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| photo St Tyl |
Appearing at the end of the 17th century, growing and trading of the chardon cardère or fuller's teasel counted as one of the essential activities of south Vaucluse and the northwest of the Bouches-du-Rhone until just after World War II. The Provencial teasel had a world wide reputation for quality and was exported all over - to the USA, Russia, and Japan.
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| photo St Tyl |
Despite its French name, which translated literaly means 'carding thistle,' the teasel never really was used to card wool but to modify the fabric's surface. The purpose of carding is to untangle wool fibers before spinning; the 'carding thistle' was used to brush or nap a fabric after weaving, raising part of the weft fibers to make the cloth's surface soft and warm.
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| photo St Tyl |
Weavers used the heads of teasels for centuries to make combs, then to cover the drums of brushing machines used for this important finishing operation.
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| photo St Tyl |
After a long and lingering decline, teasel crops and trade in the region came to an end as recently as 1989.
Now mostly off duty - this pretty but prickly plant with a history can be seen growing wild throughout the countryside.
source: exhibit at the Musée Estrine, St Rémy-en-Provence
