DE ZACHTE STAD
2500 sheep graze in the Rotterdam metropolitan area, keeping the grass short in public spaces. The thousands of
kilos of wool they produce are almost worthless in the Netherlands and are burned or shipped to China.
Unbelievable, thought sheepherder Martin Oosthoek, in a time of raw material scarcity and climate change, which
led to the project The Soft City. The Municipality of Rotterdam asked Christien Meindertsma to research what
wool of this quality could be used for. It turned out to be suitable for blankets, jumpers, woolly hats, upholstery
and sound insulation. With creativity and perseverance, Christien worked together on The Soft City and ensured
that people now see Rotterdam’s sheep wool as a raw material instead of waste.