YOU may associate horsehair with the stuffing inside old mattresses and padded chairs, but a more visible and prestigious use lies in the woven upholstery of antique furniture. Today, this hardwearing textile with its pearlescent sheen attracts contemporary designers, who order it in zesty hues and patterns for a variety of projects, from large acoustic wall panels and minibar coverings to smaller fire fenders, lampshades, handbags and even Nike footwear.
Indigestible to moths, as well as pet proof (cats tend to leave it alone), sustainable and inherently flame-retardant, horsehair fabric has a good deal to recommend it. It is subtly textured and striated, the weaving of it is a heritage craft requiring specialist skills and it is rare: only two horsehair-fabric manufacturers remain in operation today: John Boyd Textiles in Castle Cary, Somerset and Le Crin in Challes, north-western France. This durable textile (it can last a century) is made by machinery that is also antique: original 19th-century looms, warping drums, lathes and hackles still whirr and clatter on these companies' factory floors.
この記事は Country Life UK の May 15, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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この記事は Country Life UK の May 15, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
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