William Morris Fabric

About

Browse our carefully curated collection of William Morris fabric produced under a special licence from Morris & Co. Inspired by nature, William Morris prints feature floral and botanical designs in rich earthy colours and are instantly recognisable for their iconic design. The History of William Morris William Morris was considered a pioneer of the Arts & Crafts movement in Britain and worked as an interior designer from the 1860s, initially creating his designs through the medium of embroidery to recreate the Medieval wall hangings he so loved. Expanding into carpets and textiles, he printed his first fabrics in 1868 favouring the traditional block printing method over the modern roller method. William Morris Textile Designs William Morris' first designs were Jasmine Trellis and the famous Tulip and Willow, although he was forced to adapt his designs for the limitations of the chemical dyes used by the manufacturer Clarkson in Lancashire. Staying true to his love of tradition, he moved production of his fabrics to Staffordshire where Thomas Wardle produced natural dyes. Use of the natural dyes allowed him to create more complex designs, often featuring ordinary garden flowers. Morris & Co origins Morris & Co was established by William Morris and his associates in 1861 under the name Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. As a manufacturer and retailer of furnishings they opened their first shop on Oxford St in 1877. Wishing to move away from dependence on external contractors, William Morris eventually found the perfect site to launch his own production facility in 1881, moving onto the old textile printing works now known as Merton Abbey Mills in South London, next to the River Wandle. Strawberry Thief Print Now able to blend his own dyes and weave textiles in-house, it was at Merton Abbey that William Morris produced one of his most famous designs "Strawberry Thief" inspired by the fruit stealing thrushes from his Oxfordshire garden. Browse our coll