The Story of Harris Tweed

At Brora, sustainability and craftsmanship are at our heart, which is why, each year, we support the Campaign for Wool and its mission to raise awareness of the fibre’s unique, natural and biodegradable benefits. This wonderful organisation is also championed by none other than His Majesty King Charles III. This year, we are celebrating Harris Tweed.

For more than a century, Harris Tweed has been recognised as one of the world’s most durable and fashionable fabrics, made from British pure wool in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Its roots can be traced back to 1846, when Lady Dunmore, widow of the landowner of Harris, the Earl of Dunmore, had the clan tartan replicated by Harris weavers in tweed. The results proved so successful that she began to devote much time and effort to marketing the tweed to her wealthy friends further afield.

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Earlier in the year, Victoria Stapleton, Founder and Creative Director, visited the Isle of Harris to see first-hand the process, craftsmanship and heritage that go into making our Harris Tweed pieces.

“Having worked with Harris Tweed for many, many years, a visit to the island and mill where all our designs are woven was long overdue. My photographer husband and I took the winding road north through Scotland as spring was arriving. As anticipated, we were blown away by the landscape and by the many processes involved, from sheep’s wool to the final woven fabric. The attention to detail, expertise, genuine love and care that go into every part of the journey make this unique cloth so special.

Enjoy our video, from sheep to coat. I hope it goes some way towards helping you understand the slow fashion behind these heirloom designs.”

Victoria Stapleton, Founder and Creative Director

How is Harris Tweed Made?

Unique to the Outer Hebrides, the craftsmen and women at Harris Tweed Hebrides process the clean wool, dye, blend, card and spin the fibre to make wool yarn. The warp, weft and weaving instructions are then delivered to the homes of those who live on the Isles of Lewis and Harris, where the yarn is woven into Harris Tweed cloth.

Why is Harris Tweed so Special?

The slow-cycle making of this unique cloth is something of an island phenomenon, deeply rooted in the local culture. It is woven in a croft shed at home and isn’t a group activity; it is a solo pursuit, with each length of tweed pedalled on the loom at about one metre every 20 minutes, at best. Every metre of cloth has its own idiosyncrasies, which we think make this wonderful fabric even more charming.

Once the cloth has been inspected, it receives the Harris Tweed Orb, a regal-style mark that is a symbol of authenticity and one of the UK’s oldest certification trademarks. This is used globally to guarantee that the fabric is genuine, handwoven in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland from pure virgin wool.

Brora and British Tailoring

All our Harris Tweed designs are then brought to life in our ateliers in London. Our expert tailors cut and sew every piece with meticulous attention to detail. The result is a true celebration of Brora craftsmanship: a considered piece that is 100% British-made and designed to last a lifetime.

“At Brora, we then have a team of London-based tailors who hand-cut and sew each design individually in small runs. This entire concept, from sheep to coat, is the sort of thing I’ve always been passionate about. Maybe it’s because I was brought up on a sheep farm in the north of England that I have an understanding of the preciousness of these crafts.”

Victoria Stapleton, Founder and Creative Director

Hand Selected

Harris Tweed

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