NEW LINEN GOODS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 660, 13 January 1933, Page 9

NEW LINEN GOODS.

Tariff Revives Industry for Ireland. REAL BEAUTY OF DESIGN. Adversity is often the avenue to prosperity. It is just because the Irish linen industry has experienced its seven years or so of adversity that nowadays the linen buyer will find the drapery stores offering good quality Irish linen goods in a range of new weaves, finishes and patterns hitherto unobtainable. Until the introduction of the 50 per cent tariff and its amended measure of the 25 per cent tariff Irish linen producers had no encouragement to enterprise. In the big range of fancy linens, including small soft tea, luncheon, bridge and supper sets comprising a table cover and half a dozen napkins as well as in cushion covers, d’oyleys, duchesse sets and so on, the lower production costs of their Continental competitors gave them a monopoly. The “ Buy British Linens ” slogan was a myth when 80 per cent of the goods available were “ made in Czechoslovakia ” or elsewhere, and the label of origin so extremely modest as to escape observation. The tariff has changed all that, and now the beauty of designs, the honest-to-goodness craftsmanship and the extremely moderate prices of Irish linens emphasise very markedly the cheap look of imported articles. Tba Coloured Vogue. So general is this renaissance of Irish linens this season that one can only instance a few of the latest developments. First, perhaps, may be noted bed linens. The coloured vogue still holds, but its latest variant is the introduction of white sheets with coloured tops and embroidery, having pillow cases to match. In this connection, also, the latest in bedspreads has an ornamental lace edging harmonising with an imitation Italian filet lace motif and fitting in with most modern bedroom colour schemes. Indeed, it is even possible—if a housewife desires the most for her money—alternatively to utilise these decorative bedspreads as table or sofa covers. New Pagoda Design. “ How happy could I be with either, were t’other dear charmer away.” So one will feel discriminating between the charming and very popular priced Irish linen tea cloths and sets of the moment. Thus there is the pagoda design, even surpassing the big selling willow plate pattern because it is in half-a-dozen different tints, but delightfully presented in two-tone effects, fast colours and of honest made linen throughout. It may be that taste will incline also to the effective soft cloths «and sets wherein flax and rayon are cunningly blended to give luxurious effects. The beauty of these cloths is that they are reversible. When the meal is over all that is necessary is to turn the cloth and the dining-room table is transformed with a charming centrepiece. “Buy British Linens” is golden advice to the prudent shopper at present. It ensures that for small expenditure the woman of taste can have Irishmade linen which is literally “ a thing of beauty ... a joy for ever."