On Copenhagen's historic Nyhavn, sits an indelible a part of tattoo historical past.
Nearly hidden away in two small basement rooms is Tattoo Ole, the world's oldest commercially lively tattoo parlour.
After just lately surviving the specter of closure following an eviction discover from its landlord in 2016, Tattoo Ole is now dealing with a brand new problem - new European Union guidelines, applied in early January, have banned 1000's of chemical compounds in tattoo ink.
The legacy of Tattoo Ole
Toughened sailors, prostitutes, even one Danish king, have been inked right here. Its historical past goes again to 1884 when a tattoo was carried out in its cramped basement.
Present boss Majbritt Petersen, who took over in 2010 because the store's first feminine proprietor, maintains the pokey parlour's historical past whereas altering with the instances.
There is not any ready record, folks can nonetheless stroll in off the road and get inked.
"We've grandparents coming in with their grandkids for his or her first tattoo as a result of it is memorable, we additionally do have folks in as much as 90 years previous who come by and so they received tattooed right here once they had been younger," says Petersen.
"We additionally at all times adopted model, so we're a store who's evolving, however nonetheless retaining all the previous customs."
What does the EU ink ban imply for Tattoo Ole?
The 27-nation bloc says public well being might be significantly better served with more durable restrictions on parts in ink which will trigger most cancers or allergic reactions.
The Fee says options to the banned merchandise do exist, however tattoo parlours say they're too sluggish to make their method from the producers to their retailers.
Weeks into the brand new ban, Petersen continues to be working simply with black ink.
"All the colors have modified, so we have now a brand new black, we're getting a brand new white, they're coming new colors, however you do not know how they are going to stick within the pores and skin in the long term" she says.
"We've (made) the change, so proper now, we solely have black colors."
An avoidable disaster for the tattoo trade
Like many within the trade, Petersen says the brand new ban shouldn't be sufficiently backed by science, one thing the EU disputes.
A 'Save the Pigments' petition collected over 176,000 signatures within the EU.
It is already inflicting confusion and uncertainty amongst potential shoppers, says the parlour proprietor.
"If the purchasers are scared and assume; 'Okay, I do not wish to be like testing a brand new color, I really need the previous color.' It is a new color in the marketplace and also you wish to have a everlasting tattoo without end," she says.
"It is a number of modifications in a small time," she provides.
Tattoo retailers within the 27-nation bloc have had a tough two years since COVID-19 hit, with restrictions and lockdowns.
They now say a wonderfully avoidable disaster is hitting them even tougher.
Petersen continues to be inking shoppers at Tattoo Ole, however - for now - its vibrant historical past has misplaced just a bit little bit of its vibrancy.
Take a look at the video above to see an inside take a look at Tattoo Ole
Post a Comment