Last edited by The_Shooman (2009-08-10 08:28:20)

As the originator of that thread on the LL, I was also puzzled by Alden's comments. He is commissioning a "Harris-like" tweed, possibly from the Lovat mill. Surely, he is not engaged in that old sales practice of just rubbishing the competition?

I would imagine most Harris tweed was ready made stuff not so much bespoke,

It was a casual jacket and not something that was supposed to be particularly sharp. I would say it was pretty hard wearing. Many who did not care about tailoring more or less lived in Harris tweed jackets. It takes a while before the elbow patchs are necessary.

Your dad may have worn them when not in his Sunday best. I have a couple but I prefer Donegal tweed.

Last edited by Kingstonian (2009-08-10 10:44:50)

I'd thought urine was part of the traditional natural vegtable (lichen, moss, roots, petals, whatever) dying processes until perhaps mid 20th century.

Real Shetland has to derive from Shetland Island sheeps' wool. One of the best known processors of Zetland shearings, before its demise around 2002, was T. M. Hunter of Brora on the NE Scottish mainland. It was reputed to be the oldest highland tweed mill. Hunter fell quickly after expansion in the late '90s. The raw wool was transported from the isles (Lerwick via ferry?) to Brora, where it was processed, top-dyed, spun and perhaps woven into sportier coatings. Some of Hunter's products made their way back to the Shetlands where the yarns were knitted and fabrics sold. Hunter Shetland fabrics were marketed worldwide. The knitting yarn was also marketed to individual knitters and remnants may still be found on the internet. I think there was some London Lounge connection a couple of years ago with the last significant source of Hunter's Shetland piece goods. Unfortunately "Shetland" has become a generic term for inexpensive wool. There was an effort to protect the designation in the '80s when only genunine Shetland yarn knitwear could be labeled "100% Shetland Wool" while ersatz "shetland" wool knitwear could be labeled "100% Wool Shetland". Knitwear made in the Shetland Isles of Shetland Wool has a distinctive label. As BoB stated, I don't think there are any international laws protecting the Shetland designation. But, wherever spun or woven, real Shetland wool originates on the Shetland Isles.

A bit dated and also includes an indication of the loose usage of the Shetland term nine years ago. At least a couple of the firms no longer exist in the form at the time of printing, notably Ballantyne. Ballantyne has since been owned by Italians, and more recently by an Italian consortium of which Brooks Brothers owns a fourth.

http://www.textileworld.com/Articles/2000/January/Knitting_Apparel/Tradition_and_Innovation.html

Though there is no legal protection of the term "Donegal Tweed", as with Harris,  the genuine article still comes from a handfull of weavers http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AEmblem/Tweed.html (also a bit dated)

Does any of this information pertain to quality or is this just an interesting story?

Although it is only available to subscribers, the article linked by the OP purportedly heralds the demise of Harris tweed:

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=135572

Liking them all, but not the checked jackets. That bright blue would be the one for me.