Tweed Guide
Tweed is a joy! You can't beat the colours, patterns designs and feel of tweed, especially during the cooler months. Therefore we have put together a little guide to help you traverse the plethora of options that are available to you!
Below is the full and more comprehensive guide to tweed but if you want to cut this down a bit, please click on the links below:
CLASSIC TWEED SPORTS JACKET TWEEDS
SPORTING & HEAVIER TWEEDS FOR COATS
RACING & TRADITIONAL TWEED SUIT TWEEDS
“Tweed” …an accident!
The term “Tweed” was coined quite accidentally in 1826 as the result of a misread label on a shipment of woven wool “Tweels” – the Scots dialect word for twill – from weaver William Watson & Sons of Commercial Road, Hawick, to a London cloth merchant. The word “Tweel” had perhaps not been written clearly on the label but to the merchant “Tweed” made complete sense as these fabrics were chiefly used in those days by gentlemen for shooting and fishing, with the nearby river Tweed being a fashionable destination for such pursuits.
With the misunderstanding then being perpetuated by the customer reordering another consignment of “Tweeds”, William Watson chose not to correct the mistake. Realising he had a fantastic name for his product, and recognising the branding opportunity, he promptly adopted the term as a description for his mill’s high quality sporting cloths.
There is a huge selection of tweed available, in a range of colours, weights, finishes and uses.
Therefore, we have decided to put together our own Tweed Guide, to help you choose the perfect tweed (or tweeds!) for you.
We are going to arrange our Tweed Guide in mills and merchants, and the offerings that they have available.
First up is:
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.
To see the full range you can click here but we will look at each one in a bit more depth below:
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.
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.
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.
In addition to our three Tweed bunches we stock the following heritage cloths. Each of these is a specialist quality, woven to the same exacting standards as set down by preceding generations of cloth makers. Enduring quality in a time of change
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.
The photo below is of musician and Sophie Ellis Better songwriter, Ed Harcourt, wearing his double breasted bespoke suit made using fabric 19038, a brown houndstooth.
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.
THE THORNPROOF
The Thornproof range is spun from Cheviot sheep’s wool, renowned for its hard-wearing qualities. The fabric has one of the tightest weaves you can find, which protects you from harsh weather, thistles and thorns - hence the name Thornproof.
Use the link in the banner above to see the full range.
This is a Donegal inspired look, with plainer tweeds with flecks of colour. A great tweed to look at if you want a plainer suit or jacket. Incredibly hard wearing and perfect for both fashion and field clothing.
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.
GLENROYAL
A more colourful range, with some bold checks and colours and at 14oz in weight, one of our most popular ranges for racing suits and jackets.
If you want something a bit braver then this range could be for you. Click on the banner above to see the range.
GLORIOUS TWELFTH
Customers love the classic country look of Porter and Harding but not everyone shares their love of cold, wet days trudging through thistles. In response they have developed the range to include lightweight, luxury tweed with the same classic colours and patterns - perfect for warmer climates and city living.
As the name suggests, this is a lighter weight of tweed aimed at the warmer months.
Very popular with summer Weddings especially for those who want a tweed suit. Also incredibly popular to be used as jackets and the range of colours and designs are spot on for warmer months.
Have a click on the banner to see the range.
FOX BROTHERS - FOX TWEED
SINCE 1772
STEEPED IN HISTORY
Originally established in 1772, Fox Brothers & Co Ltd has produced woollen and worsted fabric for the past three centuries. Officially credited as the original creators of flannel, Fox has a pattern archive dating back to our foundation. We have proudly been producing cloth entirely in England since the 18th century.
Combining traditional practices and techniques with revolutionary technology, to create a fine selection of textiles for the various seasons. Our luxurious cloth is selected by prestigious tailors and contemporary fashion houses, for its premium qualities and strong heritage. It is the quintessential English cloth.
Fox Tweed using these classic techniques to produce a much softer feel of tweed, more down the route of a Harris tweed.
A more classic range of designs and some of the glen checks are stunning and are very popular for jackets more than field wear.
Definitely at the higher end in regard to price.
We have also made a few coats in Fox Tweed and they really are extremely smart!
Have a look at the full range by clicking the banner above.
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
Coating
As mentioned above, this is a very popular range, specially for ladies coats. The colours are so vibrant and timeless whilst allowing you to portray your personality.
A lovely range of weights and definitely worth considering if you are looking at a new coat.
Heavier weight fabric provides greater utility and durability while relying on the naturally resistant characteristics of our Shetland-type wool to create a characterful cloth that can be styled in a range of different ways. Readily available as part of our Stock Supported range of apparel fabrics.
SEE THE RANGE BY CLICKING HERE
Couture Tweed
If you are feeling a bit nostalgic and / or a bit braver, have a little look at the Couture Range. Think Chanel and you won't be far wrong with this range.
Coco Chanel is credited with bringing tweed to high fashion. In 1926 she introduced a tweed version of her signature cardigan jacket containing a mixture of fibres to give it a textured appearance. Chanel tweed suits of the 1950’s were the uniform of elite high society women all over the world.
SEE THE FULL COUTURE RANGE HERE
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
A classic British manor-house style, perfect for country-gaming jackets and trousers.
This collection features a tight weave and is also suitable for superior upholstery.
HUDDERSFIELD FINE WORSTED
Harris Tweed
One of the most recognisable tweeds in the World. With the introduction of some investment money, things have become a little bit more commercial but we still make lots of stunning clothing from people who have picked up tweed whilst visiting the Isles of Lewis and Harris on holiday.
Harris Tweed is loosely woven so if you are going to wear this tweed in the field I would steer clear as it more likely to catch and snag.
The most popular use for this bunch is a tweed jacket but as you can see from the photo it can also make a delightful suit.
The Harris Tweed in this collection is woven in the Outer Hebrides islands of Lewis and Harris, off the western coast of Scotland, where Harris Tweed has been produced for many centuries. To meet demand in the modern tailoring industry, this cloth has been produced in a full 150cm width and weighs 15-16oz.
Click on the image above to see the full range.
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
GLENLYON TWEED MILL - HEAVY WEIGHT - 775gms - 27oz
This is the heavy weight offering from Glenlyon and is definitely a heavy tweed. It is brilliant for field coats, overcoats and for those who shoot in cold and very bad weather.
A traditional colour palette that is designed for the different areas of Scotland and the colours of their landscape.
To see their range in this weight, please click here