When it comes to determining the quality of tweed, few signifiers are as highly regarded as those of the Harris Tweed Authority. But is this seal of approval really all it’s cracked up to be?
To start answering this question, let’s first dive into the history of Harris Tweed.
History of Harris Tweed
Harris Tweed isn’t actually a brand per se but rather a group of mills that banded together in the 20th century to establish a benchmark for quality tweed. True Harris Tweed is woven and finished by experienced weavers in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. In fact, the word “tweed” itself comes from Hawick, Scotland, around 1826, where bales of “tweels” (twill, woolen fabrics) were sold.
According to legend, a clerk for Scottish-born London importer James Locke misread the label on one of these tweels as “tweeds.” This is probably because the mills were close to the “River Tweed” in Scotland, and the name has stuck ever since. Soon, other makers were attempting to weave the style themselves with imported mill-spun yarn from the mainland.
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Protecting the Harris Tweed Name
Merchants on the island of Lewis & Harris fought to register and protect the use of the term “tweed” as coming from just their island. However, the Scottish courts determined that all islands within the Outer Hebrides could use the term tweed. Still, the name Harris Tweed was chosen to protect all mills within the province in the year 1909. They’re protected under the Orb Trademark, featuring a globe topped by a Maltese Cross and 13 jewels. This, by the way, is said to be the United Kingdom’s oldest certification mark.
Following equipment modernization and a 1993 Act of Parliament, the former Harris Tweed Association Limited was rechristened the Harris Tweed Authority. Although there were 7 million yards of Harris Tweed produced in 1966, by the year 2006, that number was down to just 700,000. Despite its legal protections, Harris Tweed still had to compete in the marketplace.
Harris Tweed Orb Trademark
A certification mark that guarantees the authenticity and quality of Harris Tweed fabric. This trademark is only awarded to tweed that is handwoven by islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, using pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides. It ensures that the fabric meets the high standards set by the Harris Tweed Authority, preserving the traditional methods and heritage of this iconic Scottish fabric.
Challenges and Changes in the Industry
A Shift in Production
In the winter of 2006, veteran textile merchant Brian Haggas purchased the Kenneth McKenzie Mill, which produced 95% of the Harris Tweed at that time. Haggas cut the number of patterns produced from over 8,000 to just 4, outsourcing some production elements to China with a primary focus on efficiency. He also implemented a “just-in-time” ordering system where he could supply any retailer with any size and quantity of Harris tweed jacket in a matter of a few hours.
However, these changes didn’t lead to the desired sales growth, and unfortunately, layoffs followed. During this period, two other key players entered the scene: New York real estate magnate Alan Bain and former British trade Minister Brian Wilson. Each of them purchased one of the remaining historical Harris Tweed mills. This resulted in a significant consolidation of the industry, leaving only two small mills to produce the world’s entire supply of authentic Harris Tweed – a mere 5% of what was produced before Haggas’s acquisition.
Meanwhile, traditional cloth vendors had scoured the countryside for small stashes of the most colorful tweeds.
A huge stash of many of the 8,000-odd variations, including experimental types, was found in one warehouse, discarded by Haggas’s order. This treasure trove of forgotten tweeds provided a valuable source of inspiration for the two surviving mills, allowing them to draw upon the rich heritage of Harris Tweed.
Harris Tweed’s Comeback
A marketing Renaissance also emerged, with the Harris Tweed Authority courting many fashion brands with the history, richness, and romantic appeal of their clothes. In 2019, Haggas passed the leadership of the Kenneth McKenzie Mill to managing director Alex Lockerby, who was locally born in Stornoway.
By this time, the mill had rebounded and was responsible for approximately 38% of Harris Tweed production, with the other two mills producing the remaining 62%. So, although the history of Harris Tweed was significantly altered in 2006, this storied cloth is still around for us to enjoy today!
How Is Harris Tweed Made
As it says on the label, Harris Tweed is “Handwoven in the Outer Hebrides from 100% wool,” with some other variations depending on the age of the garment. The tweed was also historically hand-spun, though technological advancements rendered this technique inefficient and, ultimately, obsolete. Various clothing manufacturers use this fabric as the material for their jackets and tailoring.
