I've been looking over an old issue of Maison Fransaise recently, when a series of images in heavenly-blue, indigo-like colors, so relieving in a dazzling hot weather we're experiencing this July, caught my eyes. And when I finished reading the article, I was sure it would be very interesting to share it all with you and here it is:
...Since the 12th century, in the South West of France, in an area formed by the triangle of Albi, Toulouse and Carcassonne, there lies a kingdom of Isatis Tintoria, known as "Pays de Cocagne" - a mythical flourishing country of bonanza and welfare, a kind of Eden, a place where woad (pastel) grows - a yellow-flowered plant, scientifically considered as a sort of salad and, first of all, famous for its dyeing properties.
...Since the 12th century, in the South West of France, in an area formed by the triangle of Albi, Toulouse and Carcassonne, there lies a kingdom of Isatis Tintoria, known as "Pays de Cocagne" - a mythical flourishing country of bonanza and welfare, a kind of Eden, a place where woad (pastel) grows - a yellow-flowered plant, scientifically considered as a sort of salad and, first of all, famous for its dyeing properties.
During the Renaissance, the pastel business brought in an amazing prosperity into the Albi area, which became one of the largest centres of production and export in France, selling as far afield as Spain, Flanders and England. The quality of the indelible mystic-blue colour obtained after processing was very sought after at the time by dyers from all over Europe.
Original photo by Fluorine
In this medieval castle resides the Bleu de Lectoure - a company established by the Lambert family in 1994, occupying with cultivation and processing of the pastel, using modern technology methods of processing and manufacturing then a wide range of pastel blue products: dyes, watercolors, paintings and different textile accessories, scents, soaps and other beauty care products, all available at their E-shop.
Photo by Mariebluebis
Though in February, 2010, the Bleu de Lectoure suffered a great loss of its founder and creator Henri Lambert, his spouse Denise Lambert reassures the business will be kept on developing even stronger than ever for the passionate dream of Henri to live on...
Image from communes.com
The process of dye extraction is not that simple as the blue pigment does not exist as such in the leaves of the plant. '..the woad leaf contains a precursor called : Isatan B, which has the specific properties of producing a transparent indoxyle. It's the association of 2 molecules contained in the indoxyle, which, in the contact of oxygen, will produce the blue pigment. In this form, the pigment is insolvable.'
The extraction itself is done in 4 steps:
1. the soaking
2. the oxidation
3. the precipitation
4. the refining and grinding
Images from Mondoitasca
Textile development
'..since January 2001, the "Bleu de Lectoure" has set up a unique industrial thread dyeing process with the partnership of local dyers and industrial weavers in the Midi-Pyrénées.
The long term goal is to produce the first fabrics with a natural pigment, to create a range of clothes in the authentic pure "Denim weave" as well as fabrics for the European and international textile market.'
This book, though seems to be available only in French, may be also of interest if you would like to know more about pastel. /found at Amazon/
Image from Pamelajanes
The word "Pastel" always brings to mind a small, soft stick of colour that artists use to create drawings or paintings. Pastel pictures retain their colour very well over time.
And below, is another interesting, woad/pastel related place, L'Artisan Pastellier, two in one - a workshop and a boutique, created in 1999 by Didier Boinnard. L’Artisan Pastellier has chosen this blue vegetable dye as his main product, offering high quality coloring materials for artists and decorators such as soft pastels and oil pastels, sealing waxes, watercolors, writing inks, calligraphy inks and various natural pigments. It also produces a line of environment-friendly, water-based house paints.
You can order directly from their site or visit the shop at 7, rue Arago in Graulhet (05 63 42 12 23), or the store in Old Albi, at 5 rue Pech Bérenguier (tel: 05 63 38 59 18.)
This book, though seems to be available only in French, may be also of interest if you would like to know more about pastel. /found at Amazon/ 
