by Emma Grady, New York, NY
In Hallowell, Maine, Brahms Mount is designing, weaving, and hand-finishing heirloom quality bed and bath products. One of the last-standing textile mills in the U.S., it has been operating for the past 25 years with the help of antique shuttle looms and a team of artisans who create top quality towels, blankets, bed linens, scarfs, and more with yarns spun from natural fibers.
More than 25 years ago, Claudia Brahms and Noel Mount purchased and renovated buildings constructed in 1866 and built a mill overlooking the Kennebec River. Located upstream from where merchant ships once docked to trade Maine textiles around the globe, Brahms Mount’s location is integral to the brands inspiration.
Today, Brahms Mount is one of ten textile mills in the U.S. and is the only remaining mill weaving linen in the U.S., a spokesperson for the brand says. The brand is owned by David Kaufman, who bought the company in 2009, while the co-founders still manage design and manufacturing.
Claudia Brahms’ design experience is rooted in the fashion industry, yet her “heart is in the open air,” she says in an interview on the Brahms Mount website. She is inspired by the year-round colors in Baxter State Park and describes her aesthetic as simple and classic: She gives a modern twist to familiar textures and motifs.
Each product packs a hand-finished punch: The 100% Cotton Herringbone Throw blankets are complete with a hand twisted fringe and a selvage end woven by Industrial Era looms. They’re also great as holiday gifts.
The 100% Merino Wool Broadcloth Blanket is a main stay come cooler temps and the 100% Merino Wool Herringbone Scarf is ideal for braving Old Man Winter weather.
In addition to being stocked in more than 400 stores nationwide, Brahms Mount textiles can be conveniently scooped up online.
(Source: www.treehugger.com )