The Martinsell Collection

At Robert Kime, there is a long and deep dedication to our fabrics being made of natural materials, produced in a traditional way in the UK. Two years ago we began to consider a small group of fabrics, the Martinsell Collection, that would have the added element of regeneration as part of their lifecycle.

Hemp, ramie and recycled linen offer the regenerative fabric structure to the four designs in the collection. We worked with a small atelier, unearthing old printing recipes and rediscovering the use of natural pigments; indigo, madder, grapeseed and other natural elements in order to create custom colours, balanced for longevity.

"The project was really about simplification and going back to the old recipes of fabric and dye." - Orlando Atty

The backcloths are remarkable on every level; natural fiber basecloths, including ramie (made from nettles) which is often planted as a regenerative crop, positively affecting the soil in its growing phase.

The small atelier worked with us on the pigments. It was a challenge to use the old recipes to create binders that were sustainable and long-lasting. However, like the broader Robert Kime collection, Martinsell follows a deep exploration of craft and tradition in order to create an offering of fabrics made with intent — in the case of Martinsell, in a completely renewable and sustainable fashion — for today.

The collection is named for Martinsell Hill, the highest point on the Pewsey Downs in the county of Wiltshire, southwest England. On the summit plateau from the traces of an Iron Age hillfort there is a panoramic view of Salisbury Plain; on a clear day the spire of Salisbury Cathedral can be seen 25 miles away on the southern horizon.

What began looking back to the style of early printing and dyeing carries a sense of sustainability that is refined — something old, reimagined for the present.