Instyle has unveiled their latest textile, Native – an upholstery collection driven by colour, and a desire to create a pared-back look with a classic, versatile appearance. Designed by their in-house studio, Native’s muted colour palette was inspired by the Australian landscape. The final result moves beyond colour trends to create a timeless palette with longevity in mind.
Native forms part of Instyle’s LIFE Textiles range. An acronym for Low Impact For the Environment, LIFE is Instyle’s benchmark sustainable textiles collection released in 2004, designed with a Cradle to Cradle approach that minimises the environmental impact over the entire product lifecycle.
The Ore chair by Timothy Robertson, upholstered in Native Red Ochre.
Nave by Skeehan for Stylecraft, featuring Native (dark grey) + Atlas (dark green) fabrics from Instyle’s sustainable LIFE Textiles collection. Photography by Ashley St George. Styling by Rachel Byron.
Soothing earthy tones such as mustard, burnt ochre, eucalypt green and coastal blue are achieved using a special blend of wool marle fibres. The textile interlaces soft grey yarns those in saturated colours achieving a harmonious, subdued and calming quality.
Colour and pattern trends can play a key role in creating inbuilt obsolescence of products and interiors. This can lead to an increase in waste and landfill when these become out of date and no longer desired. Native is based on ‘The Design of Longevity,’ a concept that centres around Instyle’s commitment to creating products and colourations that stand the test of time – enjoying long-term use and outlasting fashion trends that lead to a more sustainable way of life.
Further to this point, Native is made from low pesticide eco wool fibre sourced from Australian farms, achieving a high-quality finish underpinned with a perennially relevant aesthetic that will age gracefully for many years to come.
Instyle’s weaving mill. Photography by Kate Ballis.
Native is proudly designed and made in Australia in a beautiful historic Returned Soldiers Mill, opened by Prime Minister Billy Hughes in 1922. It is one of the last wool mills remaining in the country since many have closed down when the majority of the manufacturing migrated to Asia.
Instyle was established in 1987 by Michael Fitzsimons to support and promote quality local textile design and manufacturing. With a focus on design, craftsmanship + sustainability, the company has grown into an internationally recognised brand renowned for developing sophisticated textiles, leathers, acoustic solutions and wallcoverings. For more information on Native, visit instyle.com.au/native-sustainable-textile.