Jun 07, 2022

Product Focus: Madder Silk Pocket Squares

Our Limited Edition Madder Silk Pocket Square collection is designed and printed in England and made from the finest quality Madder silk. Madder silk pocket squares are quintessentially British, and they provide a unique and superior quality that is incredibly distinguished and has a deliberately different handle.

To help celebrate the new collection, we thought it would be fitting to feature it as part of this week's product focus series.

SHOP THE MADDER SILK POCKET SQUARE COLLECTION

HISTORY OF MADDER SILK

The English Madder silk is recognised worldwide as an icon of British style due to its classic pattern and unique chalk like hand-feel. The ‘Madder' in Madder silk refers to a plant: Rubia Tinctorum, from which natural dyes can be extracted for use on fabrics.

The origins of the plant date all the way back to 1500 BCE, and it’s also been used in various locations such as Africa, Greece, Italy, and Central Asia.

Did You Know: Madder natural red dye root is suggested to be the earliest form of lipstick, discovered by chance when early Africans enjoyed eating the root.

WHAT MAKES MADDER SILK POCKET SQUARES SO SPECIAL?

While natural Madder root produced primarily only red dyes, the modern dyeing process for Madder can have a wide array of rich, saturated hues. Most of these colours are on the darker end of the spectrum; colours such as mustard, forest green, burnt orange, deep blue and burgundy, all of which are featured in our new collection.

Madder pocket squares are now always printed on a twill silk fabric that has been treated with gum arabica, leading to a distinctive finish and feel; this is referred to by the experts and those in the industry as a chalk hand.

All our Madder Silk Pocket Squares are hand screen printed for ultimate quality and eye appeal. However, this is a more traditional but costly & labour intensive route.

In our opinion, screen printed Madder is the closest to the original root & vegetable-dyed silk, as it still utilises a variety of pigments and balancing chemistry to dye and discharge the Madder silk.

WHAT PATTERN DO MADDER SILK POCKET SQUARES HAVE?

A statement and trademark of Madder is its association with ‘Paisley’ designs – as it is known in the English speaking world. Paisley, a town in Scotland with a rich heritage of silk printing, had taken inspiration and artistic development from the stunning Kashmiri shawls that had come back to Britain via the Empire.

In addition to the Paisley design developed in Scotland, Macclesfield became known for, and still remains, extremely gifted at the production of geometric prints.

This small, neat and often-evenly-spaced, curvy pattern somewhat mimics what many would see as the heart of a Paisley design. The limited-edition collection we have curated features these bespoke geometric designs designed and made in Macclesfield.

Paisley or Geometric Madder pocket squares are often seen as a unique and stylish alternative to traditional solid colours or floral printed pocket squares.

HOW TO WEAR YOUR MADDER SILK POCKET SQUARE?

The Madder silk pocket square is not only a statement piece and bold in design, but it is also genuinely versatile with a mixture of shirts and jackets. In the most general terms, Madder pocket squares are particularly well-suited for Autumn, although they can be worn year-round depending on your colour palette of choice.

Madder pocket squares are usually combined with rich, textured jacket fabrics such as wool or tweed and paired with an Oxford button-down shirt for a classic British heritage look. Most heavier fabrics with some heft and texture will pair well with Madder silk due to the richness within the hand screen print of the pocket square.

Outside of rich, darker tones, the beauty of Madder is that it will sit comfortably with almost any colour of navy, blue or grey, while it will also lift an array of other shades. The distinctive Madder patterns match beautifully with a smart casual look, sports coat, or even a country suit. For dressier occasions, rusts, golds and burgundy colours work very well with the lighter shades of summer cotton & linen blazers.

EXPLORE HOW TO FOLD A MADDER SILK POCKET SQUARE

What we love about any Madder Silk Pocket Square is its versatility and how the prominent border, combined with the geometric print can add a true statement to any jacket.

How you fold a pocket square determines whether it adds a subtle accent, or can be a flamboyant addition of colour, becoming the focal point of your outfit.

If you want to explore the different types of pocket square folds you can use with this collection then head over to our YouTube channel. We have a dedicated Pocket Square Fold Series covering all the classic folds you can use on this pocket square and any others within our collection.

What Makes Our Pocket Squares So Special?

1. We use the finest mulberry silk with our silk pocket squares and linings. The quality of the fabric can be seen in the texture and the level of detail and vibrancy of the finished product. All our silks are printed in Macclesfield, England, an area renowned for silk printing for the past 200 years.

2. We take the utmost care in printing our silk pocket squares and linings which results in truly remarkable levels of detail. Faces, objects and colours are sharp and well defined to give a truly stunning finish. We also take exceptional care with the colour bleed, so the print is almost as crisp on the back as it is on the front, allowing for an unlimited number of folds to a pocket square.

3. The art of hand rolling pocket squares is a unique craft and truly makes each piece individual and unique. We feel that the precision and care taken by our skilled artisans gives each square its own unique character, finish and feel. To create the finest rolled hems, the edge of the silk must be softy turned over with a handheld needle and then small stitches are inserted approximately one half to one centimetre apart around the edge, creating a supple yet prominent border.

4. We believe that 40cm is the minimum size for a high quality pocket square. Any smaller and it will slide down inside your pocket with any movement of your jacket, while it limits the number of folds you can achieve as there is not enough volume to hold it in place. It goes without saying we would never advocate any form of pocket square holder. All our pocket squares are either 42cm x 42cm or 40cm x 40cm.