Our Textiles
Every Hay & Co Studio textile begins with a mark made by hand.
From the first brushstroke to the final impression on linen, our process embraces the subtle variation, texture and character that comes from making something slowly and thoughtfully.
From painting to print
Each of our patterns begins as an original hand-painted design.
That artwork is then translated into a wooden block, carved by hand by our artisan partners in India. Each element of the design is carefully considered so that when the block is repeated across the linen, the rhythm and movement of the original artwork remain.
To print the fabric, the wooden block is pressed into colour and placed onto the linen by hand, one impression at a time.
The process continues along the length of the printing table, with each repeat positioned by the printer's eye and experience. A single length of fabric can require hundreds of individual impressions.
It is this process that gives hand block printing its character.
Look closely and you may notice one mark sitting a little deeper, another a little softer, or the slightest movement from one repeat to the next. These subtle variations are not imperfections to be corrected, but part of what makes each piece individual.
A considered approach to colour
Colour sits at the heart of Hay & Co Studio.
Rather than creating individual patterns and finding colours for them afterwards, our palette was developed as a whole — allowing patterns, plains and colourways to layer easily together.
Our colours are mixed to carefully considered specifications to maintain consistency across the collection. Because our textiles are printed by hand onto natural linen, however, subtle variation between print runs can occur.
We see this as part of the beauty of the process, while ensuring each colourway remains recognisably its own.
Colour can also appear differently from screen to screen and in changing light. Linen has a beautiful way of taking colour softly, so we always recommend considering how a shade will sit within your own space.
The linen
We chose linen for the way it feels as much as the way it looks.
Our heavyweight linen has enough substance to hold a beautiful shape while retaining the softness and relaxed movement that makes linen so inviting in a home.
As a natural fibre, linen has its own character. You may notice occasional slubs, gentle variations in the weave and the natural creasing that comes with use.
We haven't tried to remove these qualities.
They are precisely what give linen its depth, texture and beautifully lived-in feel.
The finishing details
The smallest details were considered as carefully as the patterns themselves.
Each patterned cushion is finished with contrast piping, adding definition and another opportunity for colour to move through the collection.
Our Solid cushions are deliberately quieter, finished with a simple French seam that allows the colour and texture of the linen to take the lead.
Each cover closes with an antique brass zip and is finished with a removable leather pull embossed with the Hay & Co Studio mark.
The leather pull can simply be unclipped before washing and reattached afterwards.
Caring for your textiles
Our cushions are designed to be lived with.
Before washing, remove the leather pull and gently wash the cover in cold water with like colours. Line dry in the shade and, if desired, warm iron while slightly damp.
Avoid tumble drying, bleach and dry cleaning.
As with all natural textiles, prolonged exposure to strong direct sunlight may cause colour to fade over time, so we recommend protecting your cushions from harsh, continuous sun.
And if your linen develops a crease or two along the way, we think that's part of its charm.
Made by hand in India
Our textiles are hand block printed in India by skilled artisan partners who bring generations of knowledge to their craft.
It is a process built on patience, experience and the human hand — from carving each wooden block to mixing colour and laying down every individual repeat.
For Hay & Co Studio, knowing how and where our textiles are made matters.
We have spent time with our makers, visited their workshops and seen firsthand the skill behind each stage of the process.
It makes every finished piece feel that little bit more meaningful.