Denim has always been a material with memory. It starts as something practical, then softens with time, carrying traces of the life lived in it. That sense of familiarity is part of its appeal. In Genoa, a Studio Concepts windowcovering design, denim steps into a new role. Reclaimed fibers are handwoven into a textile that feels both grounded and elevated, celebrating what endures and what can be renewed.

A FIBER WITH A SECOND LIFE

Genoa is woven with a recycled denim yarn made from finely shredded cotton denim reclaimed from worn jeans and production scraps. These denim fibers are blended with recycled PET (polyester) created from post-consumer plastic bottles. The PET functions as a supporting fiber, allowing the denim to be spun into a continuous thread that is both soft and resilient.

Before shredding, the denim is carefully sorted by color. This preserves the authentic indigo-rooted hues and produces tonal blues, greys, and softened neutrals without heavy re-dyeing. The color appears honest and naturally dimensional, with subtle shifts that feel lived-in rather than overly uniform.

HOW IT IS MADE

The recycling process begins by collecting and sorting used denim and scraps, then removing hardware like zippers and rivets. The fabric is mechanically shredded into fibers and blended with PET. The mixture is then spun into yarn.

Because reclaimed denim fibers vary in length, the yarn retains a lightly textured, tweed-like surface with gentle slubs. These quiet irregularities are a signature of the fiber and part of what makes it so expressive in a handwoven design. The yarn has a soft, linen-like hand and an artisanal character that enhances the surface of the finished textile.

WHY RECYCLED DENIM MATTERS

This fiber choice is rooted in renewal and responsible design.

• Naturally retained color. That means far less re-dyeing, which reduces water use, energy consumption, and chemical processing.
• Waste diverted, value restored. Reclaimed denim fibers and recycled PET from plastic bottles are redirected from landfills and reintroduced into the design cycle as a lasting material.
• Lower water footprint. Producing virgin cotton is highly water-intensive. By reusing existing cotton denim, this fiber helps avoid the significant water demands associated with growing new cotton.
• A circular material story. This yarn extends the life of two everyday resources, textiles and plastics, and transforms them into something elegant and enduring for the home.

Recycled denim yarn demonstrates how thoughtful material choices can minimize environmental impact while still delivering beauty.

CRAFTING SANCTUARY, RESPONSIBLY

Every fiber we choose is selected with intention. Genoa reflects our belief that sustainability and luxury belong together, and that the most compelling materials often carry a story of care. What once lived as everyday denim is now transformed into a handwoven design for the home, crafted to last, grounded in heritage, and shaped by the possibilities of renewal.

EXPLORE GENOA

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR NATURAL FIBERS

Handwoven artistry that stirs the senses.

This season, color takes center stage. Rich, grounded, and undeniably modern, our Fall 2025 introductions celebrate the beauty of nature reimagined through a contemporary lens. From the depth of burgundy to the quiet strength of blue and green, each hue is woven to capture the moment—authentic, tactile, and timelessly right now.

GLIMMER

ESSENCE

TARTAN

Continuing our commitment to handwoven artistry and natural materials, the collection debuts new colorways across three of our signature Grassweave Woven-to-Size designs —Tartan, Essence, and Glimmer—alongside Genoa, a new addition to the Studio Concepts collection.

EXPLORE ALL NEW ARRIVALS

In April, the Lake Forest Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago unveiled the 2025 Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens, benefitting IWS Family Health. For nearly 40 years, the event has drawn leading designers to reimagine historic estates while supporting critical healthcare services for underserved families in the Chicago area, raising more than $5 million for IWS.

This year’s showcase occurred at Pembroke Lodge, a 15,000 square-foot limestone Georgian-style home designed in 1895 by noted Chicago architect Henry Ives Cobb. Once part of a nearly 40-acre estate with landscape design by Frederick Law Olmsted, the residence has long been admired for its architectural pedigree and history of visionary design. Past renovations include work by David Adler and Frances Elkins, cementing its place as one of Lake Forest’s most iconic estates.

We were delighted to participate in this year’s Lake Forest Showhouse, contributing to a project that beautifully blends design with purpose.

Pembroke Lodge Illustration             Thomas Birkman, Birkman Interiors

Design Space: The Office
Designer: Thomas Birkman, Birkman Interiors
Photographer: Ryan McDonald
Windowcovering: Old Style Roman Shades in CWMS82 Junsei - Tochi, from the Michael S. Smith Collection

Among the 38 talented designers selected, Thomas Birkman of Birkman Interiors transformed “the office” into a richly layered retreat that balances classic sophistication with modern artistry. His design features wood-paneled walls, curated collections of books and art, and a refined mix of patterns and textures—capturing the warmth of a traditional study with a fresh, worldly perspective.

To complete the space, Birkman selected Hartmann&Forbes Old Style Roman Shades in CWMS82 Junsei - Tochi from the Michael S. Smith Collection. The refined bamboo matchstick shades introduce texture and softness, filtering light with an organic elegance that complements the room’s architectural character. The golden tones of Junsei - Tochi harmonize seamlessly with the warm woodwork, enhancing the timeless elegance of the office.

The 2025 Lake Forest Showhouse offered a glimpse into the enduring power of design to honor history while inspiring fresh perspectives, reaffirming its place as one of the nation’s premier showhouses.

At Hartmann&Forbes, our pursuit of purposeful design has always been guided by a belief that natural materials, shaped by the hand of an artisan, create spaces of sanctuary. Today, we are pleased to share an exciting new chapter in that story: our partnership with Lutron’s Native by Design™ Program.

This program combines Lutron’s renowned innovations in lighting, motorized window treatments, and lighting control with Hartmann&Forbes’ artisanal windowcoverings to create intelligent shading solutions where advanced technology and timeless craftsmanship exist in perfect harmony.

THE MEANING OF NATIVE BY DESIGN

Unlike traditional integrations, which retrofit intelligence after the fact, Native by Design means seamless from the start. Our handwoven Roman and Roller Style shades, crafted from renewable natural fibers by skilled artisans, are natively engineered to pair effortlessly with Lutron’s precise, whisper-quiet motorized shade drives.

For designers and integrators, this partnership delivers new business opportunities, design confidence, and valuable time savings through simplified, pre-engineered integration. For homeowners, it means intuitive, effortless control and living environments that adapt gracefully to the rhythms of the day.

A SHARED VISION

This partnership is more than a meeting of technology and craft — it’s a shared vision of creating environments that enrich daily living. Together, Hartmann&Forbes and Lutron offer a rare synergy: spaces where light, texture, and movement work in concert to create sanctuary.

As Lutron launches the Native by Design™ Program at CEDIA EXPO 2025, we are honored to be a featured partner in this program.

EXPERIENCE THE ART OF INTELLIGENT SHADING