Death Knell for harris Tweed?

[Leitz Noctilux]

Good Evening All;

Did anyone hear the piece on Radio 4's PM programme about the closure of Harris Tweed production on Stornaway this evening?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/hig ... 443442.stm

Thank goodness that I have already chosen the cloth for my jacket & should have my first fitting at Norton & Sons in a week or so.

Be well
LN

[WF]

Just raced upstairs to post this here as well
Perhaps this sounds like a stupid question but why would a factory produce so many jackets if they didnt have advance orders?

Wendy

[couch]

This is the same Brian Haggas who, in the BBC documentary on Savile Row, was described as seeking to reduce to five the number of colors the weavers could produce in order to "rationalize production." It was in the segment on Norton and Son, by coincidence, showing the young guv'nor driving up to order more cloth for an American customer. Or was it coincidence, LN?

Given the strength of the Harris Tweed brand, one wonders about Haggas's management skills in cultivating an artisanal product, and his motives. It may be that demand is hopelessly soft, but this related article from May 2 suggests otherwise:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scot ... 380670.stm

Hoping for the best,
Couch

[Leitz Noctilux]

"It was in the segment on Norton and Son, by coincidence, showing the young guv'nor driving up to order more cloth for an American customer. Or was it coincidence, LN?

As I am not an American (neither do I play one on Television), so it was not on my behalf that Mr Grant was hastening northward.

Be well
LN

[RWS]

From the article cited by LN:

"Meanwhile, two smaller mills on Lewis which have been revived are not yet in a position to keep 130 home-based weavers in work."

Might another Lounger know which those are? Or how to reach them?

Thanks!

[pvpatty]

I find it interesting to note the associated headlines that have come up on the side of that article on the BBC site:

-Tweed mill to increase workforce
02 May 08 | Highlands and Islands
-Job cuts at Harris Tweed company
30 Apr 08 | Highlands and Islands
-Mill boss in tweed campaign call
13 Jul 07 | Highlands and Islands
-German Harris Tweed order back on
12 Jul 07 | Highlands and Islands
-Tweed order from Germany refused
06 Jul 07 | Highlands and Islands

Increasing workforce, job cuts, German tweed on, German tweed off. All very confusing.

[storeynicholas]

As well as the death of the planet, we have to cope with this too..
NJS.

[storeynicholas]

As well as the death of the planet, we have to cope with this too..
NJS.

[Frog in Suit]

As well as the death of the planet, we have to cope with this too..
NJS.

But isn't tweed more crucial? No, wait....?

Frog in Suit

[alden]

But isn't tweed more crucial? No, wait....

At last look, there are an infinity's worth of planets out there, but good tweed sources are vanishing....support your clothclub!

Michael

[storeynicholas]

If, eventually, we have to opt for another planet on which to manufacture Harris tweed, we will need to be sure that the environment will allow the ready growth of the necessary lichens. I saw a film last night called The Day After Tomorrow which some would probably dismiss as sensationalist nonsense but it gives a terrifying portrayal of what the melting of the ice caps will, one day, lead to........

[couch]

But isn't tweed more crucial? No, wait....

At last look, there are an infinity's worth of planets out there, but good tweed sources are vanishing....support your clothclub!

Michael

Doing my best in the circumstances. I love tweeds, and this year was an unusually long wearing season in the mid-Atlantic region with a cool wet spring. But all of a sudden we're having record-setting 99F temperatures with matching humidity and I'm tempted to have my Brisa made up before my green Lovat tweed (irrational, given the fitting schedule). And frankly, with air-conditioning overtaxed in many of my living/working spaces, wearing more polo shirts. London high temperatures in the high 60sF this weekend are looking very attractive.

Still, while we're taking the cosmic view, I can't help wondering whether there's an opportunity for some wonderful new artisanal cloths and cuts that would reflect an elegance specifically responding to new climatic realities. After all, all those high-necked, heavily lined doublets and coats, ruffed collars, and so on reflected the needs of the last mid-millenial "little ice age."

Not suggesting we at the LL abandon our inspirations and sources. Simply wondering whether there's a growth field in durable, eco-friendly, non-nylon materials and designs that can function realistically in 36C temperatures without requiring that air conditioning reduce them all the way down to 22C or less.

[Bishop of Briggs]

It would be useful to know where one can buy top quality and unusual Harris tweed cloth. Perhaps Mr Alden may wish to commission a LL limited edition whilst he can.

[Sir Henry]

Try getting Harris Tweed in my country these days. None of the shops supply it anymore because they say it's too old hat. Even a google search doesn't bring up any Tweed coats.

[Sir Henry]

It would be useful to know where one can buy top quality and unusual Harris tweed cloth. Perhaps Mr Alden may wish to commission a LL limited edition whilst he can.

Sounds like a great idea.