Where was Harris Tweed originally produced?
Harris Tweed Harris Tweed Harris Tweed is a tweed cloth that is handwoven by islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, finished in the Outer Hebrides, and made from pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides. This definition, quality standards and protection of the Harris Tweed name are enshrined in the Harris Tweed Act 1993. For centuries, the islanders of Lewis and Harris, the Uists, Benbecula and Barra have woven cloth by hand, calling it 'clò-mòr' in the original Gaelic or 'big cloth'. Originally, this handmade fabric was woven by crofters for familial use, ideal for
Harris Tweed Authority become essential to the developing industry. This led to groups of merchants in both Lewis and Harris applying to the Board of Trade for a registered trade mark. On 9 December 1909, a group of these merchants joined together to create The Harris Tweed Association Ltd., a company limited by guarantee with a registered office in London, formed with the intention of protecting the use of the name ‘Harris Tweed’ from imitations, such as the so-called ‘Harris Tweed’ of Henry Lyons or from the inferior standards of production which produced ‘Stornoway Tweed’, and also to establish a Harris Tweed certification