Types of Harris Tweed
Aside from the most popular spongy, dry, and hairy variations of tweed, there are also other types. This would include the thornproof tweed used for hunting and sporting. The wool for Harris Tweed is mainly harvested from the Cheviot and Scottish blackface types of sheep on the islands of the Outer Hebrides. Increased demand, though, has meant that 100% virgin wool from elsewhere in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand is also used today.
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The Dyeing Process
The wool is dyed in various colors to be woven into complex color and pattern combinations. The dying process isn’t like most weaving, where the yarns are dyed, but instead, the fleece itself is dyed before being spun into yarns. Once finished, the wool is put into a giant spin and tumble dryer until all of the moisture has been removed. The wool is separated into 30 base colors, which serve as the “key ingredients” when patterns are created.
The most traditional tweed patterns are the so-called “estate tweeds.” Historically, these were the uniform patterns of the lords, ladies, and workers of a given estate, which the mill then trademarked. A fun fact for you: while tartans are for the entire clan or family line, these estate tweeds are just for the estates or the properties themselves.
How Harris Tweed Gets its Unique Hues
The 30 base colors are weighed out in different amounts to determine which color and pattern will be created. The strands are kneaded together so that no one color is dominant. This creates a unique color in and of itself, and it somewhat resembles a giant cake batter. When these different mixes are brought together, this is what gives tweeds their radiant color combinations. The needed fleece is dropped into a vacuum tube and broken up into smaller clumps, where it’s blown around by what is essentially a giant “leaf blower” until the colors are thoroughly mixed and incorporated. [Image credit: TartanKiltsByScotweb]
Hand-spun for Quality and Character
Toothed rollers then tense and mix the fabric for more incorporation and maximum durability. Then, the threads are spun seven to nine times to give them optimal strength. Tweed, unlike worsted wool, keeps both long and short fibers in the mix. This is what leads to that signature hairy feel, as well as those lively color combinations.
Meanwhile, worsteds just keep their long fibers and are combed for that soft, uniform texture. At this point, the yarns are put on a loom to be woven and inspected for defects or weak points. This process is done entirely by hand to be considered genuine Harris Tweed. Finally, the fabric is washed again to remove any remaining oils or impurities in the wool. [Image credit: TartanKiltsByScotweb]
Meeting the Harris Tweed Standard
Once the Tweed fabric is fully prepared, it’s then looked over by an inspector who gives “an accepted cloth” the official Harris Tweed seal of authority. The result is a sturdy and durable tweed fabric that can last for decades of wear and tear or one mixed with softer fibers to create a more contemporary, comfort-first appeal. [Image credit: TartanKiltsByScotweb]
Products Made from Harris Tweed
The Harris Tweed shop offers a variety of products on its website, and most are things that you would probably expect to see, like suits, sports coats, waistcoats, and casual jackets.
It is worth mentioning that today, these garments tend to have a more contemporary cut to them, featuring things like narrower lapels, more open quarters, and less padded shoulders, but at around $400 a jacket, it’s also likely that these are either half canvassed or fully fused garments.
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The Harris Tweed shop also has some more vintage-inspired items available, like plus fours or eight-panel flat caps. The shop also offers gloves, dopp kits, pillows, home goods, and many other accessories that feature their signature Harris Tweed, as well as their seal. These items might be fun to consider if you’re a big fan of the rustic aesthetic that tweed creates, but they’re probably not going to give you quite as much mileage as more classic menswear garments would.
Of course, we have some different preferences for our gloves and accessories, but we might be a bit biased. As mentioned earlier, many other menswear manufacturers, be they large brands or small tailoring shops, also buy Harris Tweed fabric to construct their garments. This is true of a number of pieces in Raphael’s collection, as well as the jacket that I’m wearing today.
Outfit Rundown
Today, I’m wearing a jacket made from Harris Tweed—this one is vintage from the now-defunct British menswear store Hodges. The overall feel is of a medium taupe, but there are also tones of green, orange, yellow, brown, blue, and black, all in the barleycorn weave. The casual nature of the jacket is also accented by its brown football buttons, and each sleeve features just one button on the cuff.
