Harris Tweed® is one of the world’s most iconic fabrics, handwoven by inhabitants of The Outer Hebrides for centuries.  Originally woven by Islanders to protect themselves from the unforgiving North Atlantic climate of the cold and blustery Western Isles of Scotland, Harris Tweed® has become the perennial choice for those making premium garments, soft furnishings and accessories the world over.  

In order to be Harris Tweed, the fabric must be handwoven by islanders at their homes in The Outer Hebrides, finished in the Outer Hebrides, made using yarn that has been dyed, carded and spun in the Outer Hebrides using 100% virgin wool.

The brand Harris Tweed® and the instantly recognizable Orb trademark are property of The Harris Tweed Authority. The HTA are the statutory body that work to ensure the 1993 Harris Tweed® Act is upheld, as well as the quality, reputation and good name of the Harris Tweed® brand. To visit their website and learn more about the brand follow the link below.

Our Sources

I source my Harris Tweed® from two of the best, highest quality mills, Kenneth Mackenzie Ltd & Harris Tweed Hebrides.  I am registered with the Harris Tweed Authority so I could use Harris Tweed® to make and sell products.  The role of the Harris Tweed Authority is to promote and maintain the authenticity, standard and reputation of the world famous Harris Tweed® cloth.  The Harris Tweed Authority defines the basic rules of use, the labeling policy and branding information for all products made with real Harris Tweed®. 

Kenneth Mackenzie Ltd 

Originally opened in 1906, we are the oldest Harris Tweed® mill in operation and also the only mill independently owned by an Islander.
Kenneth Mackenzie Ltd uses exclusive yarns ensuring premium quality woven in all their Harris Tweed. By virtue of our efficient production process we are able to supply this iconic, handwoven fabric at a fair price in wholesale quantities.

Uniquely blended wool

All of our wool is dyed before the carding and spinning process, meaning each thread of yarn can have an intricate blend of colors, combining to create the overall hue without losing the original mix of shades.

Premium Quality Yarn

From The Kenneth Mackenzie Ltd Mill in the heart of Stornoway our exclusive yarn is carded and spun to closely controlled parameters. This attention to detail provides the same premium quality with each batch.

Refined for Balance

By combining our premium lightweight yarn with an increased number of picks in the weave, we produce a Harris Tweed that is suitable for everything from jackets, soft furnishings, caps and hats to collars and coats for dogs and cats!

Harris Tweed Hebrides

Harris Tweed Hebrides, manufacture each meter of handwoven fabric in accordance with The Harris Tweed Act, maintaining the integrity and distinctive character of the fabric which is recognized globally as Harris Tweed®.  Harris Tweed® is produced using traditional skills and always made from 100% pure new wool.  We operate a vertical mill, scoured wool is fiber dyed, carded and spun, warped for weaving, then the handwoven tweed is finished at our mill in Shawbost. Each stage of this process ensures the high-quality Harris Tweed® is renowned for.  Governed by the 1993 Harris Tweed Act of Parliament, which safeguards our fabric, recognized by the distinctive Orb stamp, the artisan manufacturing process is protected and cannot be undertaken anywhere beyond the Outer Hebrides.

Pride

Each individual wool fiber is dyed and spun in our Shawbost Mill and every yard is handwoven in the croft home of a Harris Tweed® weaver. These skills are passed through generations of the island’s community with pride.  Throughout the Outer Hebrides, those who handweaver Harris Tweed® use treadle looms in their own homes – a centuries-old, quality-defining tradition that still resonates the world over. It’s a hands-on labor of love.

Skill

Our weavers, working from their homes dotted across Lewis and Harris, and the Shawbost mill workers are mutually dependent. The fabric they create together is as interwoven with their shared skills and stories as it is with those of their ancestors.  We work alongside over 140 self-employed handweavers, each one a true artisan and registered with the Harris Tweed Authority. They take hours to meticulously hand-tie new warp threads to the tail ends of the previous warp. This is one of the many processes that must be done before they can start their next weaving project on the treadle loom. Once they begin weaving, each individual warp and weft thread is skillfully woven together under the watchful eye of the weaver.

Trust

By law, all Harris Tweed® must be produced in the Outer Hebrides and nowhere else. The Harris Tweed Authority’s ‘Orb Trademark’ is the ultimate seal of authentication on all Harris Tweed Hebrides fabric: the mark of quality and renown worldwide.  Made of 100% pure new wool, Harris Tweed Hebrides fabric is dyed, blended, carded, spun, warped, woven, examined and stamped only in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland by local crofters and artisans. The way it always was and the way it always will be.