These are the tweeds that we would suggest for those who are looking for sporting tweed and for a heavy tweed for coats and protection from the elements.

If you shoot in all weathers and need to keep dry and warm in all conditions, or shoot a large numbers of day a year or rough shoot and need some protection from thorns and the undergrowth, then this is the tweed for you.

This is also the tweed for those who want a heavy coat that again will protect you against all of the elements.

This is not a tweed for those who get hot or are only after a sports jacket. For those tweeds please check out our page looking at tweeds for sports jackets here.

On this page we will take a little look at a number of mills and their heavier range of tweeds.

First off we will take a look at the offerings from 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'.

The Ettrick

If you are in need of a proper heavy and extremely hard wearing tweed, then The Ettrick is the tweed you should be looking at 21oz in weight, tightly woven and with a Teflon coating, this is the tweed we use for Gamekeepers and Estate Workers and for those who shoot in all weathers and need some extra protection.

This range is also brilliant for field coats and heavier coats and jackets.

A lovely range of colours and designs - click on the picture below to have a look.

The video below is off the brown barley corn tweed from this range - number 838

The Ettrick sporting Tweed has long been the favourite of dedicated field sports enthusiasts. Renowned for its rich colour mixtures and tightly twisted yarns. Firmly woven, The Ettrick provides excellent performance in use at 21 ounces/640 grams per metre. The cloth employs only the highest quality wools and has been given a showerproof Teflon finish to enhance performance.

Heritage Coatings

As the name suggests, this is a coating range. Some delightful heavy tweeds in a range of patterns and really do work beautifully made into a coat. Proper heavy fabric and we have also made a number of ladies cosy coats, and mens field coats out of this range.

The second mill we are going to look at is Porter & Harding

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.

The heaviest of their offerings is the Hartwist Collection. This is an 18oz tweed so definitely more of a 'field' tweed, perfect for shooting etc but is also a lovely range if you are after a slightly heavier racing suit. One that will deal with the colder of days.

The range of colours and patterns are fantastic and the image below is of one of the most popular tweeds from this range.

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.

Lets have a little look at a Bradford Mill and see what they have to offer: 

The Bateman Ogden Company

In 1881 Mr Bateman and Mr Ogden came together to establish a brand new textile business in Bradford – the heart of the UK textile industry.

Little could they have imagined that 130 years later, the name Bateman Ogden & Co Ltd would be renowned across the globe as one of the finest suppliers of luxury suit length fabrics.

Today they supply high-quality fabrics to tailors across every continent; delivering an elegant range, a wide choice of fabrics and excellent customer service to their discerning customers.

GLENHUNT

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. 

FOX BROTHERS - FOX TWEED

SINCE 1772

STEEPED IN HISTORY