A 16-year old Romanian has learned the traditional craft of weaving carpets and knitting, and even turned his passion into a small business. Andrei Vladimir, a teenage boy from the town of Barlad in Northern Romania, learned how to weave and knit from his grandmother, and started crafting traditional items when he was 12. At first, he made carpets for himself, but as they started to pile up, he also started to sell them, according to Digi24 and Adevarul.

He makes traditional blouses - called Ie- carpets, blankets, wool socks and hats, and sells them either at fairs, or on the internet. The teenager also sells abroad, all over Europe.

With the first money he made from this business, he decided to invest in renovating his family’s house. However, he says he does this out of passion, and not for the money.

Andrei would like to study design at the University of Arts, after finishing highshool. For the time being, he spends all his free time weaving and knitting. During the summer holiday, he works morning until dawn, preparing products for the fairs in the autumn. He buys traditional materials, like wool or hemp, from shepherds or producers in the area.

editor@romania-insider.com