Classic Sports Jacket Tweeds
This is a little look at some of the tweeds, from a number of mills, that we would suggest if you are looking for a sports jacket.
The mills, and their ranges, that we are going to look at will hopefully give you a good range of suitable tweeds from which to have your perfect tweed jacket made from.
Firstly, we are going to heard up to The Borders and look at Lovat Mill:
LOVAT MILL
Situated on the banks of the river Teviot, in the picturesque Scottish Borders town of Hawick, Lovat Mill is 'The Home of tweed'.
Now generally recognised as “The Home of Tweed”, Lovat Mill is proud to be the torch bearer of William Watson’s legacy, continuing the manufacture of this unique product into the 21st century.
Lovat Mill now stands just a few metres from where Watson’s mill once stood.
Lovat Mill offer four main collections of stock supported tweed in a number of weights and patterns, perfect for the whole year.
Lovat is a more classic 'field' tweed mill, so their designs and colours are taken from the surrounding countryside and moors and so they have the perfect colour for wherever you are taking part in field sports. There are colours that are perfect for those staling in the Highlands, or shooting and fishing on the East or West coast, with colours perfectly designs to provide you with your perfect camouflage where ever you may be.
The Kirkton
A mid weight tweed that isn't really an all year tweed but works perfectly for outdoors wear from September to March but it on the slightly lighter side if you are going to be shooting in very cold and wet weather.
Still beautifully weatherproof and is one of our most popular ranges for racing suits, especially if you are going to Cheltenham Gold Cup week. A terrific choice for a three piece racing suit.
Click on the photo below to have a look at the designs.
This bunch presents designs in our single cheviot cloth typified by rich colour mixtures and bold designs. Kirkton Tweed is a 16 ounce/500gram per metre, crisp handling, robust jacketing cloth versatile in its end uses.
The Teviot
The lightest offering from Lovat at 13/14oz in weight. A great all year round tweed.
Very popular with those who run hot and prefer a slightly lighter weight of tweed.
A terrific choice for a classic tweed sports jacket and is also very popular as a three piece for a Wedding suit.
A fantastic choice again for a racing suit or simply a really versatile suit that you can wear the jacket separately, the jacket & waistcoat with jeans and also the trousers on their own with a shirt and some knitwear.
Click on the photo below to see the designs
The video below also shows off a suit from this range - Number 911
First established in the early 1900s, this quality combines both worsted merino yarns and fine cheviot woollen spun yarns to give a light yet robust Tweed for medium use and day wear. Teviot is a 13/14oz 430 gram per metre cloth.
STANDEVEN FABRICS
For those who are after a more 'fashion' led tweed and are not going to be wearing your clothing out in the field, The Glenesk Range from Standeven fabrics is one of our most popular bunches we offer.
THE GLENESK
A stunning range of wool / cashmere mix tweeds. A ridiculously soft and luxurious feel that makes gorgeous suits and jackets.
At 11oz in weight, it is a perfect all year round weight and can be worn in the cooler summer evenings right through to the cooler months with a jumper underneath.
The colour palette on offer is fantastic and timeless and you will be sure to find something to your liking in here!
The suit below is made from 19097 from this range.
Click on Ed's photo to see the whole range
PORTER & HARDING
John Porter and Bill Harding were never happier than when they were sloshing through mud, feeling the wind and rain with a view of hills or water. Both men loved country sports - hunting, shooting and fishing. After the Second World War they set up their own company to make the sports clothes they wanted to wear.
Porter and Harding cloth continues to use the techniques the pair developed for wild days outdoors.
HARTWIST
Hartwist is similarly robust, with its combination of smooth and rough yarns which the men twisted together for colour and strength.
The heaviest weight of fabric from Porter & Harding and more of a 'field' tweed. Tough and resilient and maybe a bit too heavy for a racing suit or classic tweed suit unless you feel the cold or want a heavier item of clothing.
Some lovely patterns and have been very popular to use for our bespoke tweed ski suits.
Click on the banner above to see the whole range.
