Earth Day 2021

A symbol of purity, the magic of flax has been woven into human history as one of the oldest cultivated plants grown for both its textile fibers and its nutritional seeds. The Latin name for flax is “Linum Usitatissimum” which means “most useful” and gives us the common term which we use for flax – linen. It’s an annual plant sown from seed which grows to about a yard in height, with attractive pale blue flowers, and flourishes in northern temperate latitudes, where moderately moist summers yield soft, silky flax.

At harvesting, the stems of the plant are pulled up by the root rather than cut at the base, which preserves the fibre length and retains moisture, after which baling, decortication and blending produce ultra-soft textile yarns for woven upholstery fabrics.

Blending beautifully with wool, flax is incorporated into a number of our most popular sustainable textiles, including 24/7 Flax, Armadillo, Craggan Flax, Main Line Flax, Patina and Silk. By incorporating the innate performance properties of this strong and flexible fiber, these textiles are also inherently flame retardant – without the need for chemical post treatment.

Fabric featured: Craggan Flax

A natural fiber produced by the larvae of silkworms and other insects to form protective cocoons, silk is synonymous with luxury. With a shimmering appearance created from its ability to refract incoming light at different angles, silk produces sparkling, shimmering colours and is a lustrous, lightweight - yet super strong - fiber.

Included in our aptly-named Silk range, the fabric is rich with rustic, natural charm. With the textile's silk element derived from 'noils' (the short fiber waste remnants created during the combing process which occurs before spinning), this recycled content is complemented by all-natural wool and flax fibers.

With exquisite colors created using environmentally-friendly, non-metallic dyestuffs. Silk is safe to compost, without causing any contamination, and - as it is inherently flame retardant - it does not require a chemical post-treatment, ensuring its composition remains perfectly natural.

Fabric featured:  Silk 

Growing rapidly from springtime onwards, up to a height of 2.5 yards, nettles grow easily on land which is often unsuitable for arable crops and, as with hemp, this type of plant does not require pesticides or herbicides to flourish - ensuring it remains free from chemicals. Ideal for encouraging bio-diversity, nettle cultivation provides a natural habitat for birds and insects and, once the fibers have been extracted, the woody remnant left behind is used as animal bedding - making it a truly zero-waste material source. 

In an industry first, we worked with De Montfort University in Leicester, UK, to develop Sting - a fabric made from wool and nettle fiber obtained from the common stinging nettle (and an acronym for our four-year project focusing on Sustainable Technology in Nettle Growing). 

Sting has now matured into Nettle Aztec - naturally perfect and inherently flame retardant, the beauty of this plain weave fabric is held within its understated aesthetic and sustainable credentials. With a weathered, appealingly timeworn finish, Aztec imbues any interior with effortless, natural style.

Fabric featured: Nettle Aztec