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On Cotton and Linen:
Cotton is a very thirsty plant mostly grown in third world countries so it pleases me beyond measure to be able to recondition fabric that is not only often much superior in quality but that would otherwise be sitting in a dusty cupboard (at best!).
Cotton - when I need to buy it new – comes from The Organic Textile Company based in Wales. They are the only company I am aware of offering not only organic but also fairtrade cotton by employing local cooperatives of women in India who produce loom woven cotton. (https://www.organiccotton.biz/store/)
Linen (Flax) on the other hand can be grown in Europe and is a much hardier plant than cotton so requires much less water and pesticides. It is per definition an ecological fabric.
However it is much harder and expensive to find linen at the markets as it is really sought after, but when I do it's the most beautiful vintage French linen.
Otherwise also bought from the Organic Textile Company.
Welcome to Atelier Ciré.
Ciré is my personal love affair with Hand-Made. My products are 100% made by hand at every step, with no concessions. The result are unique pieces infused with care and passion, to be cherished a lifetime.
I set up my sewing studio after moving to London in 2014 and looking for something to keep my hands busy and my mind at ease. I come from an Art Conservation background and a lot of the techniques and inspiration used to create my waxed-cotton are first and foremost derived from there: the use of wax, pigments and heavy canvas. An eye for composition and the soothing peacefulness of museums.
Ciré has evolved and travelled a lot since...From the shores of the North East of England where we grew our little family until 2020, I am now set-up again in the Southern French Alps near Nice, where I grew up.
This move is a natural progression of my beleifs and core values in trying to produce work that is mindful of its environment and sustainable. I want to produce well made, practical products that sing to the soul and will last a lifetime without costing the Earth.
Being in France now enables me to gather beautiful vintage cotton and linen fabrics (mostly loom-woven bedsheets and table cloths) from small village "vide greniers" markets.
These markets - literlaly translated as "attic clearance" - are part of rural life in the summer where people sell unwanted items, breathing new life and economy back into their local community.
The gathered fabric is then dyed by hand with natural dyes. No chemical is required at any stage.
I am in the process of setting-up a botanical dye garden at our property to experiment and add to my colour palette. Meanwhile, whilst plants are growing, I use local plants I find on my walks to use as dye: acorns and oak bark, oak galls, St John's Wort, Alder cones and catkins, Curry Plant, nettles, walnut husks and I hope many more as I discover and experiment!
Waxing is also carried out by hand in my studio once the fabric has dried. The wax mixture is melted and brushed onto the fabric before being heated up so that the waxes penetrate the fibres rather than sit on top.
I have strived to use as many natural ingredients and as a result I have stopped using paraffin wax as one of the waxes I used to use in my mixes.
I now use a receipe developed in my studio over the years using mainly beeswax, soy wax and flaxseed oil.
The fabric is finally ready and can be cut and assembled, using my own hand-drafted patterns.
I usually work in different stages, devoting some days to dyeing or waxing and others to sewing.
This is a time comsuming way of working that relies on a delicate balance of having the right stages completed. It cannot be rushed or forced and patience is key.
But we all know good things happen to those who wait...
I hope you will enjoy immersing yourself in the world of Ciré for a while and please get in touch if you have any questions.
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