Founded in 1995, originally the linen was sourced purely from Russia. The founder Theresa Tollemache first went there in the late 1980's to trace her grandmother’s family but instead she started bringing home linen damask hand towels as presents and discovered an ancient industry unknown to much of the world, which was still producing flax products for the internal market. She saw an opportunity to create a business from a country steeped in the tradition. The mills were weaving everything from heavy duty sacking for agriculture, to fine damasks for the Kremlin.
The business began with a small collection of bed and table linens having established contacts with the manufacturers in some of the most ancient towns along the shores of the Volga.
As well as the e-commerce shop selling to customers all over the world, today an important part of Volga’s business is creating bespoke products for 5* hotel groups producing table linens, bed linens, curtains and cushions.
Working with partners such as Rocco Forte Hotel, Bovey Castle in Devon, Rosewood Hotel Groups they recently completed supplying the The Wild Rabbit in Oxfordshire.
Extending the luxury offering even further and transforming a gift into something totally personal, they offer a full monogramming service, whether it be an initial in the corner of a napkin, an intertwined initials wedding gift on a sheet or a child’s name and date of birth on a pillow.
In an age of conscious consumerism and environment concerns, linen has great ecological credentials. Flax needs less in the way of fertilizers and pesticides than most other crops - and is environmentally friendly due to low input. Production has little waste because every part of the plant is used for various purposes. It is also renewable with a short growing cycle.
Something to bare in mind with Christmas under 3 months away, with all of us spending more time in our homes, Volga have you covered for the ultimate in timeless luxury and lifelong heirloom gift ideas.
By Anna Bance
October 2020
