|
|
About Us 13-Dragons was started by my girlfriend Cherie and myself in 2007. We have both been making quality handmade custom jewelry and products for several years. We have a love of our work and take great pride in what we make. After years of flea markets and faires we have decided to bring our products to the world wide web to share our work with everyone. We are members of M.A.I.L. (Maille Artisan International League), and closely follow the news of many different artisan organizations including but not limited to NAIHC (North American Industrial Hemp Council), SCA (The Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.). We also try to visit many of the Rennisance Faires across the nation every year.
| About Hemp
*Hemp has been grown for at least the last 12,000 years for fiber (textiles and paper) and food. It has been effectively prohibited in the United States since the 1950s.
*George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp. Ben Franklin owned a mill that made hemp paper. Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper.
*When US sources of "Manila hemp" (not true hemp) was cut off by the Japanese in WWII, the US Army and US Department of Agriculture promoted the "Hemp for Victory" campaign to grow hemp in the US.
*Because of its importance for sails (the word "canvass" is rooted in "cannabis") and rope for ships, hemp was a required crop in the American colonies.
*Hemp fibers are longer, stronger, more absorbent and more mildew-resistant than cotton.
*Fabrics made of at least one-half hemp block the sun's UV rays more effectively than other fabrics.
(Information taken directly and unedited from the NAIHC website) | About ChainMail
Maille (also known as chainmail or chainmaille), is a flexible material composed of small interlocking metal rings or loops of chain. Maille was historically used as armour from the Roman era until the late middle ages, in both eastern and western cultures. It is used today for industrial armour, combat reenactment, jewelry, fashion design, and sculpture.
The term 'maille' comes from the French word for wire, although most sources claim it to be an invention of the Celts. It was used around the world as material-efficient armour for several centuries, until the introduction of plate armour around the 16th century.
Today it is still used as armour in medieval and renaissance re-enactment groups like the Society for Creative Anachronism and Amtgard, as well as in movies like Gladiator, The 13th Warrior, and The Messenger. It is also still being used today for its armouring benefits in such applications as shark suits and butchers' gloves.
Many people are discovering maille's potential for use in jewelry and clothing, as well as sculpture and functional pieces. Everything from inlaid chessboards and chandeliers to bikinis and bullwhips have been made from this versatile material. (Information is from M.A.I.L. website) |
|