Our materials, their soul & their care
Linen
The pride of the fiber — born from the earth, made to last.
From root to fabric
Linen comes from Linum usitatissimum — literally, "most useful flax." This annual plant with blue flowers grows in sixty to one hundred days, in light soils and temperate climates, without artificial irrigation or intensive pesticides.
Once harvested, the stem undergoes retting — a controlled fermentation that separates the fibers from the woody part — then scutching: the stems are beaten and combed to extract the long fibers. From the field to your table, it takes months of patience.
Textile linen is an emblematic crop in Northern France, mainly concentrated in:
- Normandy (Seine-Maritime, Eure, Calvados) — the world's leading region for textile linen production, with magnificent flowering fields in June-July.
- Hauts-de-France (Nord, Pas-de-Calais, Somme) — another historic stronghold of linen cultivation.
- Brittany, to a lesser extent.
France accounts for approximately 70% of global textile linen production.
Did you know? Long before it became the star of our tables, linen was ancient "high technology." Greek warriors wore the linothorax, armor made of layers of linen glued together, renowned for its remarkable impact resistance.
The World of the Material
Linen is our material with character. It has texture, a slight roughness to the touch that speaks of its origin. It creases naturally — and that is its nobility: it refuses to be perfect. Its texture evolves with time, softening with each wash, gaining suppleness without ever losing its shape. Well-maintained linen will last for decades. It's a material that is passed down.
At Mon Chez Soi, linen is our guiding thread. It embodies what we seek: pieces that have presence, a soul, and that tell a story to those who touch them.
Linen Care
- Wash at 30°C or 40°C, delicate or cotton program
- Dry flat or hung, away from direct heat
- Iron with steam at 150°C, while fabric is still slightly damp
- It wrinkles naturally — it's a quality, not a flaw
- Avoid fabric softener: it alters the natural properties of the fiber
- It softens and brightens with each wash: give it time
Cotton
Everyday softness — simple, sincere, essential.
From root to fabric
Cotton comes from the cotton plant — Gossypium — a shrub cultivated for over seven thousand years, native to tropical and subtropical regions. It is not the fiber itself that is harvested, but the achenes: the seeds enveloped in a tuft of silky hairs. When the capsule bursts at maturity, it releases these white tufts that are picked by hand or mechanically.
The fibers are then ginned, cleaned, carded, and spun. The quality depends on the length of the fiber: the longer it is, the finer and stronger the fabric will be. Note: unlike linen (stem fiber), cotton is a seed fiber.
Cotton is much rarer in France, as it requires a hot and sunny climate. It can be found in:
- Gers (Occitanie) — a pioneering region, with farmers experimenting with cotton cultivation since the 2010s. It is the only department where true cotton fields can be found in mainland France.
- Other departments in the Southwest (Lot-et-Garonne, Tarn-et-Garonne) — some trials exist, linked to "Made in France" cotton projects.
Did you know? Cotton is essential for space exploration: it does not generate static electricity and does not melt when heated, making it a material of choice for certain components of space equipment.
The World of the Material
Cotton is the fabric of the home. Soft, breathable, easy to care for — it's the everyday fiber. We select it for the density of its weave and its regularity: well-chosen cotton withstands repeated washes and retains its softness over time.
It's the material you no longer notice because it's always there, exactly as it should be. The dish towel that dries the evening dishes, the towel that absorbs effortlessly. Cotton works silently, and that's also what home care is about.
Cotton Care
- Wash at 40°C, cotton or delicate program
- Tolerates tumble drying well at low temperature
- Iron with steam at 160°C, flat or slightly damp
- May shrink slightly on first wash — this is normal and accounted for in our dimensions
- Avoid bleach, which yellows fibers over time
- The more it is washed, the softer it becomes: it is made for daily use
Jacquard
Woven nobility — where technique becomes ornament.
From technique to fabric
Jacquard is not a fiber: it is a weaving technique, born in Lyon at the beginning of the 19th century thanks to Joseph Marie Jacquard. His revolutionary invention — a loom programmable with punched cards — allowed for the creation of raised patterns directly within the fabric's structure, without embroidery or printing. Each relief is the result of a precise combination of warp and weft threads, orchestrated thread by thread.