This jacket is a brand new acquisition for my wardrobe at the time of filming this video, so I haven’t even had a chance to get it tailored yet. Under the jacket, I’m wearing a light blue Oxford cloth button-down shirt—this one is also vintage, and I inherited it from my late grandfather.
It features a relatively long spear point button-down collar, which provides an excellent frame for showing off the ascot I’m wearing today. This silk ascot from our brand, Fort Belvedere, features a large paisley pattern in tones of burgundy, red, blue, and green, with a somewhat purplish character in certain spots as well. These colors are also echoed in my linen pocket square, featuring tones of blue and burgundy. My trousers are plain brown, though they do feature a reddish undertone, which also harmonizes with the color palette.
My belt and shoes are both medium brown, and the shoes are wing-tipped brogue derbies that feature no medallion on the toe cap. Rounding things out today are my two-tone shadow striped socks in tan and navy blue and the fragrance I’m wearing today, which is Green Irish Tweed from Creed. This one, of course, seemed especially appropriate.
And, of course, I’m wearing one of my trusty short-brimmed fedoras, this one in mustard brown. Speaking of accessories, if you’re interested in the ascot, pocket square, and socks I’m wearing, as well as a wide variety of other classic men’s accessories, corduroy trousers, and fragrances from the Robert Ugolini collection, be sure to check out the Fort Belvedere shop here.
Harris Tweed Beyond Traditional Menswear
It’s not just traditional menswear outfitters that use Harris Tweed, though. The fabric has also found a place in womenswear, and most contemporarily, the MLB has partnered with Harris Tweed for a line of wool baseball caps. If you’re looking for a somewhat more refined baseball cap, this might be a good choice for you, but of course, a flat cap or panel cap would be a more strictly classic choice.
Still, we do appreciate that classic brands are finding different ways to expand their reach, and if one of these baseball caps is what gets you into a fabric like Harris Tweed, and then from there, into classic menswear, then so much the better.
Overall, if construction methods are critical to you, then we’d suggest only buying from trusted makers who use Harris Tweed or buying the fabric directly and taking it to a trusted tailor yourself. This way, you can get exactly the style you want and also address elements like full canvassing if you so desire.
We believe that the Harris Tweed shop offers their smaller accessories for fair prices overall; however, some of the other materials they use, like leather, tend to be cheaper, so you might be better off finding dedicated accessories and small products from other retailers.
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So, Is Harris Tweed Worth It?
Firstly, of course, it depends on what you’re looking for. With Harris Tweed, you’re typically going to be getting a fiber-dyed, heavier-weight garment that is good for the colder months of the year because of the processes used to make it. You’re going to get a rich color depth that not only looks good on its own but is also easier to pair with other colors elsewhere in your outfit.
Overall, if you see the Harris Tweed label, you can rest assured that you are buying what is, in general, a good product.
Vintage Harris Tweed Is Better
That being said, not all Harris Tweed is alike because modern Harris Tweed tends to be quite a bit different from vintage Harris Tweed. Any cloth produced under the auspices of the Harris Tweed Authority should be of high quality, especially if you’re buying from a pre-2006 vintage. So, in this way, the cloth is “worth it” generally. As mentioned before, buying the cloth directly and having it made into a garment by a trusted tailor will be your greatest guarantee of quality.
There is a robust supply of vintage Harris Tweed available, but as with anything else, be mindful of the styling conventions as there are plenty of secondhand Harris Tweed jackets out there, particularly from the 1980s and ’90s, that were cut in boxy styles with things like center vents. Meanwhile, a jacket with a half belt or shooting pleats will probably be a bit more difficult to find, and you’ll probably want to consider the odors from vintage tweed garments.
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What to Look for When Buying Harris Tweed
Regarding manufactured garments, your mileage may vary. Whether they’re from the Harris Tweed shop or any other seller, you’ll need to assess the quality of their construction independently. In Raphael’s experience, for instance, he’s found that Harris Tweed is generally a good material for jackets like sports coats, Norfolk jackets, or hunting jackets with game pockets.