ABRAHAM MOON
Abraham Moon are proud to be one of the rare remaining vertical woollen mills within the UK, giving them a unique advantage to manage all fabric manufacturing procedures from a singular site. From the moment raw wool enters their mill, to the yarn production, the weaving, scouring, and finishing – they oversee each process to exacting standards.
Possibly a more fashion based range, their plainer tweeds have also been ridiculously popular with our customers. The colours that Moon produce are stunning and have been particularly popular with our female customers, especially with their coats.
The videos below show a couple of these coats, made using Moon's plain fabrics.
Moon offer a vast range of designs and colours, and their earthy greens and browns are particularly stylish and very popular with our customers.
Click on the link in the banner to see their full collection.
Below is a breakdown of their fabric offerings:
MERINO
This is the softest of their tweeds and has the most luxurious feel. A great weight of tweed and extremely popular for Tweed Wedding Suits.
Merino Wool has long been renowned for its luxurious yet practical attributes. The natural softness of the wool is key to this
smooth, tactile cloth that drapes wonderfully. - CLICK HERE TO SEE THEIR MERINO COLLECTION
SHETLAND
A gloriously soft tweed again but a smidge coarser than the merino range. Again, some cracking colours and also incredibly popular with Tweed Wedding Suits.
Fabrics crafted from our ethically sourced, Shetland-type wool have stood the test of time. Rich in both colour and character with each yarn containing up to eight individual fibre-dyed shades in the blend. Our Shetland-type wool fabrics are the foundation of a durable yet supple cloth that will break in and continue to improve with wear. - SEE THE RANGE HERE
MOLLOY & SONS WEAVING LTD.
Built on the solid foundations of a rich heritage spanning six generations, the Molloy family have been in the textile business since Edward Molloy began weaving in the 19th Century.
Located on the Atlantic northwest coast in Ardara, Co. Donegal; this father and son team are synonymous with what great craftsmanship is today. Their wealth of knowledge, skill and expertise comes through from their ancestors and continues to live on in the modern techniques that they have embraced. Inspiration surrounds them from the dramatic beauty of the ocean, to the sky, hills, and mountains of this region famed for its tweed production. It is these elements that are echoed in the intricate beauty of the colours and tones found in their tweeds.
Molloy & Sons offer a traditional Donegal Tweed in a gorgeous array of colours and designs.
The Donegal Tweed is most commonly thought of as a plainer base with a random pattern of different coloured flecks running through the fabric.
The Molloy & Sons selection is a really good choice if you are something a little bit different but still very traditional.
The colours are dynamic and stylish and work brilliantly as a suit and the heavier fabrics are also perfect for a coat.
Click on the picture above to see the full range.
GLENLYON TWEED MILL
Whilst fishing on the Glenlyon in Scotland a number of years ago, I was introduced to the owner of the Estate and river in the local pub.
Over a couple of whiskys it turned out that he had just bought the local Glenlyon Tweed Mill as it was struggling.
The mill is a traditional tweed mill and is mainly focused on field based tweeds, using all of the colours of the local moors.
They offer a range of 3 weights and produce some truly delightful fabrics.
They are only a small mill and not many tailors actually carry their swatch books as there aren't many available, however, we are very lucky to carry them so if you are after something very individual, then this is the mill to look at.
GLENLYON MIDWEIGHT - 500GMS - 17OZ
This is their most popular range with us, and is chosen for making jackets, shooting suits and racing suits as well as a number of Wedding suits.
It is relatively heavy in weight, but is a traditional Scottish woven fabric so does feel a little bit lighter than the 17oz would suggest. It is definitely a more Autumn / Winter weight of tweed and works just as well in the field as it does as a more fashionable item.
The photo below is number 3518 from this range. Click on the photo to see the full range.
GLENLYON TWEED MILL - LIGHTWEIGHT - 350 GMS / 12OZ
This is the lighter weight of offering from Glenlyon and is definitely a lightweight feel of tweed. Very popular with our female customers but we have also used this tweed for summer and spring Weddings. The colour palette is fantastic and you will have a very individual item if you use this tweed.
See the range by clicking here or see the video below - the tweed used in the shooting suit in the video is 3319