The History Of Harris Tweed
February 1, 2025
I had never imagined that when I saw my first length of Harris tweed cloth over 20 years ago, I would develop this life-long passion for this cloth. Harris Tweed is a cloth that I return to in many projects, and I often use it for curtains, blinds and cushions, as it creates beautiful texture and lends provenance to beautiful homes.
I had never imagined that when I saw my first length of Harris tweed cloth over 20 years ago, I would develop this life-long passion for this cloth. Harris Tweed is a cloth that I return to in many projects, and I often use it for curtains, blinds and cushions, as it creates beautiful texture and lends provenance to beautiful homes.
My Journey
My journey started almost twenty years ago. Our friends were visiting The Outer Hebrides, travelling the length of the islands, walking the landscape and exploring the old traditions.
During their visit, they stopped at a local roadside croft, which had a sign hanging outside selling Harris tweed. A quick knock on the door soon revealed a haven of rural industry inside, watching the crofters weave their cloth on narrow looms by hand, using only their legs to pedal-power the looms.
I always remember that day we caught up with them when they arrived back home, armed with piles of cloth in the most exquisitely beautiful colours, and hearing the tales of their adventures. I remember thinking that I had discovered something incredible, and of course, did not hesitate to contact the weaver they had met, ordered some samples. and waited for my first order.
The Outer Hebrides remains the home of Harris Tweed. The islanders of Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra have been recognized for the weaving skills and expertise, and up until the mid-nineteenth century, the cloth was only sold at local markets or used by the crofters and weavers in their homes.
In 1846, Lady Dunmore asked for the clan tartan to be replicated by Harris weavers. Lady Dunmore was the widow of the Earl of Dunmore, a Harris landowner. As a result, the industry of Harris cloth was soon built with cloth merchants across the UK.
This was the beginning of the Harris Tweed industry, as we know today. From these small remote islands, Harris Tweed is now exported world-wide, from traditional tailors workshops, fashion houses, to Saville Row and to interior designers showrooms. And yet it is only woven in the crofts and mills of the Outer Hebrides.
Helen Izzard is a Somerset based interior design studio, creating timeless, quietly elegant interiors, using natural materials to create designs with longevity. We offer bespoke interior design services, made to measure curtains, roman blinds, cushions, lampshades, footstools, headboards & accessories, alongside a beautiful range of curtain poles, fabrics & wallpapers to order.
In 1909, the Harris Tweed Association Limited was created, to register the famous Orb and Maltese Cross trademark. As a result, all Harris Tweed was stamped with this trademark, and is still stamped today. In 1934, the trademark was amended to allow the use of island millspun yarn in addition to handspun yarn, and allowed the industry to move in to production of this cloth.
In the early 1990’s, the industry introduced double width looms, and by retraining the weavers, introducing tougher standards, were able to market a wider, softer lighter tweed. Some of the weavers still used their narrow width looms and overtime changed to the now recognized double width looms.
The Harris Tweed Authority took over the Harris Tweed Association as a result of the 1993 Act of Parliament, and the definition of Harris Tweed became statutory and meant that only the Outer Hebrides could produce this beautiful cloth. To this day, it remains a handover heritage, only woven in these little islands. An integral part of the he islands, the culture, the heritage.
Raw Materials
The process of crafting Harris Tweed is one of many steps. As an artisan product, every step of the process is still handled by the islanders.
Shearing & Gathering Wool
Harris tweed is made with pure virgin wools, blended together to enhance their unique characteristics. Due to demand, most of the wool now comes from the mainland of Scotland, but during early Summer, the islanders round up and shear their local sheep too.
Washing & Dyeing
The wool remains traditionally dyed prior to being spun, which results in different coloured wools blending to make the unique myriad of subtle shades and hues. The tweed has a low VOC absorbent production process, and remains non-allergenic and biodegradable.
Blending, Carding, Spinning & Warping
Once dyed, the wool are weighed and blended to exact recipes to obtain that perfect blend of hues. The wool is then sent for carding between mechanical toother rollers, which tease and mix fibres before being separated in a fragile early stage yarn. This beautiful soft yarn is then twisted to give it strength for weaving. The spun yarn is wound onto bobbins, in readiness for the looms, and the warping process creates thousands of warp threads gathered in to long hanks and wound on to large beams.
Weaving
The yarn is delivered to the weavers in their homes. All tweed is woven on a treadle loom in the islanders home, making it a truly home spun cloth.
Finishing & Stamping
The tweed cloth is returned to the mill in its current ‘greasy state’ where it passed through the hands of experienced darners, who inspect and correct the smallest imperfection. The cloth is then washed and beaten in soda to remove dirt, oil and impurities, before it is dried, steamed and pressed. the cloth is then finally examined by inspectors and the famous orb applied, ironed on the reverse of the fabric. The orb is the ultimate seal of this cloths authenticity. Only now can it be called Harris Tweed.
If you have ever handled Harris Tweed, you will know that the cloth has hidden hues and tones, the depth of which can only be seen on close examination. The mix of colours is unique, something I have only seen in Harris Tweed. The colours are inspired by the landscape of the islands, and really should be seen to be admired. It is entirely an artisan product, crafted by hand on treadle powered looms, the skills of the weavers taught and learnt over years of weaving, every step of the process handled by the islanders. This beautiful cloth truly has its own provenance.
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