Material Gain: A New Coated Canvas
We love the natural canvas used in our products for our Spring/Summer 2016 collection, and wanted to explore new ways of enhancing this fabric for Autumn/Winter 2016. Specifically, we sought a canvas that not only looked and felt stunning, but which would also be weatherproof and age beautifully.
We worked with a specialist mill near Como in the north of Italy to develop a new fabric, based on a mixture of cotton and linen. A key aspect of this process was determining the precise amount of water-resistant coating required to enhance the fabric’s performance in wet conditions, while maintaining its beautiful matte texture. Getting this balance exactly right was a matter of trial and error.
The water-resistant coating is applied after the fabric has been colour dyed (we use a deep Navy that permeates the entire cloth). A final washing process produces a clean matte finish that looks sharp and feels smooth.
To ensure this new coated canvas would perform brilliantly and last for many years, it was subjected to a series of stringent tests. These included testing for tensile strength, tear-resistance, warping, abrasion, colour fastness and colour-transfer resistance.
The result is a new water-resistant Navy Coated Canvas that combines with our signature Italian vegetable-tanned leather to magnificent effect in the Fabric + Leather collection. These pieces look great and perform well in any environment, from the boardroom to casual weekend trips.
