Borrisdale Tweed

About

Borrisdale Tweed offers exclusive and stylish homewares and accessories in our own independently woven HARRIS TWEED®. All products are made by us in Harris or in collaboration with small scale manufacturing partners in Scotland and England.

As lifelong lovers of textiles and design, it was fortuitous for us to settle in the Hebrides – we are glad we did and Borrisdale Tweed was one of the outcomes of our relocation.

Our approach is basic in its concept - the considered design and making of good quality home textiles and accessories, using independently woven HARRIS TWEED® from our looms or others in the locale.  There’s an emphasis on simplicity, keeping things unadorned to showcase the characteristics of the cloth – ours tends to eschew the more traditional colours and patterns, relying on a more restrained palette of hues and less common fabric constructions (think Tweed but not Tweedy!).

Many words have been written concerning our raw material of choice - HARRIS TWEED®.  The iconic cloth of these islands is, by order of its defining Act of Parliament, woven on a non-mechanised loom situated within the home of the weaver.  The constituent yarn must also be produced in the islands and is spun from pure new wool.  Unconventionally, the fibres are dyed as loose stock, prior to being blended, carded and spun - giving a characteristic and uniquely variegated appearance to the yarn, which in turn defines the multitude of colours perceived in the fabric.

As is required, our own looms reside in their shed by our house in Borrisdale – a township of permanent population < 20 at the very southern tip of the Isle of Harris – between the hillock of Strannabhal to the north and the sheltered inlet of Port Eisgein on the Sound of Harris.

Of the 140 or so active weavers of HARRIS TWEED®, a handful work independently from the mills.  Central to the aims of Borrisdale Tweed are to showcase these endeavours.  Independent weavers retain creative control through undertaking their own warping and weaving - often producing small batches of their cloth, each distinct in their use of pattern, hue and texture.

Finally, in these uncertain times, there’s a recognition that supply chains must become more localised and circular to be sustainable.  The strict requirements that we use suppliers based in the Hebrides for our yarn and wet processing lends itself to this approach. The inherent robustness of the cloth naturally imparts an enduring quality to our products and we strive to minimise waste in our pattern cutting.  We make > 90% of our products ourselves from our own cloth, in our workshop in south Harris, with the remainder being produced for us by small scale manufacturers and makers within Scotland and England. 

If you are visiting, our products are offered for sale from our retail outlet in Leverburgh.  Our shop, in addition to our sewing workshop, is situated in the much-loved former post office building (“The Cauldron”), adjacent to the central mill pond of the village.  Just keep your eyes peeled for the building with the striking red cement board cladding!

We produce a range of high-quality homewares (cushions and throws, in standard and bespoke sizes), alongside a collection of stylish accessories (caps, scarves, shawls, zipped pouches and bags). 

Opening times – Monday to Friday, 12 noon to 6pm and by appointment.  Please call or email if you are travelling far or making a special trip and we will make sure we are available to welcome you. 

In winter, we often focus on warping and weaving our cloth and the shop is open less frequently. Please email for an appointment during this time.