Is DNA-Tested Cotton The Next Trend In Bedding? Bespoke Startup Flaneur Is Paving The Way

Bedding is probably one of the most intimate purchases we make. So if there is one home item most of us can rationalize being overly discerning about, what we sleep on should certainly be it. Luckily, a bedding startup called Flaneur has found a way to cater to the highest of tastes.

A favorite of names including interior designer Sasha Bikoff, actress Ellen Pompeo and model Coco Rocha, Flaneur was founded by Tianjiao (“TJ”) Saikhantal Yu and Lu Xiong, in 2016. The idea started incubating right after they graduated from Columbia while they were traveling. “[We were] discovering cultures with rich textile traditions, colorful artistry and craftsmen employing techniques handed down through generations. That really provided the inspiration for the purpose-filled business which turned into Flaneur,” they revel.

Next Level Bespoke

Flaneur has some of the finest bespoke bedding available. This is because essentially, the brand has redefined what it is to control every aspect of the manufacturing process. It starts with single origin 100% long staple Supima cotton grown in Arizona and California. “It’s like a single origin coffee because we can trace where the cotton has been grown and exactly which harvest it is from,” the founders explain.

It is also the only bedding brand that performs DNA testing on every batch of fabric. This stops any inferior fibers from getting into the mix at the earliest stages of the supply chain. This is just one example of the way the brand uses extreme quality control measures.

Flaneur’s bedding is single ply, one pick, premium sateen with a 400-thread count weaving. While many people believe the higher the thread count, the better the bedding, that’s simply untrue. Many companies artificially inflate their thread count by using thinner threads. There is a finite amount of any thread that can physically fit into a square inch of fabric.

Flaneur’s fibers are both strong and soft, to prevent pilling. But most importantly, they hold color incredibly well. Flaneur works exclusively with a boutique cut and sew house in Shanghai, which was founded in 1835. It is there where specialist tailors hand sew each piece of bedding, finishing with French seams. Then everything is hand-dyed in Los Angeles.

Every Color On The Pantone Wheel

Another distinction is that Flaneur offers bespoke bedding in every single Pantone color available. In theory, the brand offers approximately 2000 colors. Because each piece is dyed to order, there is no waste, which limits environmental impact. The turnaround time for each custom order is just fourteen days. Non-bespoke products are made to order in small lots and pre-washed, as well as quality checked.

Solidly Unique

Flaneur focuses mostly on solid colored bedding because, as Yu and Xiong explain, “We had found the majority of bedding in solid colors on the market to feel stiff and starchy and the colors to be limited and not particularly good quality cotton. So, we started visiting dye houses in different countries to find the best the solution, as dying is the step that’s key to the long term performance of a fabric.”

Customers can share their preferred Pantone color code with Flaneur, choose from a curated selection, take an online quiz to see what shades and style they connect with or upload an image for color matching.

There is also the option to collaborate with one of the brand’s color experts. “Our color experts can help match any color a client wants whether it’s a paint chip or a lipstick shade. They can suggest inspiration and complimentary combinations and provide support for projects both big and small. We’ve had customers send us artifacts, artwork, photos of pets, and more,” the founders share. 

In terms of trends, the founders share that over the past couple of years, Flaneur sees its customers embracing maximalism and bold hues. “We are going towards a more the maximalist trend with different shades of pink, yellow, dark purples and bright blues.”

While Form Study in Blue is one of the best selling sets, preferences change seasonally. However, “We see more pastels in the summer. Although our Silverlake Summer 2019 collection created by LA-based fashion designer Heidi Merrick is a mix of coral, sand and black inspired by the beautiful bird of paradise plants that grow wild all over the city.”

Unlike other bedding companies, Flaneur’s designs are not based on what the market is doing, but rather are inspired by art and design. “Our color palettes draw from artists palettes and iconic pieces of art.”

For example, the recent tricolor tie-dye capsule collection was inspired by the ancient Buddhist wall paintings in the cave temples of Mogao, which are located along China’s Silk Road. The next capsule collections will be based on Mark Rothko’s paintings. 

Flaneur also offers a hand-painted color study series, which looks similar to tie-dye, incorporating multiple colors into one piece.

As for the future, Flaneur is currently working with their dye masters to explore tie-dye, drip dying and finger painting techniques and unexpected tools like rulers and rocks to sculpt shapes.

This post first appeared on Forbes.com. To see the original, click here.