Toile de Jouy is a term that has survived time, history and fashion and has come to have a far broader meaning that it did in its origin. Once, the term was applied only to those fabrics that were created in the Jouy-en-Josas factory in France. These fabrics were intricately designed with mythological figures, flowers and fruits and birds, etc. (usually one color on a solid light background). Other images crept into the factories over time, and these included pastoral country scenes done in red, blue, purple or black monochrome and were labeled "toile de Jouy." It came to mean a style of print and not just the factory town where it was originated.

Toile de Jouy may also be the only style of textile production that was suppressed by a king (Louis XIV). In 1686 he banned all import and production of these detailed, finely designed fabrics. This action was to protect the French fabric and silk factories from the impact of foreign imports and the undermining of the French textile industry. This ban lasted over a century. During that time, knowledge of the process all but disappeared from France.

However, by 1805 the ban had been lifted and foreigners with the know-how and inclination to continue this fabric printing technique flooded into France. These newcomers revitalized the interest in and knowledge of toile production. So, in spite of Louis XIV’s ruling, it was foreign textile producers who recreated what was thought to be a totally French product.

Printing techniques used to create the images included woodblock, where raised designs were inked and then stamped onto fabrics. The designs were repeated over the entire length of the material. Copper rollers invented in 1783 by Englishman Thomas Bell made the process 30 times faster to create and with astonishing clarity and detail. There were no breaks in the print, no misalignments and fewer errors in the location of the designs. Prior to the invention of this copper roller technique, more open spaces were part of the design. This mechanized method allowed for closer designs and more control. Space between the scenes could also be filled with geometrics such as stripes, diamonds, etc.

In 1977 The Toile de Jouy Museum was created to preserve over 30,000 original toile de Jouy designs that now exist. Five thousand items utilizing some of these designs are displayed at the chateau where the museum is housed. The museum also collects contemporary patterns and fabrics that show a Jouy-en-Josas inspiration for the old factory days of the early 1600’s. Also housed at the museum are several works of reference on textiles and toiles, although they are not accessible by the general public.

Wallpaper designs, stencil images, fabrics in all weights and colors, plus accessories with toile designs are in hot demand today and all have their origin in the factories of France where the methods and techniques were first developed. The intricate scenes, rich colors and textures are just what today’s interior designers are selecting, and so can you. Visit any fabric retailer to see dozens of samples for your decorating.