Everything you need to know about shopping for bedlinen, shams, throws and blankets.
Is Starch Living Right for you?
Our products are for people who value quality, craftsmanship, and considered design. If you’re looking for the lowest price or see bedlinen as just another household item, we may not be the right fit for you.
We’re for people who want the best, not the most.
We’re for clients who understand that you get what you pay for — and who see their home as a space worth investing in.
What’s the Starch Living Difference
This isn’t fast homeware. This is Starch Living. Woven in Italy. Crafted in Johannesburg. Lived in beautifully.
We are for you if:
- You want Italian-milled, expertly sewn linen, cotton, and terry towelling
- You care about what touches your skin every night
- You believe in buying once, buying well, and enjoying it for years
Starch Living
Start your Starch Living Journey Here:
Yes, absolutely — we want you to.
We don’t take returns on bedlinen, and we’re upfront about that. Why? Because we don’t resell items that have been sampled, slept in, or handled in a way that compromises hygiene or presentation.
But we also don’t want anyone to buy something they’re unsure of. So we go the extra mile to help you feel confident before you commit.
You’re Invited
If you're in Johannesburg, come by the studio — have a cup of tea, feel the fabric, and see what makes our product different. We love what we do, and we love showing it off. No pressure, just passion.
Not local? We’ll gladly send you swatches so you can touch, see, and fall in love from wherever you are.
We Want You to Be 200% Sure
We don’t chase volume or play the return game — our products are crafted to last, and our clients know that.
We believe in building a community of people who love quality, care about how things are made, and respect craftsmanship.
This might be a “bad” business model — we don’t do trends, and our products aren’t designed to be replaced often. But it’s a great model for people who want to buy once, buy well, and live beautifully.
What makes Starch Living unique in the textile industry?
What makes Starch Living truly unique in the textile industry is not just a single factor — it’s the uncompromising combination of heritage, quality, integrity, and intentional design. Read More below for a detailed list of what makes us different.
Here’s a breakdown of what sets your brand apart:
This isn’t just a slogan — it’s a supply chain philosophy. Your textiles are woven in the finest mills in Italy, where craftsmanship and fibre innovation are generations deep. But the story continues in Johannesburg, where every piece is thoughtfully tailored, finished, and curated under your own roof. This blend of global excellence and local mastery is rare.
Starch Living owns its entire process — from fabric sourcing to final delivery. This allows for:
- Rigorous quality control
- Shorter lead times
- True bespoke capability (colours, sizing, monogramming, and special requests)
- No compromises.
This is not white-labeled or imported wholesale. This is direct, traceable, and authentic manufacturing — for clients who care about the details.
We don't want to overwhelm you with choice — so we have curated a discerning range of products selected for their:
- Longevity
- Usefulness
- Design integrity
- Quiet beauty
We want to guide you toward what works, what lasts, and what feels beautiful every day. This isn’t trend-chasing — this is timeless living.
While many brands talk about softness, we deliver it. You can feel the difference immediately — from sateen and percale, linen and terry towelling, to wool and mohair throws. Our fabrics don’t just look beautiful — they feel exquisite against the skin.
We offer a true hospitality and trade service. That includes:
- Customised sizing for hotel beds and yachts
- Colour matching and fabric swatching
- Monogramming
- Concierge-style consultations (virtual or in-person)
- Small-run capability with big-picture professionalism
We are able to offer a level of flexibility and luxury at scale.
We only work with:
- European-certified, traceable mills
- Natural fibres, never synthetics
- Employ and upskill South African artisans in our studio
- Offer products that are designed to last
This is luxury with a conscience.
Offcuts and remnants are repurposed into:
- Fabric swatches
- Gift sachets
- Sewing kits or care inserts
Packaging is minimal and recyclable, with no unnecessary plastic or overprint. All items you receive in your package are dual-purpose: elegant, informative, and re-usable.
We avoid unnecessary chemical treatments. No artificial wrinkle-free coatings, plasticised softeners, or gloss finishes. Instead:
- We let the natural fibres breathe and evolve
- We embrace the look of washed linen and lived-in sateen
- This keeps both the product and planet clean.
Available Sizes
We offer a wide range of duvet and bedding sizes to suit every mattress — including extra length, oversized, and custom-fit options. If your bed doesn’t match standard measurements, custom sizing is available on request.
Duvet Inners
| Available Sizes | Duvet Inners |
|---|---|
| 80x120 cm | Cot Duvet Inner |
| 135x200 cm | Single Duvet Inner |
| 135x220 cm | Single XL Duvet Inner |
| 150x200 cm | Three Quarter Duvet Inner |
| 150x220 cm | Three Quarter XL Duvet Inner |
| 200x200 cm | Double Duvet Inner |
| 200x220 cm | Double XL Duvet Inner |
| 230x200 cm | Queen Duvet Inner |
| 230x220 cm | Queen XL Duvet Inner |
| 230x220 cm | King Duvet Inner |
| 260x230 cm | King XL Duvet Inner |
| 290x235 cm | Emperor Duvet Inner |
| 270x235 cm | California King Duvet Inner |
Pillow Sizes
| Available Sizes | Pillows |
|---|---|
| 45 × 70 cm | Standard |
| 50 × 90 cm | American |
| 78 × 78 cm | Continental |
| 65 × 65 cm | European |
How does Starch Living incorporate traditional artisanal processes into its products?
Starch Living weaves traditional artisanal processes into its products with deep respect for craft, heritage, and human touch. This is not factory production — it’s slow, considered textile artistry, elevated by modern refinement.
Here’s how Starch Living keeps craftsmanship alive:
The journey begins in Italy’s most respected mills, where time-honoured techniques meet the finest raw materials. These mills:
- Use traditional looms with custom warp and weft settings
- Honour historic finishing methods like stonewashing, brushing, and calendaring
- Work with small dye batches to produce rich, layered colour stories
The result is fabric with life, texture, and soul — not flat, overprocessed cloth.
In your Johannesburg studio, fabric becomes product through:
- Hand-cut patterns tailored for accuracy and drape
- Delicate stitching and French seams for durability and elegance
- Monogramming and embroidery, done with intention
- Custom hemming, piping, and detailing — finished by artisans who care
Your team isn’t anonymous. They are skilled craftspeople, many with years of experience in fine linen making, taught in-house and nurtured with pride.
Starch Living doesn’t chase mass production. Instead:
- Orders are made-to-order or in tight, seasonal runs
- You respond to client needs — not trends
- You preserve space for experimentation, fabric testing, and quality controls at every stage
This preserves the integrity of each piece — no shortcuts, no corner-cutting.
Your design philosophy respects old-world techniques while elevating them with a modern eye:
- Garment-dyed finishes that produce subtle, tonal irregularities
- Washed textures that feel lived-in, not manufactured
- Linen pleats, mitered corners, herringbone trims — details that speak to tradition
This balance is rare: contemporary luxury that still feels hand-crafted.
Clients are not just customers — they’re collaborators. Whether it’s:
- Matching piping to paint colours
- Custom-sizing for yachts, boutique hotels, or unusual mattresses
- Personal monograms for family homes
- Or heirloom-quality gifting
Your work channels the spirit of the tailor — not the retailer.
Artisans at Starch Living treat fabric as a living medium, not just raw material. Every cut, fold, and seam is approached with:
- Patience
- Understanding of the fibre
- Hands that know how linen behaves, how sateen flows, how cotton holds its shape
That care can’t be automated — and your clients feel it in every finished product.
Can you do bespoke orders?
We also offer custom and bespoke orders for our business customers. Please visit our Bespoke and Hospitality page to learn more.
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