When to Choose (and Avoid) Harris Tweed
When it comes to hats or accessories, Harris Tweed will generally look the part but will probably wear out a bit faster, specifically for handheld or handled accessories as opposed to hats, than something made from high-quality leather, for instance.
harris tweed:
Durable yet not without limits
Even though it’s a hardy fabric, it will eventually wear out if you wear it hard. This is why so many jackets have elbow patches, after all. Generally, Harris Tweed also isn’t necessarily ideal for pants and trousers as its coarse and scratchy feel, as well as its heavy weight, won’t be particularly comfortable for some.
Of course, you certainly can get trousers in Harris Tweed, and you’ll probably even want them for a proper shooting suit, for instance, but just make sure that you have a proper lining put in.
Construction Matters
So, ultimately, this review is somewhat different than most of the other installments in this series, as we can really only speak to the essential quality of the Harris Tweed cloth itself. As with any purchase, the whole is made up of materials on one hand and construction on the other.
Phrasing this another way, gold is certainly a valuable material on its own, but given that it is malleable and soft, it would be a particularly poor choice to be made into a shovel. Keep in mind that different retailers are going to have differences in pricing, as well as use their own cuts and styles.
As a hearty, rugged cloth, Harris Tweed or any tweed will be better suited for cooler climates and harder wearing large garments instead of small accessories.
Final Verdict
To sum all of this up, you’re going to have to use your menswear knowledge to determine if a specific garment made from Harris Tweed is something that you want to add to your collection. But, in general, the Harris Tweed cloth itself is of high quality, and we find it to be worth it.
With that said, what are your experiences with Harris Tweed, either the cloth itself or garments made from it? Let us know in the comments!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Harris Tweed?
Harris Tweed is a luxury cloth that is handwoven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, made from pure virgin wool dyed and spun on the islands.
How can you identify genuine Harris Tweed?
Genuine Harris Tweed is identifiable by its Orb certification mark. The Harris Tweed Authority’s Orb mark is the United Kingdom’s oldest trademark.
What makes Harris Tweed unique?
The uniqueness of Harris Tweed comes from the fact that it is the only fabric protected by an act of Parliament. Harris Tweed must be woven in the weaver’s home and be inspected by the Harris Tweed Authority before being stamped with the Orb mark.
What items are typically made from Harris Tweed?
Harris Tweed is used to make a variety of items, including jackets, waistcoats, trousers, skirts, hats, and even accessories such as bags and wallets.
Is Harris Tweed suitable for all seasons?
Yes, Harris Tweed is known for its versatility and insulation properties, making it suitable for both winter warmth and summer coolness.
The influence across the pond of the US “Ivy League” style & Brooks Brothers & J. Press in the 1960’s for tweed in USA cannot be understated. However it seems only J. used the genuine Harris Tweed label The Ivy League cut and revere styling was very ideal & suitable for the tweed sports coats (jackets). By the way the classic “football” leather (not synthetic) sleeve buttons number two or three but not one as suggested.
It should be said that, in general, HT remains a classic conservative items worn mostly by men ,of taste & class in Britain and countries like France & Italy. However, it is, in my opinion, not every gentleman who can wear it correctly & with style, flair and panache
I don’t think there is any debate as to whether a Harris Tweed jacket it worth it! Yes, a new one would set you back hundreds of dollars, which can damper one’s enthusiasm. But I have satisfactorily bought several online for less than $70. I find they are great to wear with a light sweater when the weather is chilly. It gives you another layer that you can take off easily enough if you get too warm. I like to wear it when you need something more than a sweater going outside but you don’t want to wear an overcoat or winter outdoors jacket. Having several vintage tweeds makes it easy to wear them even if you are just going to a store. They serve as my all-purpose coat in autumn, and they go with just about anything.
I do, however, suggest avoiding any wool jacket that is very thick, especially if you have a sweater underneath, and they can also constrict arm movement. They can make you look like a mastadon.
One of my dreams is to visit the Shetland Isles to find see first hand the Tweed industry and maybe purchase a locally made sweater and jacket.