The History of Nottingham Lace in Our Garters and Handkerchiefs

Step into the captivating world of Nottingham Lace, the only lace we use in our garters and handkerchiefs! From its humble beginnings in the heart of England to its status as a symbol of luxury and sophistication, Nottingham Lace holds a special place in the world of textile craftsmanship and in the hearts of Extra Special Touch too. In this blog, we look through the enchanting history of Nottingham Lace and discover why it remains the unrivaled choice for adorning our exquisite garters and handkerchiefs.

As a Nottingham girl, born and bred, Nottingham Lace was the only choice for our luxury wedding garters and personalised handkerchiefs. I’ve always had a fascination with the local history of Nottingham Lace; it hosts centuries of tradition intertwined with timeless elegance, and it’s beautiful too! Whilst the original Lace Market area of Nottingham is now full of trendy bars and vintage clothes shops, it still holds the prestigious era of what once was. With beautiful buildings, intricate architecture, and cobbled streets it’s easy to imagine what it was like a hundred years ago.

There is now just one remaining Nottingham Lace factory of its kind, which is only a few miles away from our studio and we have been lucky enough to have a factory tour by Kate, whose family have owned The Cluny factory since the early 1700’s.

Nottingham Lace is infamous in its own right, producing beautiful designs for centuries it has become a steadfast part of Nottingham’s culture and tradition. It also has an amazing history of being used for Royal Wedding Dresses, such as Kate Middleton and Princess Diana, and is used for Haute Couture fashions all over the world, including Dolce & Gabbana, Paul Smith, Vivienne Westwood and Burberry.

THE CLUNY LACE FACTORY

The Mason Family, who still own The Cluny Lace Factory in Nottingham, originally started as framework knitters in the 1730s and progressed into making lace in the 1760s. Over the last two centuries they have built up a huge collection of lace designs. Many of the lace patterns used today were designed by Frank Maltby Mason and Francis Bowler Mason, the sixth and seventh generations of the Mason family. No other manufacturer in the world produces the same range of patterns and these patterns are unique to Cluny Lace Company Limited.

I first started to use Nottingham Lace from The Cluny Lace Factory for our bridal handkerchiefs when I launched Extra Special Touch in 2009. No other lace was an option, with its exquisite quality and unique designs I was hooked. When I launched my luxury garters in 2014, there was no question that I would continue to only use locally-made Nottingham Lace.

Unique Embroidery Options For Our Personalised Handkerchiefs

OUR NOTTINGHAM LACE PRODUCTS

As a Nottingham-based company we always aim to use local sources where possible, one of those is of course the Nottingham Lace which we use in lots of our products. We are proud to be able to do this as a company and proud to support the only remaining lace factory of its kind in the UK. From personalised monogram handkerchiefs edged in beautiful Nottingham lace, to vintage and contemporary luxury bridal garters, we continue to write this lace’s history and are super proud to do so. Here are just some of the beautiful products we create…