Sunday, May 19th, 2024
Featuring
Loom.ist
This Supplier Sunday features Loom.ist, a Turkish textile company producing high quality, hand-loomed cotton clothing, home, and living items. I had the pleasure of sitting down with co-founder, Nilufer Sener, to learn more about Loom.ist, Turkish textile industry, and why it’s important to support traditional textile manufacturing now more than ever.
Click here to watch our sit down chat with Nilufer.
Introducing Loom.ist
Nilufer describes Loom.ist’s mission as ‘transferring tradition to our modern times’. The aim of the brand is to preserve the Turkish textile industry by producing elegant, timeless, high quality pieces that are manufactured on a traditional Loom. A Loom is a machine used to weave cloth and tapestry which dates back to the 5th millennium BC. Traditionally an activity done by women, it still serves as an important source of income for many in rural communities across the world.
Founders Çiğdem and Nilufer are both from Turkey, meaning Turkish textiles were a part of their upbringing and culture, and today they have first-hand oversight into their production facilities. This knowledge of textiles and production oversight is reflected in the quality of their products, which ship directly from Turkey.
Nowadays, we see a lot of major brands out there producing textiles with Turkish or Portuguese cotton, but I feel good knowing the Çiğdem and Nilufer are bringing their customers the highest quality Turkish cotton, personally vetted by themselves.
Loom.ist originally started in 2013 under the name “Ark Of Crafts”. This shop began offering a variety of Turkish artisanal goods, from handmade copper products to home textiles and clothing, focusing on the B2C market. Ark Of Crafts eventually pivoted to focus exclusively on textiles in 2017, and now sells into the B2B space instead of B2C.
Slow Manufacturing
Nilufer explained how each sheet of fabric is carefully woven on the loom in a small, family-owned atelier and then taken to a tailor to be altered into the final product. Each step is carefully attended to by hand, be that the fabric production itself, the washing and drying of the material, or the individual tying and fraying of the fringes, this delicate attention to detail ensures that the final products are of the utmost quality.
Each item is designed to last years and improve with time as the cotton gets softer with each wash. The result is a staple item that stays looking and feeling new for years to come. This is why all of Loom.ist’s items are also designed with a neutral, minimalistic style and stay away from trends, so you know you’ll never get tired of these timeless pieces. All of the manufacturers and tailors Loom.ist works with are independent contractors, meaning they work on the suppliers' terms to ensure an ethical and collaborative manufacturing process from start to finish.
The Cotton
One of Loom.ist’s first cottons to be used was the Sile cotton. Sile cotton is a traditional fabric that comes from the small village of Sile, close to Istanbul. In the old times, ladies would weave this fabric on a Loom and then wash it in the sea. Each item would then be left to dry on the sand, and it is said that this process makes the fabrics softer.
Loom.ist continues on with this tradition, and all their Sile pieces are woven and washed the same manner as they were hundreds of years ago. This fabric is also organic, meaning that extra care has been taken in not only the production of the fabric, but the growing of the raw cotton material itself. The end result is a feathery and lightweight fabric, which Loom.ist then tailors into clothing that makes for a perfect addition to your summer wardrobe.
Check out the Sile Maxi Dress or the Sile Caftan Dress for your next summer go-to pieces.
One of Loom.ist’s other go-to cottons is the Muslin cotton. Known for its lightweight, breathable, and highly absorbent properties, this ultra-soft fabric is featured in many of Loom.ist’s clothing pieces. While it is not organic, all of Loom.ist’s items are OEKO-Tex® certified, meaning that every component of the product, from the fabric to the thread and accessories, has been rigorously tested against a list of up to 350 toxic chemicals, so you can feel good about wearing and bringing these items into your home.
The Double Layered Muslin pieces all feature Muslin cotton that has been layered for a slightly thicker end result, making this fabric perfect for lounging or for your next long trip.
Check out these closet staples, including the Wide Leg Pant, T-shirt, and Slip Top.
Your Support Matters
It’s no secret that the textile industry is extremely wasteful - from fast fashion to home textiles, there aren’t many companies out there that are taking the time to care for their manufacturing the way that Loom.ist does. We need to realize that, if we don’t support companies like this now, soon there will be no alternative to the fast production textiles that already dominate the industry.
Traditional Turkish cotton weaving goes back to the Ottoman times, but today we see fewer Turkish manufacturers that are continuing with the traditions and integrity of the loom weaving process due to increased costs. Nilufer explained how, ten years ago, there used to be about double the amount of Turkish artisans working in the looming business versus today. Mass manufacturing and fast-fashion make it hard to stay competitive, with pricing being a key determinant of the customer purchasing decision.
All of the customer feedback I have received with regards to Loom.ist’s products is outstanding. People can really tell the difference in quality with these items; there’s a reason their Muslin Robe and throws were one of our first best-selling products! Please support Loom.ist and the great work they do by browsing here and let us know if there is anything you would like to see in the home textiles and slow fashion space!
A big thank you to Nilufer for sitting down and bringing us more insight into the Turkish textile industry. Aware House is proud to support and partner with Loom.ist for now and many years to come.
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Thank You
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