Behind the scenes - the making of our Liberty Tana Cotton lawn
From the Liberty London fabric archive. - image sourced from @libertylondon
At Clementine & Co we LOVE Liberty.
Famous world wide, Liberty of London's printed Tana Cotton Lawns have a sense of nostalgia, yet somehow their beauty translates across generations & decades, defying trends & time.
Being a complete history (nerd ) lover, I enjoyed researching about this beautiful fabric from which our Clementine & Co
cushions & napkins are made….
My ‘Liberty’ history….
Liberty has been part of my home & life since birth. In 1970s London, Liberty fabric had a resurgence of popularity. my mother hand made my cot sheets out of their pretty floral cottons. ( see right)
Later, having moved to Sydney as a toddler, she made me handmade Liberty smocked dresses, which were paired with the obligatory 1970's brown sandals and bowl haircut !
Over 30 years later my own daughters wore those little dresses, full of memories, over time the fabric was softer than ever. As my girls, at 10 & 6 years old, have now long outgrown them, I have tucked the little dresses carefully away in a box. With a hope that the next generation of our family may also enjoy their prettiness,
Discovering Tana Cotton Lawn.…
.During the 1920s William Hayes Dorell discovered unusual Cotton fibres close to Lake Tana in East Africa.
Once back in London he showed these to Liberty, purveyor of beautiful textiles. Once the fibres were spun, they applied a unique process to give the cotton a silky, soft feel. A process called ‘Mercerisation' which swells the fibres of the cotton, enhancing it’s handle and lustre, and stabilising the fabric finish. Mercerisation also increases absorption of the dye when the fabric was printed, creating rich and bold colours.’ Perfect for utilising the beautiful floral patterns designed for Liberty by luminaries such as William Morris. Originally the patterns were applied to the cotton through a traditional technique of block printing , Each design was printed repeatedly across the length and breadth of the cotton, and all by hand!
( see left - Liberty London image sourced from @libertylondon)
Tana Cotton Lawn today.…
The Liberty design team produce seasonal ranges of over 100 beautiful fabrics, inspired by, and in keeping with Liberty tradition. The designs are initially hand drawn, often archival floral and botanical prints, in delectable, rich and vivid colours. harking back to the 1920s and the birth of Tana Cotton Lawn.. Some of the designs are now computer generated, Liberty prioritise, utilise and research modern technology in their design & printing processes.. Not dissimilar to their predecessors discovering and creating the new and beautiful fabrics of their day.
Long gone is the laboured process of hand block printing, the Tana Cotton Lawn designs we use for our range at Clementine & Co, are screen printed in Italy, a stone’s throw from Lake Como, by skilled technicians who meticulously oversee their production.
At Clementine & Co we love the quality, care and history evident in each of the fabrics we use.
I thought you may like to watch a ‘behind the scenes’ production of Liberty Tana Cotton Lawn, in the video below, I hope you find the printing process as mesmerising as I do !
The durability of our favourite fabric, Tana Cotton Lawn, coupled with Liberty’s timeless designs, creates heirloom quality pieces in our range .
To be passed on from generation to generation, such has been the textile tradition in families for centuries .
At Clementine & Co we believe by seeking something beautifully crafted in a quality fabric that you love, will in turn continue this tradition.
Xx
Aimee
Press play to watch - Liberty Fabrics: The Liberty Printing Mill in Italy - sourced from Liberty London
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