Liberty Fabrics: What makes them so special?

11 November 2020

There's every reason why people love Liberty fabrics. They continue to leave a legacy that's steeped in colour, excellent design, and the best quality fabric.

"I was determined not to follow existing fashions, but create new ones."
– Arthur Liberty
 
When I was a wee gurl, I used to hear my mum and Gran talking about something called “lawn cotton”. At the time, I had no idea what it was. All I knew, from the way they spoke about it, was that it was something to be revered. 

Come to think of it, my Gran and my mum used very specific language to describe textiles – I guess more so than other people I knew. Damask, organza, georgette, taffeta, silk (obviously). It might have been because my Gran made wedding dresses that these words made their way into her daily lexicon – but either way, I was gifted with a vocabulary that went way beyond what I had ever had the chance to personally experience.

It’s only in fairly recent years that I’ve come to understand the incredible nature of tana lawn cotton and, specifically, Liberty Lawn Cotton printed fabric. The story behind Liberty’s exquisite printed cotton is both romantic and rather brave. 
 
That Vision
 
As the story goes, Aurthur Liberty was utterly enchanted by Japanese culture when he first visited the Japanese section of the International exhibition held in London in 1862. Inspired and enthralled, he persuaded the head-honchos of the company he worked at to invest in the entire collection of fabrics and home furnishings with that Japanese aesthetic. Novel and fresh, the floral and ditsy motifs swiftluy gained populatiry- their surge in demand prompting Liberty to launch his own company. Many of the original designs and motifs are revisited and reimagined through contemporary Liberty fabric designs. And with an archive of designs that exceeds 40 000, we can be sure that Liberty will be able to keep their iconic, beautiful fabrics flowing.
 
That Cotton

Tana Lawn can be found at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. Back in the 1920’s, Liberty buyer William Hayes Dorell came upon cotton fibres in the Lake Tana region that he could compare to no other. Fine and silk-like, Tana lawn cotton’s ultra-fine, long stable fibres made it unique – its beauty being both tactile and visual.
 
Tana Lawn is woven from 70 and 100 ply yarns. Ply refers to how many yarns are twisted together to make a single thread so you can imagine how fine the Tana Lake cotton threads are.
 
The Process
 
Once woven, Tana lawn undergoes a series of preparations. One such preparation is Mercerisation, which makes cotton take dye better and also increases its lustre and sheen. Mercerisation causes the fibres to swell which increases the surface area of the fibre. The mercerisation process also pre-shrinks the fabric, makes the cotton fibres stronger and more stable, and enhances the handle (the way the fabric feels to the touch – smooth, soft, stiff etc.)
 
Those colours, Those Designs
 
From their iconic florals and paisleys to their graphic geometrics, conversational designs, and their art nouveau designs, Liberty Fabrics are synonymous with an extensive palette and fine, exquisite details. 
 
 
Printed in Como in Italy, the print process includes both traditional screen-printing techniques, rotary printing, as well as modern digital printing. Regardless of the print process, the designs are approached with deliberate care and passion. One of the things that makes Liberty prints so exceptional is the amount of colours they use in each design. This brings a richness and depth to the design and makes them easy-to-use and exciting to own.
 
From design inception to the final printed product, each step of the fabric’s journey bears Liberty’s stamp of pride, joyous colour and dedication.