Harris Tweed is ‘dyed, spun and finished in the Outer Hebrides and woven by hand by the Islanders in their homes on the Islands of Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra’. That’s it, no exceptions, there’s an Act of Parliament to back it up. And there’s a tweed police force no less, the Harris Tweed Authority, to maintain the purity.
Every article of clothing made from it carries the Orb mark and label of the Harris Tweed Authority to prove its provenance. Whilst tweed is made the world over, Harris Tweed can only ever come from these beautiful Scottish islands.
In these days of mechanisation and mass production it is heartwarming to know that some things cannot be bettered by technology. For over one hundred and fifty years the islanders have been hand weaving this unique tweed. Originally the wool was washed in the peaty island water and coloured with natural dyes extracted from plants. Today the cloth is still woven by hand and the beautiful range of colours take inspiration from the land and sky of the islands.
There is something magical in the soft peat waters of Scotland. Whether washing wool or making whisky, it carries the spirit of the Highlands and Islands around the world. The colours that this Tweed is available in today are incredible, Harris Tweed Hebrides is one of the main manufacturers and their colours have to be seen to be believed.
Grey herringbone Harris Tweed used in a suit at Next
The Harris Tweed Authority
This organisation is tasked with ‘the safeguarding of the Harris Tweed name, quality and reputation’. They are located in Stornoway, the capital of the Isle of Lewis. The CEO Lorna Macaulay states that ‘The role of the Harris Tweed Authority is to promote and maintain the authenticity, standard and reputation of the world famous Harris Tweed cloth. We oversee the production and inspection of the cloth from start to finish. Only when satisfied that the article is genuinely deserving of our historic Orb will we brand the cloth with the certification mark.’
That certification label is to be found on every garment and product made with this tweed, and itself adds a cachet of quality. Being a natural fibre it is hard wearing and will last a lifetime, the depth and intensity of the colours mean that designers and fashion houses are constantly working with the material. We all need some Harris Tweed in our wardrobe.
