difficult to make the TwoTowel?

Particularly special about the TwoTowel is its production process where two different kinds of fabrics, normally produced on two different machines, are now intertwined in one towel. This means that a machine that normally makes flat fabrics suddenly has to create loops, or a machine that normally makes loops (towels) suddenly also has to make a flat fabric. We have chosen the last option and developed a flat fabric for the looping machine. This is also the reason why the tea towel part is a bit thicker than you might expect from a tea towel.

The TwoTowel became a reality in 2014 because it was produced for the first time for Vij5. The producer who dared to experiment with us was located in the Denizli region, known as the textile region of Turkey. (Read here why the TwoTowel is not made in the Netherlands). In 2014 Anieke and Jolijn visited the factory in Turkey and made good use of the valuable knowledge and expertise of the producer to prepare the TwoTowel production. Because we made good contacts back then, we were able to arrange everything remotely for the second production run in 2019.

In the material passport you can find where and by whom the different parts of this product are made.

Here's how the " TwoTowel " is made:

The photos and video show how the TwoTowels are made and come off the loom: a large cloth with several TwoTowels next to each other, which is then cut into pieces and finished into a final product.

We have chosen to make the warp of the loom in one color. This automatically becomes the color of the loops in the TwoTowel, the 'towel' part. The 'tea towel' part is determined by the color of the weft. For this we can choose different colors, resulting in different TwoTowels.

The icing on the cake is that the new " TwoTowel " is made from organic cotton.

"A production in organic cotton has been a wish of ours for a long time and we are therefore really happy with this development, which we have been able to realize thanks to our successful crowdfunding campaign, together with our crowdfunders".

Arjan & Anieke

Crowdfunding Campaign

In October 2018, we organized a crowdfunding campaign to produce a new version of the “ TwoTowel ” (see also www.voordekunst.nl/ and TwoTowel ).

Donors were able to directly influence the colour of the final result by by choosing a specific color combination as a reward. The colours mustard yellow-warm gray and mint green-warm gray were the most popular and have actually gone into production. In addition, we also developed a neutral version that uses partly undyed yarn.

Would you like to see this product in real life?

Come visit our showroom in Den Bosch or stop by one of our ambassadors or other retail locations. Be sure to check in advance to see if they actually have this item in stock—not all retail locations carry the entire collection.

In need of larger quantities or considering it for a project?

Please contact Arjan and request a quotation here.

Vij5 webshop

All Vij5 products can of course also be ordered directly from our own webshop:

Vij5
Showroom

At our studio in Den Bosch, near the home furnishings district and just two minutes from the A2, everything comes together: showroom, workshop, warehouse, and office. Most of the products from the Vij5 collection are on display here.

Our showroom is still under construction, but you’re, of course, more than welcome to visit. Please contact us in advance and let us know which products you’d like to see, and we’ll see what we can do.

You can easily make an appointment by email or phone.

Ambassadors

A Vij5 Ambassador is, just like us, a great fan of the Vij5 collection. It is more than just a point of sale — it is a store that knows our products that little bit better. There is always someone available who can tell you all about the Vij5 collection.

Vij5 Ambassadors are specialists in, for example, our lighting, furniture and/or accessories, and are happy to advise you. A beautiful selection of products from our collection is available in their stores. If a particular item is not in stock, a Vij5 Ambassador can always order it for you.

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