The Ethereal Palette: Artistry and Ecology in the Moth Collection
A quiet presence descends upon the California landscape during the blue hour, when the sun has dipped below the horizon and the evening air begins to cool. While much of the world's attention turns to daytime pollinators, a silent, equally vital pollinating night shift is just beginning its essential work. This twilight transition serves as the creative foundation for the expansion of the Moth collection, celebrating a cast of characters that sustain local ecosystems under the cover of dusk.
This collection is a tribute to these understated guardians of the environment. Moths are remarkable and diverse, playing a crucial role in pollinating countless plant species that rely on nocturnal visitors for reproduction. Their intricate wing patterns and delicate textures offer a masterclass in organic symmetry, providing a sophisticated alternative to more common natural motifs.
The Legacy of Pebble: A Foundational Inspiration
The collection began with a singular, anchoring colorway: Pebble. Inspired by the neutral, toasted gray wings of native species that flutter through the California evening, Pebble was designed to be a versatile staple. Available in both the signature Moth Wallpaper and Moth Textile, this pattern captures the essence of the nocturnal landscape, representing the quiet elegance and understated strength of the moth in motion.
Pebble has become a favorite for restorative, biophilic spaces that honor nature's subtle details. It represents the start of a design journey, the grounded neutral that allowed for the observation and eventual expansion of a palette reflecting the broader tapestry of the California lifestyle.
A New Horizon: From the Coast to the Kitchen Garden
In this new release, the collection moves beyond the foundational neutral to introduce five colorways that reflect a curated California life. These hues draw from the environments that surround and inspire the studio.
Thyme: A verdant, silvery green that pays homage to the heart of the California home, the kitchen garden. This hue brings the aromatic freshness of cultivated herbs indoors.
Rosemary: A deeper, forest-toned green that echoes the structured beauty of Mediterranean-inspired landscaping found throughout the state.
Estuary: Inspired by the cool, deep blues of the brackish waters where rivers meet the Pacific, Estuary offers a tranquil, grounding presence.
Sand: This light, earthy tone reflects the warmth of the sun-baked environment and the pale, neutral dunes found along the coast.
Rose: A soft, mineral glow that embodies the hues of California canyon walls at sunset.
Biophilic Living: A Tactile, Plant-Based Approach
Integrating these new colorways into a home requires a focus on materiality and a connection to the earth's raw elements. The Moth collection is best grounded with textural, natural, organic materials.
The Moth Textile pairs naturally with the weight of heavy-gauge linen, the smooth coolness of tumbled stone, or the warmth of wood. By surrounding these patterns with woven fibers, the home becomes a multi-sensory environment that feels more balanced and intentionally connected to the earth.
Conscious Composition
The expanded Moth textile collection is printed on plant-based fabrics, specifically Belgian linen and organic cotton sateen. These natural fibers offer a tactile, breathable quality that complements a wellness-focused interior.
The Moth Wallpaper is FSC-certified, PVC-free, and printed with GREENGUARD Gold-certified water-based latex inks.
Celebrating the Night Shift
The expanded Moth collection invites a closer look at the silent contributors to the landscape. From the original elegance of Pebble to the botanical inspiration of the new palette, these designs offer a sophisticated way to bring the artistry of the California evening indoors.
LA Textile: Organic, Sustainable and Recycled Fiber Fabrics
The Kale Tree design team had a great time visiting LA Textile at the California Market Center. We set out to meet the best new designers, manufacturers, mills, and printers in the heart of downtown Los Angeles and are excited about the new friends and connections we've made.
Organic textiles were at the top of our sourcing list. We're happy to report that there were an increasing number of suppliers with organic fabrics in varying weights and colors on the showroom floor. While natural and organic textiles were displayed from across the globe, we found a strong presence of Japanese mills with elegant certified organic cotton twills, batiste, canvas, and satin weaves.
We also connected with the folks at Cotton Incorporated and had an interesting chat about U.S. Cotton and the importance of traceability and transparency in cotton fiber textiles.
Recycled fiber textiles are another fabric we are especially interested in designing in our studio. While luxury-level recycled fiber textiles are still somewhat in limited offerings, we were pleased to connect with mills offering recycled polyesters, textiles made from recycled water bottles, and Seaqual fabrics made from recycled ocean plastics. We love to see mills working with recycled fiber yarns and especially support efforts to remove plastics from the ocean.
Custom-printed textiles are at the heart of what we do. We love fabric, and we find it incredibly rewarding to see our nature-inspired illustrations realized as drapery, bedding, pillows, and a host of other home decor items. At the LA Textile event, we were delighted to connect with like-minded folk who care about sustainability and wellness in design, sourcing, and production methods.
The Kale Tree design team is working on a new organic textile collection for 2023 featuring California native flora and fauna. Inspired by the local wildlife of our Southern California mountains, deserts, woodlands, and beaches, we look forward to sharing more with you soon!
