Cotton ottoman: new material for the new MY DRAP

At MY DRAP we work for the continuous improvement of our products. As well as the new collections and designs, this year, 2018, we are incorporating a new fabric: cotton ottoman, even softer, more pleasant and visibly more attractive. Discover why our cotton napkins and placemats are unique in the world!

Have you heard about cotton ottoman? In this article we explain some curiosities about one of the most elegant fabrics, originating from Turkey and used, initially, exclusively by the sultans. We will also discover some differences between the two fabrics we use at MY DRAP: linen and cotton.

A softer fabric to enjoy a unique table

At MY DRAP we constantly innovate in order to offer the best quality to our clients and if we have made a commitment to this fabric it is mainly for being flexible, with a softer and more pleasant touch. These sensations make it perfect for the traditional cotton napkins. It is a unique commitment in the sector that optimises even more the advantages that you already know about regarding the MY DRAP cotton napkins and placemats:

• practical presentation in pre-cut roll,
• washable, easy and convenient maintenance at home,
• wide variety of sizes, formats and colours,
• unique designs and collections, which are renewed every year and which enable a wide variety of combinations to decorate your table.

For all these reasons, at MY DRAP we will be gradually incorporating the cotton ottoman to all our designs!

If you still have doubts about using cotton napkins and placemats consult our articles: Cotton napkins: a vintage commitment  and placemats: the new tendency?

Cotton ottoman: history of a unique fabric

Ottoman means a native of Turkey, an intercontinental country situated between Europe and Asia. It is also the name with which a type of soft divan is known, considered very luxurious and which is mentioned for the first time in France in 1729, in the inventory of the royal furniture.

As regards the fabric, it is a ribbed cloth used in Turkey since the 13th century, made with silk threads and reserved for the use of sultans and their followers. It is also interesting to point out that the fabrics of the Ottoman Empire were among the most elegant in the Islamic world: not only were they sold in the Empire but also exported to Europe and the Middle East, where they were considered an enormously appreciated luxury item.

Today the qualities of ottoman are also applied to cotton, linen or viscose, resulting in very strong fabrics that are pleasant to touch, less conventional than a simple linen. This is the case of the MY DRAP cotton napkins and placemats, manufactured with cotton ottoman. Without doubt, a special fabric to dress a unique table with, attractive to the eye and to touch.

Cotton and linen, the MY DRAP commitments to dress the table

Cotton and linen are the two most-used vegetable fibres today. From among the MY DRAP placemats and cotton napkins you can choose 100% cotton or linen. Below we explain some differences between the two fabrics.

Cotton and linen: natural origin

The fibres of vegetable origin are mainly cellulose, which is used in the textile industry and in the manufacture of paper. Whereas cotton comes from the fruit where the seeds are stored in the plant, and linen is obtained from part of the stem.

According to the experts, the first cotton cultivations were in South America and Asia, some 8,000 years ago, and in some historical documents they are referred to as “trees where the wool grows”. At the end of the Middle Ages cotton became known in northern Europe and, years later, the Industrial Revolution represented a definitive impulse for the manufacture of cotton.

The use of linen for manufacturing cloth dates back to what is today Turkey, around 7000 BC. Before cotton was known in Europe, linen was the most important textile fibre after wool.

Cotton and linen: different properties

As we said, both fabrics come from nature but have characteristics that make them different:

• Sometimes it is easy to recognise them just by looking, observing their surface: whereas cotton threads are regular (smoother or thinner according to the quality of the cotton), the diameter of linen threads are more irregular, with some knots or less thin parts.
• Cotton thread is a helical tube, which gives a certain elasticity to clothing, making the fabric easier to iron and maintain. Linen fibre, in contrast, is stiffer, which makes the creases more visible and longer-lasting. This also conditions the strength of the clothing: linen is considered 3 times stronger that cotton fibre.
• Cotton is porous, and can absorb moisture slowly and store it. In contrast, linen absorbs water but does not retain in, so it dries quickly. This is why linen is associated with this touch of freshness.

¿Cotton or linen napkins and placemats?

As some people say, “for tastes, the colours” and certainly the choice of one or other fabric will depend on the preferences and circumstances of each person. Nevertheless, it is true that often the preference for linen has something to do with the desire to look for something different, a fabric with this more irregular, craft-like part, which differs in appearance and touch compared to other types of products.

This is why at MY DRAP we have included some collections in linen, designed for those special days when we are looking for a touch of elegance and celebration on our table:

• Silver Stars!, with silver snowflakes on a white background
• Silver Splash!, with fun silver splashes
• Golden Splash!, with golden splashes.

We can also dress a distinguished table with plain colours. This is why in the Basics collection we have included linen placemats and napkins, which you can combine to create a mono-colour table or a more customised creation: Basics Linen Cream, Basics Linen Water Green, Basics Linen Natural, Basics Linen Intense Grey.

If you prefer 100% cotton placemats and napkins, check out our wide range of collections! With patterns for more formal events, for everyday use and in attractive plain colours for combining.