Pollensa textile company in line for national award

Dating from 1854, it is renowned for being one of a very few textile producers that use the ikat dyeing technique. Introduced to the family business by Martí Vicens, his experimentations with colours came to characterise the products. The technique gave rise to the “roba de llengües” (cloth of tongues), which refers to the fabric rather than to the technique.

Ikat is an Indonesian word. It was popularised in Europe as a result of Dutch research into textile traditions in the former East Indies. The chief characteristic of the technique is a blurry pattern which apparently came about because of difficulties with lining up dyed yarns during the weaving process. Finer yarns and greater skills have reduced this blurry appearance, but it of course remains essential to the products.

The commonly held view is that ikat in Mallorca came about because of the old Silk Road, but it would seem that it didn’t take root on the island until the early nineteenth century. It was used elsewhere in Europe, but it is believed to now be unique to Mallorca and to be almost unique to Vicens, given the very small number of textile producers who deploy the technique.

The awards are due to be given in December.