As you may be aware I love my Tweeds. The Harris is protected by its own Act of Parliament. Its pretty specific about what is classed as Harris Tweed and you'd think, therefore, when you buy Harris Tweed products you're getting a quality product from the UK.
đ¤ Hmmmmm...... Well you are and you're not. Did you know the big brands, and I'll not name them, but if you buy any of the big brands of Harris Tweed accessories, you'll know who I mean. The Tweed is shipped to India and Bangladesh to make bags and then shipped back and sold in the UK. These brands typically have Scottish names but they aren't made in the UK. You're paying overinflated prices when they paid pennies for manufacture so that someone can make a big profit and mislead you into believing they are UK made. You might also consider that all that shipping round the world is not very sustainable. Its an interesting conundrum when Harris Tweed markets itself as small scale, sustainable and artisan. đ
BTW I'm in no way blaming the Harris Tweed Authority or the tweed producers. They are just trying to scrape a living like the rest of us and we can't be picky about who we sell to because....... Well we don't vet our customers before deciding if their money is as good as anyone else's.
What I'm saying is..... If you want UK made buy from a producer like me..... Other producers are available. Pass on the big brands and get something truly unique, original and of quality. And remember just because its Harris Tweed and has a nice Scottish name, the finished product is not necessarily artisan or even made in the UK.Â