British Tweed Fabric: A Buyer's Guide from the Heart of Huddersfield.

Tweed is one of Britain's most recognisable cloths: hard-wearing, warm and quietly handsome. Whether you cut jackets for a living, run a ready-to-wear label or sew for the love of it, choosing the right tweed fabric comes down to a handful of decisions. This guide walks through them, with a little history along the way.

What is Tweed?

Tweed is a rough-textured woollen cloth, traditionally woven in a plain, twill or herringbone structure from carded wool yarn. It is valued for warmth, durability and natural weather resistance, which is why it became the cloth of the countryside long before it became the cloth of the catwalk.

You will often hear that the name came about when a London merchant misread the Scots' word "tweel" (twill) as a reference to the River Tweed. It is a popular story, and whether or not it is strictly true, the name stuck!

A short history of British tweeds:

British tweeds grew out of working cloth made for rain, wind and rough ground. In the 19th century, country estates began commissioning their own distinctive checks, partly for camouflage on the hill and partly as a mark of identity. Many of those estate patterns are still woven today.

The best-known protected tweed is Harris Tweed, which by law must be handwoven by islanders in their own homes in the Outer Hebrides. Other British tweeds come from Scotland, Yorkshire and beyond, each with its own character. Tweed is also made in Ireland, where Donegal tweed, with its flecks of colour, has a style of its own.

Why Huddersfield, Yorkshire and English Cloth?

Huddersfield sits in West Yorkshire, in the Pennine hills, and has been a centre of woollen and worsted cloth-making for generations. The soft water of the Pennine's and a deep pool of mill skills are a big part of why English cloth from this region is respected worldwide. The Pennine Hills provide natural inspirations for design and colour. Our name is a subtle nod to our local lanscape. At Pennine Fabrics, we work with a trusted local network of manufacturing partners to supply cloth from stock and made to order. Pennine Fabrics has the design and manufacturing capabilities to facilitate bespoke designs on a made-to-order basis, bringing your ideas to life! 

Classic tweed patterns, explained:

• Herringbone: A broken zigzag weave, a staple for jackets and coats, usually on an 8x8 weave i.e. 8 warp ends up, 8 warp ends down, giving the chevron effect. 
• Houndstooth: a small, broken check that reads bold from a distance and subtle up close.
• Glen Check / Prince of Wales: A larger check built from smaller checks, versatile across tailoring. The Prince of Wales tends to have a contrast or complimentary overcheck colour, otherwise it is generally known as a glencheck.
• Windowpane: As the name suggests, it has a clear window shaped check against a solid or melange ground. Typically the ground is a commercial shade with a brighter checking colour.
• Barleycorn: a tight, textured weave that gives a grain-like surface, typically woven in natural tones such as fawns, browns and greens.
• Plains / Solids: quieter cloths that let the yarn do the work, great when melange yarns are used for depth and texture.

How to choose tweed fabric

1. Weight. Heavier tweeds suit more structured outerwear such as Coats, Overcoats and more robust, utilitarian garments. Lighter ones drape better for jackets, skirts and trousers. Heavier cloths generally sit in the region of 350-450gm2, with lighter ones around 220-250gm2. Pennine Fabrics facilitates most weights for various end uses, always woven in the UK.

2. Handle and finish. Some tweeds feel crisp and dry, others soft and brushed. Extra milling and scouring in the finishing process can affect the fabrics handle and behaviour, as well as fibre content (below). Textiles is a tactile industry and feeling a physical swatch is the best way to access handle, drape and appearance (something AI can't do.. for now at least!).

3. Pattern scale. Large checks need more fabric and careful pattern matching. Plan extra meterage if you are cutting for a check, particularly large repeats. We will always cut to the end of a full check repeat when sending cut-lengths.

4. Fibre content. As well as finish, the final handle has a lot to do with the fibre - most 'Shetland' tweeds use shorter, coarser fibres, whereas some softer tweeds can use finer, longer fibres such as lambswool and some softer British Wools (such as Bluefaced Leicester Breeds). We will touch on that in another blog post!

5. Quantity and lead time. Brands and tailors should ask whether a cloth is held in stock or made to order, and what the minimum length is. From stock, we do not have a minimum order qty. Our website allows you to purchase 1 metre and above but if you need less, you can always contact us to request this (the last thing we want is waste!).

Working with tweed: Practical tips

• Pre-shrink or steam the cloth as your supplier advises before cutting.
• Use a sharp needle and quality thread, and allow for the thickness of the cloth when pressing seams.
• Line tweed jackets and coats for comfort and a clean hang; a good lining also extends the life of the garment.
• Cut single layer for large checks so patterns align at seams.

Buying English / Huddersfield cloth for your next collection

We supply bespoke and made-to-measure tailors, ready-to-wear brands, fashion houses, interior designers and costumiers, as well as makers who just want a few metres of something special. Browse our available fabrics, explore our limited edition collection, or get in touch to ask about a new fabric enquiry. We are always happy to assist interested clients.

We hope this short post was helpful in some way and if you have any queries or questions, please feel free to follow up with us.