Today, jacquard looms are digitally controlled, but the principle remains the same: the pattern emerges from the structure itself. It can be woven from cotton, linen, blends — it is the weaving method that gives it its character.
Did you know? It was thanks to jacquard that Lyon became the world capital of silk in the 19th century. The Canuts — Lyonnaise silk weavers — used these looms to create the most prestigious fabrics in Europe.
The World of the Material
Jacquard has volume, character, a presence that you feel under your fingers even before you see it. It brings nobility to the most everyday items. Our Fût cotton jacquard apron perfectly illustrates this idea: a work item, designed for the kitchen, but with the elegance of a thoughtfully designed fabric.
We like jacquard because it says something about our approach: that beauty and utility are not opposed, that you can put care into what you wear every day.
Jacquard Care
- Wash at 30°C only, delicate program
- Air dry, flat to maintain fabric shape
- Iron inside out, steam iron at 140°C, without excessive pressure
- Do not twist or wring — the structure of the raised patterns must be preserved
- Avoid tumble drying, which can deform or flatten raised patterns
- Do not rub if stained — gently blot with a clean cloth
Honeycomb
The geometry of life — as efficient as nature designed it.
From structure to fabric
Honeycomb fabric is primarily a weaving method applied to natural fibers — most often cotton. Its alveolar weave creates regular hollows and reliefs that resemble the hexagonal cells of a beehive. This geometry maximizes surface area relative to weight, just as bees understood millions of years ago.
The alveolar structure significantly increases the contact surface with moisture, making this fabric exceptionally absorbent — and because the alveoli allow air to circulate, it dries very quickly.
Did you know? The honeycomb weave has natural elasticity without any added synthetic fiber. Its structure acts like a spring: it can stretch and return to its original shape by swelling upon contact with moisture, which explains why it becomes softer after each wash.
The World of the Material
Honeycomb is an honest fabric. It doesn't try to be beautiful for beauty's sake — it is beautiful because it is perfectly what it is. Absorbent, quick-drying, textured, pleasant to hold. We pair it with warm colors — cork, amber, earth — to remind us that utility can also be comforting.
A honeycomb dish towel truly improves with time and washing: its cells open up, its absorbency increases. It's an item you use without rushing to replace it.
Honeycomb Care
- Wash at 40°C, cotton program
- Quick air drying — the cells promote air circulation
- Iron at 160°C flat, on the right side
- The more it is washed, the more it absorbs — initial uses are normal
- Avoid fabric softener, which clogs the cells and reduces absorbency
- Slight shrinkage on first wash is expected and accounted for in our dimensions
For all our pieces
General Care Tips
Our natural materials are designed to last. A few simple steps are enough to keep them beautiful wash after wash, year after year.
Washing
Prefer washing at 30°C or 40°C on a delicate cycle. Avoid harsh detergents and fabric softeners that weaken natural fibers over time. A mild, enzyme-free detergent is ideal.
Drying
Air drying is always preferable. If you use a tumble dryer, choose a gentle program and remove items slightly damp to finish flat or on a hanger.
Ironing
Natural fibers iron best when still slightly damp. A steam iron at a moderate temperature is sufficient. Linen and cotton tolerate heat well; jacquard should always be ironed inside out.
Storage
Store your clean and perfectly dry items in a ventilated area. Avoid airtight plastic bags that retain moisture. Lightly wrinkled linen can be stored as is — that's its charm.
Stains
Act quickly: blot without rubbing. A little Marseille soap diluted in cold water solves most situations. For grease stains, apply talc, let it absorb for twenty minutes, then brush.
First Wash
Natural fibers may shrink slightly on the first wash — this is a normal, expected phenomenon, and is integrated into our cutting dimensions.
A small glass of white vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser during the first wash helps set colors and dissolve limescale, keeping laundry naturally softer.
« Taking care of your textiles means extending the work of those who designed them. It means choosing durability over replacement. It is, in its own way, inhabiting the world with a little more care. »
— Rose, Mon Chez Soi