All tweed labeled Harris must have the official orb and cross certification mark, and it can not have that mark unless it is “cloth that has been handwoven by the islanders of Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra in their homes, using pure virgin wool that has been dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides” (from the Harris Tweed Authority website).
For centuries the Scottish islanders produced tweeds, but the Harris Tweed certification mark was first stamped on fabric in 1911. Besides finding the Harris tweed mark on the fabric, it can be found on clothing labels, along with a number associated with the fabric’s weaver.
Harris tweed is seen in an earthy range of colors because the home weavers (crofters) produce dyes from natural plant sources. The fabric is always twill weave, usually right-hand twill and sometimes herringbone.
Uses: Suits, coats, slacks, skirts with relatively new lighter weights used for dresses
See also:
Tweed
Harris Tweed in the VFG Label Resource section
