Tuesday 7 January 2014

Harris Tweed 101


  •  Harris Tweed represents tradition, luxury and high provenance. 
  • Harris Tweed is woven in the Outer Hebrides
  • Harris Tweed is the only fabric in the world presided over by its own Act of Parliment.
  • It became popular when the Countess of Dunmore had the Harris weavers weave her clan tartan in tweed. She was so impressed she championed and marketed the Harris Tweed beyond the little islands.
  • The Harris Tweed Association Limited was set up in 1906 to protect the tweed from poor imitations.
  • The iconic Harris Tweed logo of an orb and Maltese cross that certified the genuine cloth was registered in 1910
  • 1934 saw a change in Harris Tweed rules. The islanders were now allowed to make cloth from yarns that were mill spun as opposed to hand spun. This meant more cloth could be produced!
  • The 90s saw changes for Harris Tweed with more rigorous quality testing, new looms and The Harris Tweed Authority came into being.
  • The cloth is now exported to over 50 countries.
  • No part of the process of creating Harris Tweed is done anywhere but the Outer Herbrides.
  • Some of the processes involved are; shearing, dyeing, blending, carding, spinning, warping, weaving, darning, finishing and stamping.




Great three part video doc with Vic Reeves discovering Harris Tweed! Part one above.

WANT MORE?


Image Sources: The Guardian and unknown.

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