Meet the Maker: Fable and Base

Francesca Baur grew up on a farm in Kent, where her family started one of the UK’s first organic vegetable box schemes. She has taken on the eco baton with her own home-grown sustainable textile design business Fable and Base. We caught up with Francesca to talk Clothkits and foraging… 

I grew up on an organic farm, eating home-grown food and wearing home-made Clothkits clothes… the DIY making culture of the 1970s was very much a part of my childhood. I’m keen to embed the slow movement that I experienced as a child into my work as a designer.

Can you introduce yourself?
I’m Francesca Baur the founder and designer behind Fable & Base. I hand screen print beautiful textiles using low-toxic eco dyes and sustainable fabrics. The textiles and products are carefully sourced, hand-printed and made locally.

Have you both always been creative? 
Yes, I’m from a family of artists, architects, seam-mistresses and designers, so creativity has always been a big part of my life.

Who are your design heroes?
There are so many artists and designers that I admire. I love the work of Sonia Delaunay, seeing her work at the Tate Modern was a real inspiration. It was a treat to visit the Louis Vuitton Foundation and stumble across the exhibition ‘Key to a Passion‘ where I saw the work of some of my favourite artists, Léger, Delaunay, Matisse and Mondrian.

Colour and the natural form are my biggest inspirations. Living in the garden of England means I have a rich resource on my doorstep and I use botanics and plant forms to inform most of my ideas.

Who or what else inspires you?
Colour and the natural form are my biggest inspirations. Living in the garden of England means I have a rich resource on my doorstep and I use botanics and plant forms to inform most of my ideas. We also have a wealth of charity shops and boot fairs in the area, where I love to discover unusual finds in the form of vintage ceramics, textiles and books. Mid-Century Scandinavian design is also a strong influence. Essentially I look for narratives that I can translate on to cloth. I’m intuitive in the way I work but like to use my everyday surroundings as spring board for ideas.

“Colour and the natural form are my biggest inspirations.”

Can you describe your creative process? 
My process begins with building a concept and mood board. I then begin working in the sketchbook. Once I’ve gathered my research I use Photoshop to develop my colourways and layouts. The designs are printed on a large format printer to create the films, which are then exposed on to my screens.

Being sustainable and eco-friendly is an important part of the Fable & Base ethos. Can you tell us a bit more about that? 
My aim with Fable & Base is to create a contemporary and sustainable British design-led fabric studio. The dyes I use are water-based inks, which are approved by the Soil Association. I always print on to quality base cloths, including hemp and organic cotton, and I make products to order to minimise waste. The business has evolved because of my desire to make change, reduce the environmental impact of textiles and create a more sustainable future.

Your family started one of the first organic farm box schemes. Do you think that gave you an understanding of sustainability early on?
Yes, having grown up on an organic farm, eating home-grown food and wearing home-made Clothkits clothes really gave me a great foundation of living a self-sufficient life, and the DIY making culture of the 1970s was very much a part of my childhood. I’m keen to embed the slow movement that I experienced as a child into my work as a designer.

The organic farm where Francesca grew up during the 1970s

Do you think the slow movement is moving across to craft and design?
There has been a definite shift in the last six years. The mainstream consumer is more aware of the importance of transparency and traceability, and more questions are being asked as to where their products have come from.

Where do you work?
This is a really exciting time for my business. I’ve just completed a Kickstarter campaign and received European funding, and I’ve just moved into a new studio this month. My equipment arrived this week, so I now have a 6-metre print table to print repeat lengths, an exposure unit to develop and expose my own designs and a lovely shiny new washout booth!

Francesca has launched foraging workshops which will form part of her ‘LOCAL’ collection

You also run workshops. Can you tell us more about those?
I will be running screen-printing workshops from my new studio but I also host pop-up workshops. I’ve just launched a new series of workshops under the ‘LOCAL collection‘ label. I received some Arts Council funding to run workshops exploring the local area with a forager and natural dye specialist. I love the collaborative element of working with others and will be using the research gathered to produce a new set of designs named LOCAL collection.

Francesca in full ClothKits attire in the 1970s

My studio is just five minutes from the sea, so a perfect day would be a creative morning in the studio, followed by a cycle down to the beach hut to enjoy the sea.

What’s your most treasured possession?
My most treasured possession has to be my print table. I’ve always dreamed of owning a print table that I can print repeats lengths on and now I have to pinch myself as I now own one. Amazing!

How would you spend your perfect day?
My studio is just five minutes from the sea, so a perfect day would be a creative morning in the studio, followed by a cycle down to the beach hut to enjoy the sea.

Francesca’s brand new six-metre screen printing table

It’s essential to research the market. You need to offer something different in a very competitive market. Don’t give up – it is tough but just keeps working towards your vision.

What’s the best thing about being a designer and maker?
The best thing about being a textile designer is having a new idea and being able to play and realise your idea into a finished product or length of fabric.

What would you say to someone thinking about selling their work?
It’s essential to research the market first. You need to find your own USP that allows you to offer something different in a very competitive market. Don’t give up – it is tough but just keeps working towards your vision.

Shop Fable and Base on Folksy >>

To celebrate being a featured maker, Francesca is offering 20% off all Fable and Base products with the code FABLE. Valid until 31 July 2015.