Linens

Michael Leopold

Linen is made from the fibres of the flax plant. It isn’t easy to manufacture, but it’s worth the effort for its strength, absorbency, and quick-drying—much faster than cotton. Linen garments are valued for their exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather, just like we have in Provence.

Linen is woven into the history of Provence. Provençal fabrics reflect the sunshine and bright colours of southern France. Perhaps surprisingly, they originated from India and Persia in the 17th century. The first colourful fabrics were imported from Asia via the port of Marseille. They soon became so popular all across the French Kingdom that imports alone could not meet the demand! This began the production of authentic Provençal fabrics, which were produced using the same methods and designs as the imported Indian linen.

Provençal linen became such a phenomenon that its success contributed to the decline of the French silk and wool industry. To save their jobs, silk manufacturers lobbied the king to ban not only the import but also the production of these fabrics, also called “Indiennes”. Provence, however, was not on royal land, and Avignon, the “City of the Popes”, was under the jurisdiction of the Vatican. Production continued here and grew over the next two hundred years, with factories also being founded in Orange, Tarascon, and Aix.

Our chosen linen supplier is based near Avignon. Two brothers established the company around ten years ago, assembling a young but highly-skilled and passionate team. They design all their products in-house and keep much of their production local, though some products do come from their factory in India to keep their range affordable.

We fell instantly in love with both the quality of their linen and their designs, which perfectly encapsulate the simple beauty of homeware in Provence: clever combinations of bright, joyful colours and understated neutral tones. They are also practical (washable at 40°C) and durable (with high densities of up to 280 gr/m2) enough to endure countless lunches and dinners.

Finally, we have to mention that their linen offers great value for money! With their wide range, we haven’t listed all their products on our website—we also can supply bed linens, curtains, and many more, so if you are after a specific product, please get in touch and we’ll do our best to find what you need!