While some of the other tweed types in this list might be unfamiliar, surely you’ve heard of plaid. Puppytooth is the smallest version of the design, which can be used as a base tweed due to its small scale making it appear almost plain on first sight. Tweed is a type of wool weave that is designed for weather resistance. Since they’re made from natural wool, each tweed product looks slightly different, which has always added to the allure. By choosing certain sheep breeds instead of others, you can somewhat control the pattern that will emerge in your tweed garment. From there, bunch-dyeing sets the iconic tweed patterns we all know and love.

Description: the less rigid qualities of the fabric give the material a drape that flatters the body when cut to a pattern. This composition is the most versatile of all the weights. We categorise our garments based on the weight of tweed we use for their design as we are conscious that certain weights are not appropriate for specific garments. For example, if you want a skirt to drape gracefully, then a lighter weight of tweed would be required. THE COLLECTION RANGES FROM CHUNKY CABLES TO FINER PLAIN KNITS, ALL DESIGNED FOR EFFECTIVE PROTECTION AGAINST THE COLD The majority of tweed weaving takes place in the UK, which makes the Austrialian wool trade an important facet of the relationship between these two Commonwealth countries. Frequently asked questions about tweed At The House of Bruar, we get a number of questions about our tweed fabrics, so we’ve collected them all together so you can easily find the information that you’re looking for.In the first half of the 19th century, many estates in Scotland were taken over by English noblemen looking to increase their life of leisure. Once taken to the production floor, the wool is cleaned more carefully and carded into long strings. These strings are then spun to make yarn. It’s only “natural” that natural fibers cost more. Petroleum is cheap and plentiful, and wool and cotton are hard to harvest. At the same time, oil won’t be cheap forever, and sheep will always have a place on Earth’s fertile plains. Despite being durable, wool is highly biodegradable. If you leave a wool garment and a polyester garment out in the rain, wind, and snow for a hundred years, the wool will have disappeared and the polyester will remain. The mills we work closely with include Marton Mills, Abraham Moon, Johnstons of Elgin, Mallalieus of Delph, Robert Noble, McGee of Donegal, Lovat Mills and more. All of these mills do an exceptional job in producing different quantities and designs. We work passionately to ensure the tweeds we select for our catalogue are exclusive to us in full or by the colour available.

This style of tweed is classically characterised by its textured appearance. It earns its name from its resemblance to barleycorns when they are stored in bulk. How to wear tweed Due to the extensive range of different designs, colour combinations and the sheer range of garments made from tweed, it can be easily dressed up or down and looks great when paired with all other natural fabrics. Modern tweed more closely represents the English nobility’s interpretation than it does the original rugged Scottish fabric. Regardless, tweed’s ability to resist the environment has won it an enduring place in the international fashion world, and tweed garments are still made and sold in reasonably large quantities today. But what caused the farmer’s favourite from the North to become a fashion essential centuries later?This type of tweed is named for its similarity in appearance to barley grains, which are sometimes called corns.

A traditional twill style that creates a fishbone-like pattern as the fibres are woven together. This popular style has earned its name through the V-shapes that bear a strong resemblance to herring bones. Later in the century, advances in the production of tweed meant that it became more affordable and attainable for those who weren’t nobility or farmers. Its durable and water-resistant properties meant that it was used to make hunting and fishing attire, and the natural hues of the fibres were beneficial for providing camouflage in countryside areas. Some would argue that sheep degrade land and harm ecosystems. In all fairness, however, it’s not the sheep doing it—it’s the humans raising them. Sheep aren’t inherently bad for land, they just need to be moved around from time to time to make sure they don’t erode soil or cause any other environmental harm. When it’s dry, the freshly-coloured yarn is placed into an industrial mixer that forms the right hue that’s required for the tweed weave.

What different types of tweed fabric are there?

Though we do recommend dry cleaning to maintain the shape and look of tweed, please follow the knitwear care instructions below if you prefer to perform home care on your tweed garments. Today, tweed is an iconic British fabric that plays a leading role in the closets of many. It has been propelled to the forefront of the fashion industry thanks to its enduring quality and unique patterns. Once harvested, the wool is cleaned to remove any dirt and debris. It’s then passed between a pair of spiked panels, a process known as carding, to brush the wool and align the fibres in the same direction. It results in the fibres being formed into long strings that can be spun to make yarn. How is tweed made? Tweed’s rich history partly comes from its process of production. Traditionally, tweed fibres were hand-dyed using natural dyes before being hand-woven on a loom. Today, the tweed manufacturing process has been mechanised to speed up production and meet increased demand. We work with a range of mills to produce our tweed and make an effort to source these, as well as our other natural fibre materials, as locally as possible.

Tweed blazers are durable, versatile, and timeless. They provide warmth and protection from the elements, and are suitable for a variety of occasions, from formal events to casual outings. Subsequently, it became the fashion among estate owners to commission their own special estate tweeds which would be used to make the staff uniforms for those who worked on their properties. This association caused the fabric to rise in popularity among wealthier members of society, particularly the nobility. Traditionally, wool sheep haven’t been treated all that well. After the outcry of global animal rights activist groups, however, the industry has cleaned itself up significantly. Remember that it’s always possible to get sheep wool that was cultivated with ancestral, nomadic practices if 100% authentic and organic is just how you roll. Next, the strings are dyed into individual colours to match whichever tweed pattern they’ll be made into. The ratio of dye colours is mixed by hand and blended in a mixer to achieve the perfect hue. The strings are then dried in bunches.

How is tweed fabric used?

Explore our range of exclusive Harris Tweed garments and accessories. These items are the result of a close partnership between Walker Slater, Harris Tweed and prestigious organisations; the Scottish Rugby Union, the Ryder Cup, the Scottish Football Association and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. For well over a century, Harris Tweed has been woven with unmatched skill and reverence in the Outer Hebrides. The Harris Tweed Act of 1993 ensures that no part of the process; the dyeing, blending, spinning or weaving; takes place anywhere else. It’s a cloth with a rich heritage, and has a depth and beauty that cannot be replicated. We are delighted to work with a cloth of such significance, and have worked closely with the mills and weavers in the Outer Hebrides to design unique and exclusive fabrics that are used in our signature styles. Here you’ll find suiting options boasting contemporary and clean silhouettes in a range of our exclusive partnership Harris Tweeds, along with accessories to top off any outfit. Wool is one of the most sustainable textile fibers. It does very little damage to the environment, but there are certain ways that the global wool industry could be improved. Here’s a breakdown of all the good and bad ways tweed production might impact the environment: Indulge in the allure of classic country fashion, meticulously curated to satisfy even the most discerning tastes. Our selection boasts a harmonious blend of sophistication and rugged charm, ensuring that you exude an air of effortless style wherever your adventures take you. Australia is the world’s largest producer of wool. Sheep took very well to this southern continent and its neighbor, the much geographically-smaller New Zealand. While the sheep-to-kiwi ratio is even higher than the sheep-to-Aussie ratio, Oz wins in terms of sheer land mass, which makes it the world’s biggest sheep paradise by far.