A History of Lloyd Loom Furniture
In 1917, the American entrepreneur Marshall Burns Lloyd patented a method of twisting Kraft paper around steel wire and then weaving these paper-wrapped wires on a loom. This method creates a fine, regular and solid weave that strongly resembles wicker, but is harder wearing and more solid because it is reinforced with the steel wire. Lloyd christened this weave “Lloyd Loom”. Chairs, tables, and other furniture made from Lloyd Loom soon became incredibly popular in the United States. As a consequence, Lloyd was able to negotiate a licensing agreement during the 1920s with an English manufacturer, who used the Lloyd Loom material in an original manner and created romantic English furniture collections.
Lloyd Loom in Demand
Lloyd Loom was soon the rage throughout Europe, and began to be made all over the world. Lloyd Loom furniture was seen everywhere, not just in the home, but in hotels, restaurants, tea rooms, even on Zeppelins and the promenade decks of luxury cruise liners.
Demand for Lloyd Loom furniture decreased in the decades after the Second World War. But in the 1980s, as interest in classic pre-war chair designs grew, antique Lloyd Loom furniture become highly sought after by collectors. Soon the trend for the furniture was greater than ever before, and brand-new designs for Lloyd Loom chairs and other furniture were being made for homes, gardens, and other premises across the globe.
A New Name in Lloyd Loom
In the early 1990s, Vincent Sheppard began importing small quantities of Lloyd Loom furniture from England. Demand grew so much that the English supplier could no longer keep pace. A production plant was started in Indonesia. Not content with this, in 1998 Vincent Sheppard set up a second production installation in Hungary to develop a new line based on beechwood frames.
In 2002 Vincent Sheppard started up a production line of outdoor Lloyd Loom chairs and sofas, and henceforth became the only producer in the world of outdoor Lloyd Loom furniture. This collection consists of rigid ultra-light aluminium frames with a latex treated weave. These all-weather products for gardens and terraces have found a devoted market and have so proven to be a big success.
Unique and Innovative Lloyd Loom Furniture
Today, Vincent Sheppard is one of the few vertically-integrated Lloyd Loom manufacturers, and has really made its mark on the world of furniture design. We have fully-owned plants in Indonesia, Hungary, and Belgium, the home of Vincent Sheppard Lloyd Loom furniture. We refresh our collection with innovative furniture designs on a regular basis.
From Melbourne to Milan, from Tokyo to Toronto, we are currently selling our line of Lloyd Loom furniture for homes, gardens, and businesses in more than 30 countries. Vincent Sheppard regularly takes part in the most renowned furniture fairs across the world, including Maison et Objet in Paris, Salone del Mobile in Milan, The Furniture Show in Birmingham, IMM in Cologne, Mebel in Moscow, and Interior Lifestyle in Tokyo.
With this unique line of Lloyd Loom furniture - including everything from small accessories to chairs, tables, and beds - Vincent Sheppard stand for legendary seating comfort, fit for the new century, yet retaining the authentic touch that makes Lloyd Loom so distinctive and appealing.
We invite you to share the legacy of Lloyd Loom with us…
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