A Feeling of Nostalgia

There is one kind of fabric that produces a powerful sense of nostalgia in many of us, and that’s the very democratic cloth that covers the seats and benches of public transport systems around the world.

Whether you live in London or Los Angeles, Berlin or Bombay, our buses, metros, and trams use a patterned, wool, fabric called moquette. It comes in thousands of different patterns and weaves, and the sight and touch of each one enables us to reach into our memories and be transported back to a first love, a journey to school, or to friends we have lost touch with. A moquette specialist says every one of us has a moquette that we want to hug. Find out what yours might be and why it matters in this episode of Haptic and Hue’s, Tales of Textiles.

If you go to Haptic and Hue’s website at www.hapticandhue.com/listen, you will find a full transcript of this podcast, pictures of some of the moquettes referred to in this episode, and a list of further resources. You can also sign up there to get these podcasts directly in your inbox, and to have a chance to win some of the textile-related gifts I give away with each episode.