Latest fashion industry is full of different kinds of textiles, mostly artificial one. They are good for a big fashion shows but in ordinary wear we prefer natural materials. And what is more natural then Harris Tweed?
Harris Tweed (in industry way) was for the first time made in 19th century - handwoven back than, in the earlier beginnings and till nowadays. It has a great history and a great field of usage in fashion. There are many producers of clothes in the UK but probably none of them is as much famous as Harris Tweed.
The definition of Harris Tweed brought from Harris Tweed Act (1993) says that it's ''cloth that has been handwoven by the islanders of Lewis, Harris in their homes, using pure virgin wool that has been dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides.'' Since than only few elements of this definition has changed.
The act was specially written to ensure that all clothes certified with the Harris Tweed Orb symbol are genuine. The Harris Tweed can only be woven in the outer Islands off Western Scotland in the Hebrides. And every weaver involved has to sign the British Harris Tweed Authority agreement that they wove the yarn by hand.
The name wasn't tweed from the beginning. The original was ''twill'', as the cloth was being woven in a twilled. We call it differently only by chance. It's because of misleading of merchant of London , as the traditional story says. Almost two centuries ago the merchant got letter about the material 'tweel' being produced in Scotland but he misinterpreted the handwriting understanding it to be a trade-name taken from the name of the river Tweed. This name left till today.
How everything started? In 1846, Lady Dunmore, widow of the late Earl of Dunmore, had the Murray tartan copied by Harris weavers in tweed. This proved so successful that Lady Dunmore devoted much time and thought to marketing the tweed to her friends and then to improving the process of production. This was the beginning of the Harris Tweed industry.
Harris Tweed must be made from 100 per cent pure virgin wool. Now the wool can be imported from different countries but all harris tweed is hand woven by the weavers at their own home, finished in the Outer Hebrides. Only dying is made in factories, usually the same one where the material for scottish kilts and blankets are being dyed too.
Now Harris Tweed is most desirable textile, well known on the whole world and appreciated by the movie stars and one of the biggest sport concern, Nike.
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