The Origins of Lloyd Loom
Lloyd Loom was created by Marshall Burns Lloyd in 1917. The American inventor and manufacturer revolutionized the world of furniture with his innovative woven material. While offering the same benefits of the wicker and rattan counterparts, his chairs and baskets were sturdier and more fashionable, and they immediately became more popular.
At the peak of his success, Lloyd licensed the patent for his design to the London firm W. Lusty and Sons.
The Success of Lloyd Loom Linen Baskets
In the late 1920s, through to the 1950s, most wedding gift lists included a Lloyd Loom linen basket. They were available in many shapes and sizes – some with upholstered tops, others with glass over weave tops, for use as a bedside cabinet, as can be seen in the photo taken of a page of a Lusty brochure from 1953.
The prices displayed in this picture provide an interesting overview of the popularity of Lloyd Loom furniture. Due to the inflation, the item number 12B would cost about £70 today. However, this same shape of Lloyd Loom linen basket, but larger, can still be purchased from Maycroft Lloyd Loom today, along with other Lloyd Loom laundry baskets.
Lloyd Loom in Contemporary History
Although Lloyd Lloom baskets and other pieces were relatively popular from the 1950s onwards, it was only in the 1990s that the furniture invented by Mr Lloyd experienced a resurgence in demand.
Thanks to its timeless style, Lloyd Loom furniture works well with not only traditional décor but also with more modern and contemporary looks, making it the perfect choice for all indoor and outdoor spaces.
Lloyd Loom Linen Baskets: A Centuries-Old Triumph
What makes Lloyd Loom baskets so popular is their super-strong material. Marshall B. Lloyd found the perfect sturdy and long-lasting material to replicate the appearance of wicker without any of its negative features – twisted paper with a wire core.
The process he patented created a fabric that looked like wicker into a much stronger fabric, which is cut and attached to bentwood or rattan frames and finished with spray paint. This can be of any colour, and here at Maycroft Lloyd Loom, we are proud to offer a vast selection of Lloyd loom washing and laundry baskets available in a wide range of colours.
Choose Your Timeless Classic
Due to the sturdy construction and the wire core of the Lloyd Loom weave, many of these baskets have survived until today, often passed down through the generations. As a result, many of these older pieces are now being restored in Maycroft’s Cleckheaton workshop and returning to new generations in modern colours and fabrics ready to play a new role for the next 50+ years.
Get in touch with us to learn more about our wide range of Lloyd Loom baskets, chairs and ottomans. We also provide bespoke restoration and repainting services for your original vintage Lloyd Loom pieces.