What is Toile ?

The word “toile” comes from the French word for linen cloth.
Toile is a printed fabric with a distinct style and line work similar to that of the Art Nouveau movement.
Toile mainly refers to the design of pastoral, floral, and romantic prints .
Toile has a repeating pattern showing a rather intricate picture, usually representing pastoral normal day occurrences like children playing or a couple enjoying a picnic near a lake .

Toile prints

History

Back in the 18th century, the printed Toile fabric was first produced in Ireland, but it became more popular in France, so the aesthetic looks more European.
The prominence of the printed Toile fabric emerged after Christophe-Philipe Oberkampf, a German businessman, opened a factory in the town of Jouy-en-Josas.
During the same time, he also partnered with Jean-Baptiste Huet, a prolific fashion designer known for the historical and most distinct Toile patterns ever made.
These designs featured the classic monochrome pastoral scenery on white background, with vignettes of either the French community or depictions of European lore and mythology.
What is Toile in today’s time is a modern derivation of Huet’s designs, after it became the staple for fashion and home design in that era. It is now the overall standard for Toile products up to date.

Window treatments - Toile fabric has been used for curtains and valances since its inception.
Upholstery & bedding - Toile fabric is a frequently used on chairs, pillows, sofas and bed sheets.
Clothing - Toile fabric is used for aprons, dresses, and shirts. While the clothing can be made out of any type of fabric, the patterns specifically classify them as toile.
China ware - Many antique tea sets have single-color pastoral designs.Toile designs are still used frequently on modern fine-dining sets.

Toile bedding

Toile shirt

Hand wash toile in cold water, or put the fabric in the washing machine on a cold gentle cycle so the dye won’t bleed.
Wash toile with like colors, probably other light colored or white items.
Use a gentle detergent.
If you opt to hang to dry, do not dry in the sun, so colors don’t fade and fabric doesn’t stiffen.
Tumble dry on low.
Iron on medium heat .