The origins and heart of Unison are in its textiles, and we could not be prouder to introduce Spencer Chambray and Savile Stripe linen bedding to our collection.
Spencer Chambray is named for that most quintessential of Englishmen, Winston Spencer-Churchill, and echoes the cool neutral gray of a classic English suit. A chambray weave is characterized by a white weft and colored warp, which combined produce a mottled appearance. For Spencer Chambray, this appears as a variegated and textured, yarn-dyed gray.
Savile Stripe features a subtle pinstripe and evokes the bespoke tailoring of London’s famed Savile Row. It is also another small nod to Mr Churchill, as his pinstripe suits became practically synonymous with the man himself. Savile Stripe and Spencer Chambray are both woven from 100% European flax linen and stone washed for a final result that is soft, breathable, and visually stunning.
What Does Yarn-Dyed Mean?
Yarn-dyed is fabric dyed in its yarn form, as opposed to piece-dyed, which is when the finished piece is dyed as a whole. Yarn-dyeing holds color much better than piece-dying, as the dye penetrates deeply into the fabric, making it more resistant to fading.
Our yarn-dyeing is done in Portugal, whose history with textiles, especially linen, goes back more than 300 years. Portugal’s commitment to responsibly-made, beautiful textiles drew us to them, and all Unison towels and bedding are made in Portuguese factories and Oeko-Tex certified.
What Are the Advantages of Linen?
Linen, like cotton, is made from natural plant fibers. The world’s strongest natural fiber, it is famed for being long-lasting, breathable, and like full-grain leather, becoming even softer and more beautiful the more you use it. Because of linen’s innate characteristics, it becomes more supple the more you handle or wash it. Our Spencer Chambray and Savile Stripe bedding is stone washed, which much like stone washed denim jeans, give a softness and flexibility to the fabric.
The hollow linen fibers can absorb 20% of their weight in water before they begins to feel damp to the touch. This internal structure also moves air easily, keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer.
What Does Stone Washed Mean?
Stone washing is a process used to soften typically stiff or rigid fabric. Invented in the 20th century, this process uses an industrial clothes washer filled with large stones to pound the fabric and give it a beautiful, worn-in look and feel.