Walker Slater has grown gently from its roots in the Highlands, where it was established with a mission to provide remote communities with durable and versatile clothing to combat the harsh elements. From there the brand moved south, opening shops in Edinburgh, Glasgow and London and began to offer ready to wear tailoring in a range of contemporary and elegant styles, each carefully designed by our in-house design team. With colour palettes inspired by the rugged charm of the Scottish landscape, from its age-old towns and cities to earthy landscapes, we offer garments for any occasion and for any style. Whether you’re on the hunt for a new look for a ladies brunch, a work outift or a night out, our tweed is the perfect statement to dress up or down. Our selection of tweed designs and weights will effortlessly flatter your figure. English nobles originally were quite taken with how tweed blended in perfectly with the surrounding countryside. Even today, tweed is beloved for its natural allure. Herringbone has an iconic triangular pattern with varying tones. This pattern is more common in tweed than it is in any other fabric. Cotton production requires pesticides and fertilizers, and petrochemical-based products wreak unspeakable havoc upon ecosystems around the world. Sheep farts aside, wool production doesn’t introduce any significant quantities of pollutants into the environment, and this practice is so sustainable that it has been successfully pulled off for thousands of years with no major consequences.

Yes, sheep emit flatulence, and yes, that flatulence contains methane. Just how sheep farts are responsible for climate change is still up for debate, but regardless, it’s possible that both sheep flatulence and excrement might do environmental damage. If wool does catch on fire, it doesn’t melt, scald, or adhere to the skin in any way. Instead, it simply chars and falls off, and it also doesn’t leave any toxic fumes behind. Combined with the fact that wool is one of the world’s most sustainable fabrics, it’s clear why wool textiles like tweed remain as popular as they are. The majority of tweed weaving takes place in the UK, which makes the Austrialian wool trade an important facet of the relationship between these two Commonwealth countries. But what caused the farmer’s favourite from the North to become a fashion essential centuries later? We categorise our garments based on the weight of tweed we use for their design as we are conscious that certain weights are not appropriate for specific garments. For example, if you want a skirt to drape gracefully, then a lighter weight of tweed would be required.Later in the century, advances in the production of tweed meant that it became more affordable and attainable for those who weren’t nobility or farmers. Its durable and water-resistant properties meant that it was used to make hunting and fishing attire, and the natural hues of the fibres were beneficial for providing camouflage in countryside areas.

We delve into the history of tweed and how it has evolved from a working man’s cloth into an indelible fashion staple today. Discover exactly what tweed is, how to care for it, and more. Tweed garments are usually made up of natural wool fibres from merino sheep. Merino sheep produce a coat of wool once a year which is often harvested by hand. Have a read of our guide to Merino wool to learn more about where it comes from. Modern tweed more closely represents the English nobility’s interpretation than it does the original rugged Scottish fabric. Regardless, tweed’s ability to resist the environment has won it an enduring place in the international fashion world, and tweed garments are still made and sold in reasonably large quantities today. In the first half of the 19th century, many estates in Scotland were taken over by English noblemen looking to increase their life of leisure. Gently squeeze the suds through the garment. Be cautious not to wring, rub, or stretch whilst washing.

What is tweed fabric?

Traditionally, wool sheep haven’t been treated all that well. After the outcry of global animal rights activist groups, however, the industry has cleaned itself up significantly. Remember that it’s always possible to get sheep wool that was cultivated with ancestral, nomadic practices if 100% authentic and organic is just how you roll. A highly popular version of tweed, this traditional design comes in three sizes distinguishable by their scale. The wool yarn is dyed in particular colors and dried in bunches. The ratio of certain dye colors to each other is balanced perfectly to result in the exact tweed pattern that’s desired. These attributes make tweed very durable and insulative, which is why this fabric became so popular in winter clothing and outerwear.

The mills we work closely with include Marton Mills, Abraham Moon, Johnstons of Elgin, Mallalieus of Delph, Robert Noble, McGee of Donegal, Lovat Mills and more. All of these mills do an exceptional job in producing different quantities and designs. We work passionately to ensure the tweeds we select for our catalogue are exclusive to us in full or by the colour available. Explore our range of exclusive Harris Tweed garments and accessories. These items are the result of a close partnership between Walker Slater, Harris Tweed and prestigious organisations; the Scottish Rugby Union, the Ryder Cup, the Scottish Football Association and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. For well over a century, Harris Tweed has been woven with unmatched skill and reverence in the Outer Hebrides. The Harris Tweed Act of 1993 ensures that no part of the process; the dyeing, blending, spinning or weaving; takes place anywhere else. It’s a cloth with a rich heritage, and has a depth and beauty that cannot be replicated. We are delighted to work with a cloth of such significance, and have worked closely with the mills and weavers in the Outer Hebrides to design unique and exclusive fabrics that are used in our signature styles. Here you’ll find suiting options boasting contemporary and clean silhouettes in a range of our exclusive partnership Harris Tweeds, along with accessories to top off any outfit.Tweed blazers are durable, versatile, and timeless. They provide warmth and protection from the elements, and are suitable for a variety of occasions, from formal events to casual outings.