Serge Weaver
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Le Sergetier | The Serge Weaver
The sergetier, or serge weaver, was a specialized textile artisan dedicated to the production of serge—a durable twill fabric primarily crafted from wool.
The term sergetier (also known as serger, sargetier, or sergier) derives from "serge," which originates from Old French and can be traced to the Latin serica ("silk") and ultimately to the Greek serikos ("silken"). Their workshop was known as a sergerie.
The distinguishing characteristic of serge lies in its diagonal twill weave pattern, visible on both sides of the fabric. Sergetiers operated specialized looms, combining a worsted warp (vertical threads) with either woollen or worsted weft (horizontal threads). The finished product typically underwent "clear-finishing," where surface fibers were sheared or singed to accentuate the weave pattern.
"Weaver from Val de Liepvre," illustration by Frédéric Théodore Lix, 1889 (Bibliothèque nationale et universitaire de Strasbourg)
In 17th-century France, sergetiers developed distinctive weaving techniques that set them apart from their English counterparts. While English serge typically followed a two-up, two-down pattern, French sergetiers employed a more sophisticated approach, passing threads once underneath and twice over to create a staggered diagonal effect. This technique produced a more refined fabric suitable for high-end garments.
French sergetiers primarily worked with coarse wool from regions such as Poitou, Saintonge, and Angoumois, used to produce sergette—a lightweight yet sturdy woollen fabric. They also worked with fine imported wools sourced through major ports like Nantes and La Rochelle
Like other French artisans of the period, sergetiers operated within a structured guild system (Corporation). Professional advancement followed three distinct stages: apprentice, journeyman, and master. Achieving master status required between four and eight years of dedicated training.
Today, serge remains an important textile, though now produced industrially. Its applications include military uniforms, business suits, greatcoats and trench coats, and garment linings (particularly silk serge).
Plates from the Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers
Known persons who had the occupation of serge weaver:
Charles Beaulieu, Pierre Bourloton, Louis Brunet, Michel Dubois, Pierre Dumas, Louis Gatineau, Julien Georget, Jean Baptiste Labourier, Jean Baptiste Lenfant, François Longtin dit Jérôme, Jacques Martinbeau.
Known persons who had the occupation of master serge weaver:
Michel Haudebout, Antoine Jacques Auger, Pierre Auger dit Desnoyers, Maurice Crépeau, Claude Deveau dit Jolicoeur, Antoine Fissiau, Moïse Gendre, Charles Pinparé dit Tourangeau, Émery Paquet/Pasquier, Maurice Paquet/Pasquier, Julien Perussie dit Baguet, Aimé Pothier, Jean Baptiste Romain dit Sanscrainte.
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Sources:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia, "Serge," 22 Aug 2013, in Encyclopedia Britannica (https://www.britannica.com/topic/serge: accessed 29 Jan 2025).
Marion Duvigneau, "Les métiers du textile," Geneanet (https://gw.geneanet.org/duvgen?f=tailleur&lang=fr&m=NOTES : accessed 29 Jan 2025).
Alfred Franklin, Dictionnaire historique des arts, métiers et professions exercés dans Paris depuis le treizième siècle (Paris, H. Welter, 1906), 639.
Claude Lemay, "Fonctions et métiers délaissés," l'Ancêtre, number 281, volume 34, winter 2008, and number 280, volume 34, winter 2007.