Casamance | Haute Lice

Haute Lice is a heavyweight jacquard from Les Tisserands, a Casamance collection that takes tapestry weaving as its starting point. The name refers to the high-warp looms on which tapestries are woven, and the cloth shows that lineage: a linen and viscose warp is crossed by a thick blended wool and linen weft, producing a broad vertical stripe with a soft, mottled surface where the colours shift along the yarn. It is dense, dry and slightly rough to the hand, more rug than dress fabric.

The blend is 27 per cent linen, 18 per cent acrylic, 17 per cent recycled polyester, 15 per cent Ecovero viscose, 11 per cent cotton, 9 per cent wool and 3 per cent polyester, with a cotton backing for stability. It is woven in Turkey, 132 centimetres wide, and weighs 930 grams per square metre. The stripe repeats every 12 centimetres across the width and it is a free match. Five colourways: Terracotta, Tabac, Pierre Bleue, Kaki and Ocre. These are dusty earth colours that sit comfortably together, so two can share a room.

We use Haute Lice on pieces that carry weight in a room: a large sofa in a family sitting room, a pair of club chairs, a bench at the end of a bed or a headboard. It is too heavy for curtains, so keep it for upholstery and floor cushions. Pair it with a smooth plain such as a wool or a linen velvet in a tone from the weave. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

Ask your upholsterer to run the stripe vertically on backs and seats and to carry the 12 centimetre spacing through from inside back to seat front; there is no vertical repeat to waste, but the stripe still needs centring. At this weight, allow a heavier needle and a larger seam allowance, and use it over firm foam rather than a soft feather cushion.

• Composition: 27% linen, 18% acrylic, 17% recycled polyester, 15% viscose (Ecovero), 11% cotton, 9% wool, 3% polyester
• Width: 132 cm (52 in)
• Pattern repeat: 12 cm horizontal
• Weight: 930 g per square metre
• Match: Free match
• Care: Dry clean recommended
• Origin: Made in Turkey
• Collection: Les Tisserands, Casamance
• Colourways: 5 (Terracotta, Tabac, Pierre Bleue, Kaki, Ocre)