Organic & Eco-friendly Kilts
©2009 Matthew A. C. Newsome, GTS, FSA Scot
Is there a market
for “green” kilts? No, I don’t mean those solid color kilts
worn by Irish pipers. I mean kilts made from organic and
eco-friendly cloth.
Of course, the traditional fabric for kilt making is wool. And
wool -- being sheep hair -- is a natural and renewable
resource. One obtains wool simply by giving the sheep a “hair
cut.” Shearing the sheep does absolutely no harm to the
animal, and in fact is essential for health and comfort.
In that respect wearing wool, as opposed to man-made and
chemically based fibers, is a very eco-friendly thing to do.
But one woolen mill on the Isle of Mull has taken it a step
further and created an entire line of organic and ethical
woolen tweeds.
I first discovered Ardalanish weavers when doing a web search
for sources of Scottish tweeds a couple of years ago.
According to their web site, Ardalanish Organic Farm, near
Bunessan on Mull, rears Highland cattle and Hebridean sheep
for organic meat (they also grow organic turnips and
potatoes).
“Our farming practices,” their site proclaims, “represent our
belief in the primary importance of understanding the land and
its needs and allowing ecological relationships to develop
with animals already co-evolved with the environment.”
Isle of Mull Weavers works hand in hand with the Organic Farm
to produce specialty tweeds from the Hebridean sheep raised at
Ardalanish, as well as breeders from other parts of Scotland.
They are the world’s first Soil Association certified Organic
Tweed mill.
“Producing Hebridean and Native Breed Tweeds is a step towards
revitalizing the traditional industry of weaving, with the end
product paying tribute to the sheep and the energy used to
grow their lustrous wool.” That statement from their web site
is accompanied by a photo of weaver Mark Staley standing next
to one of their 1950’s era dobcross looms.
After reading about this mill’s practices and goals, and
seeing images of their especially beautiful fabrics, I made a
mental note to revisit the site later on. Unfortunately, like
so many of my mental notes, it took something jarring my
memory to bring it back to mind.
That something was the October 2009 edition of the Tartan
Herald, newsletter of the
Scottish Tartans
Authority. Among the many interesting articles in that
issue, there was one about Ardalanish. Kiltmaker Kate
Hunt-Smith from Inverary had used one of Ardalanish’s tweeds
(in a tartan pattern) to make a kilt for STA director Brian
Wilton. The article sang the praises not only of Kate’s kilt
making skills, but also of the wonderful cloth itself.
My memory sufficiently jarred, I revisited the Ardalanish site
and fired off a quick email expressing my interest in using
their tweeds for my own kilts. I received a quick and friendly
reply from Alex Connoll there. A few email exchanges and a
length of their “Hebridean Tattersall” was on its way from
Mull to North Carolina via Royal Mail.
While waiting for the anticipated package to arrive, I
attended the Stone Mountain Highland Games in Atlanta, GA.
Also in attendance was Brian Wilton, sporting his new
Ardalanish tweed kilt! Seeing the cloth in person only
confirmed the fact that this organic cloth would make an
excellent kilt. My appetite sufficiently whetted, I could
hardly wait for the parcel to arrive.
I was not disappointed the following week when a package from
Mull appeared at my door. The Hebridean Tattersall cloth I
ordered looked nearly black on my computer monitor. When seen
in person, however, the true beauty of the very rich, dark
brown wool came through. While some of the cloth from their
mill is organically dyed with plants such as indigo or crotal,
the tweed I received was woven from undyed wool, showcasing
the natural color of the dark Hebridean sheep.
I could hardly wait to get to work on the kilt. I was
interested, of course, in making this wonderful cloth
available as an option for my clients, but before I could
offer it, I first had to make sure it was sufficient by making
a kilt for myself. Oh, the burdens we kilt makers bear!
In truth I never had any doubt this cloth would make an
excellent, hard wearing kilt. The fact that it is also very
eco-friendly is an added bonus. As soon as my steam iron hit
the cloth, it unleashed the aroma of sheep and soil. I could
literally smell the farm that produced the wool. A breath of
air from the Inner Hebrides had literally traveled across the
Atlantic to be unleashed in my sewing room.
One of the main reason people have for wearing the kilt is to
honor Scottish traditions. And wearing a kilt made from cloth
produced according to traditional Scottish methods is an
excellent way to do just that. Of course, this tweed also is
superbly suited for jackets and waistcoats, as well.
You can learn more by visiting the web site of Aralanish
Organic Farm and Weaving Mill at
www.ardalanish.com.
And if anyone is interested in a kilt or jacket from this
cloth, they are most welcome to contact me, either through the
Scottish Tartans Museum web site (www.scottishtartans.org)
or my own (www.albanach.org).
I will close with these words from the Carmina Gadelica,
which grace the Ardalanish brochure: “May the man of this
clothing never be wounded. May torn he never be.”
Photo caption:
Left: The author with STA director Brian Wilton, wearing a
kilt of Ardalanish tweed. Right: The author's own Ardalanish
kilt from Hebridean Tattersall.
