Summer with the Selvedge Archives: Walking on Sunshine
Summer sandals made from the cloth of the sun.
Written by Ptolemy Mann for Selvedge Issue 59, Folklore
Steeped in childhood memories from the 70s for many of us, rope-soled espadrilles personify resort wear and all things summery and bright. With this in mind it seems fitting that the name of the fabric company, Les Toiles du Soleil, founded in 1860 to make canvas for these special shoes, translates as ‘the cloth of the sun’.
Two experts in the field of weaving, Joseph Sans and Abdon Garcerie, decided to join forces and honour the Catalan tradition of braided rope-soled shoe production by setting up the company Sans et Garcerie in the little village of St Laurent de Cerdans (the Catalan part of France). By the end of the 19th century business was prospering; and by introducing the modern machinery of the age, power looms, they were able to dominate this niche area of production creating a striped fabric that “spoke to all Catalonia”.
In 1939 they expanded production to include fabric made for deckchairs, and in the mid 1950s they added table linen to their portfolio. By the 60s industry was at its peak – the factory employed 170 workers and their distinctive stripes were gracing tables throughout the region.
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Further Information:
Selvedge Issue 59, Folklore is available as a digital download in our magazine shop.
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Image Credits:
Lead: Illustration: Katrin Coetzer
All further images as credited in captions.