Every scarf has a story

It's no secret that I love a scarf! and especially a French scarf ...

Our beautiful collection of Létol scarves come with quite a story.

Létol is a celebration of both the heritage of French jacquard weaving and a passion for sustainable textile production.

What’s Jacquard?

The "Jacquard" method of weaving takes its name from Joseph Marie Jacquard (1752-1834), the inventor of the semi-automatic loom that allows the interlacing of the warp and weft threads to create a multitude of patterns within the finished fabric.

This technique gives the fabric a lofty texture which makes it "lively", airy and very pleasant to wear and also allows the beauty of a contrasting, often intricate, reversible pattern with subtle gradations of colour.

Létol’s talented team of colourists, stylists and graphic designers have definitely brought a playful modernity to this very traditional weaving method, with a French sensibility in design and sophisticated colour palettes.  

And yes, every scarf has a name - each with its own colours, style and personality - and every design tells a story of inspiration. Meet Xénobie … inspired by Xenobia the rebel queen of the Palmyrene empire, resplendent with a border of lotus flowers.

However, Létol scarves are not only beautiful pieces of textile art reflecting a very French textile tradition, even better they also tick every box in terms of ethical and ecologically sound manufacturing.

Sustainable textiles

Based in Charlieu in the heart of the Loire region, the home of the French textile industry for five centuries, Les Tissages de Charlieu (LTC - parent company of the Létol brand) is a model of environmental responsibility.

Létol scarves bear the ALTERTEX label, LTC’s guarantee of an eco-responsible, ethical approach in the French textile sector. They use only GOTS certified organic cotton and rely solely on green energy.

A recent study by Cycleco showed that French manufacturing using organic cotton emits 3 times less greenhouse gas and pollutes 3 times less fresh water than similar production elsewhere in the world. 

I am very proud to stock Létol – apart from their 100% sound sustainability credentials, the scarves (and bags!) are simply divine - the hardest part is stopping at one!