A handwoven organic cotton shawl in plum and pink - made by Emma Baker in Salisbury, Wiltshire. 
 
Woven on a floor loom in a Monk's belt structure using plum, pink and cream cotton yarns.
 
What is Monk’s belt?
Monk's belt is a traditional four-shaft weave structure that creates a distinctive geometric pattern of weft floats across the fabric surface. The floats form a grid-like design of colour blocks and stripes, giving the finished fabric a structured, textural character that is quite different from a plain or twill weave. It is one of the oldest named weave structures in Scandinavian and Northern European textile tradition.
The colourway is built from an organic ecru cotton warp and a mix of very fine pink and navy weft threads - threads so fine that they blend optically in the weave to give an overall plum colourway, with the pink and cream visible at the edges and fringe.
This shawl is soft and airy - and wool-free. It is perfect for anyone who prefers natural fibres without wool against their skin, whether because of sensitivity, preference, or for gifting to someone who avoids wool.
 
What makes this shawl special?
Handwoven in Salisbury, Wiltshire by Emma Baker - member of the Artful Collective and Wessex Guild of Craftsmen
Organic ecru cotton warp with fine pink and navy weft - an optically blended plum colourway
Monk’s belt weave structure - a traditional four-shaft pattern creating a geometric, textured surface
Soft, airy and wool-free - ideal for anyone with wool sensitivity or who prefers cotton next to the skin
Finished with delicate hemstitching and a 12cm fringe at each end
Generous dimensions - 59cm × 200cm: wear as a scarf, wrap over the shoulders as a shawl, or drape loosely
One of a kind - handwoven on a floor loom; once sold, this exact shawl cannot be replicated
 
A gift for someone who appreciates traditional craft.
At £150, this shawl is the most substantial piece in the cotton range - a piece that rewards closer looking. The Monk's belt structure, the organic yarn, the hemstitched fringe: every detail has been considered. It suits someone who appreciates traditional textile skills and the time it takes to produce something this carefully made.
 
How to care for an organic cotton shawl:
Hand wash gently in cool or lukewarm water with a gentle detergent suitable for delicates. Minimal agitation. Rinse once thoroughly. Press between towels to remove excess water and dry flat, away from direct heat. Take care around the hemstitched fringe - do not wring or pull. Do not machine wash on a hot cycle or tumble dry. Organic cotton may shrink if washed in hot water - always use cool or lukewarm water.