Traditional Dutch tiles raise funds to train refugees for renewable energy jobs

Last week, we featured The Switch, a Dutch startup that trains refugees for jobs in the renewable energy sector. The company is back in the news, this time with an intriguing piece of design: Tiles of the Sun.

Two hand-painted ceramic tiles depict a solar installer standing on a roof with a photovoltaic panel hoisted on one shoulder. Tiles of the Sun, developed with creative agency 72 and Sunny, builds on a rich tradition of tiles portraying Dutch tradespeople like blacksmiths, shipwrights and carpenters, whose handiwork helped shape the nation.

Crafted by artisans at the Harlinger Aardewerk en Tegelfabriek in the iconic blue-and-white Delft style, Tiles of the Sun pays homage to the skilled labor required for today's energy transition. By purchasing a tile for EUR 75 or more, buyers directly fund The Switch's training and certification programs for refugees looking to embark on green energy careers.