Authentic Dutch Textile

With passion for quality

In the old days there were 2 sizes of handkerchiefs: small ones to put in your pocket, the so called "mouchoirs", and the larger ones to put around your neck, the "foulards". In other countries bandanas are quite popular, inspired on the designs of the Dutch farmers handkerchief. These mostly are a bit smaller and made out of a thinner fabric.

Most handkerchiefs are red, formerly colored by the root of the madder plant that used to be cultivated in the province of Zeeland. This same color of red also appears in the traditional Zeeuwish clothes. Madder is one of the few natural pigments that does not fade.

The red farmers handkerchief was meant to be used during the working days. On sundays men would wear a white one with red accents and the women would wear plain white handkerchiefs. The white with black was worn while mourning, white with blue for half-mourning periods. The patterns of the handkerchiefs are all structured in the same way: a symetrical border around a field of scattered motives, sometimes with a reproduction in the middle. The borders often show sprigs and garlands, but also flowers, dots or geometric motives. Most motives are influenced by fabric that was imported to Europe from China, India and Persia in the 17th century. For example the stylised lotus flowers and paisleys.