Collective Recovery

Whether overcoming burnout, anxiety, or social isolation, participants in the Recovery Studio are met with more than just a needle and thread. They find rhythm, community, and confidence. Some begin their journey in the studio’s stillness room (a calm, sensory-safe space). Others now assist with intricate patchwork techniques or help shape patterns used in Hul le Kes garments. Together, they form a tapestry of resilience and creativity.

It’s a diverse collective: people of all ages, backgrounds, and educational paths, united by a shared purpose; to contribute meaningfully and help shape a more beautiful world. While many arrive via Arnhem’s Activerend Werk, the studio’s reach is expanding. Increasingly, participants come from the broader region, including Nijmegen, drawn by the unique combination of social care and creative craftsmanship.

Recently, the Recovery Studio began operating in shared space with the Manufacturing Studio, strengthening collaboration across all aspects of our work. What begins as recovery often flows into tangible contribution. From summer 2026 onwards, every pair of Hul le Kes trousers will feature waistbands made entirely from post-consumer materials, cut and sewn by our Recovery team. And our beloved patchwork pieces, the Toorop Trousers, Rodin Patchwork Shirts, Morisot Boxers and Skirts, all begin with the hands of Recovery Studio participants.

This interconnectedness mirrors our circular mission: reducing textile waste while uplifting those often overlooked by the traditional labor system. At Hul le Kes, imperfection is never a flaw, it’s a sign of life, of history, and of potential. Each stitch tells a story, of both the fabric and the person mending it.

Each purchase is part of our social enterprise’s investment to help more people within our Recovery Studio. Contributing to our social, circular and artistic missions.

A new chapter of research and reconnection has begun at the Hul le Kes Recovery Studio with the ancient dye plant Isatis Tinctoria, better known as wede or woad. Once thriving as both wildflower and cultivated crop along the banks of the Rhine and Waal, wede was historically prized as “blue gold” for its deep indigo pigment. Together with the Nederlands Openluchtmuseum and Stichting Hoeve Klein Mariendaal, we are exploring its ecological and cultural past; reimagined within our socially innovative setting.

Last month, Recovery Studio participants Hillie, Juno, Marlies, Dieneke, Chrystel, and Lisa, harvested woad plants and an abundant yield of seeds at the Openluchtmuseum estate. With the support of Hoeve Klein Mariendaal’s garden crew, we replanted the dye crop in their community garden beds; an act of both cultivation and care. The wede now thrives between rows of vegetables and wildflowers, bridging tradition, biodiversity, and the quiet continuity of craft.