Toile

Toile is a term used in textiles and fashion with two principal meanings. In its broad sense, it refers to a plain-woven fabric, typically cotton or linen, used for fittings, draping, and pattern development. For designers, a toile (also called a muslin in some contexts) is a mock-up garment or sample made from inexpensive fabric to test a pattern’s fit and design before cutting into more expensive material.

The word comes from the French toile, meaning cloth or canvas, and has been adopted into English since the 18th century. Historically, toiles were used in sewing, upholstery, and interior decoration as prototypes or drapery muslin.

Toile de Jouy denotes a specific decorative fabric style that became highly influential in 18th-century France. Produced initially at the Jouy-en-Josas factory near Paris, these fabrics feature repeated pastoral scenes, landscapes, or floral motifs printed in a single color on a pale ground, typically blue or red. Early printing relied on copperplates or woodblocks; later processes enabled broader color palettes. The term has entered design language to describe both the signature pattern and a general aesthetic associated with classical European interiors.

In contemporary use, plain toiles remain common for bed linens, curtains, light upholstery, and fashion muslins. They continue to serve both practical functions—fitting, design testing—and decorative purposes, while the Toile de Jouy pattern endures as a historic archetype in textile design.