The Aristocrat of Homespuns: Reinvigorating Shetland’s “forgotten” tweed industry?

This thesis, a Master of Research study at The Glasgow School of Art, is about the history and heritage of Shetland Tweed, a once-iconic cloth, and the future for the tweed industry on the islands. Its intention is to present a clear understanding of what makes the fabric unique, and to provide evidence of its importance so that the islands can continue to benefit from tweed manufacture and public awareness by: - providing a context for the support of the tweed industry of the isles, in order that the fabric can continue to be made in Shetland now and in the future, - underpinning efforts to ensure that public knowledge of Shetland’s textile heritage is broadened. The objectives for achieving that aim are to formulate and present a clear and comprehensive understanding of the Shetland Tweed industry and the role that it has played in the life of Shetlanders, prior to its organisation in the 1840s through to its contemporary, 2021, incarnations. The research has been guided by the Research Question: Can Shetland Tweed be reinvigorated through an understanding of its history and heritage? Answering this query has provided insights into the origins of Shetland Tweed, the industry and the role that tweed has played in supporting economic and social development in the islands. This research focuses on two particular aspects of Shetland Tweed. Firstly, what makes it different to other tweeds and secondly, how can that difference be exploited for a more secure future? The research is timely. Across the globe awareness of environmental impact and demand for local production is gathering pace as consumers become more aware of the positive impact of local production (Sustainability For all, 2019). Consumers are becoming more aware of the actual costs of manufacturing – pollution, environmental degradation and climate change. In addition, growing numbers of people are moving to organic production and traceability in their purchasing of goods. The islands’ tweed industry produces a luxurious cloth with many of the desirable attributes that people are looking for, and this research aims to provide evidence of those credentials. The Shetland Tweed industry is not only important for its economic value but also for its social implications. For centuries cloth has been woven on the islands and tweed from Shetland was a valuable and desirable commodity for trading internationally. Although a precarious existence for most of its manufacturing life, Shetland Tweed still provides insights into the lives of weavers and their families, and those who traded in the cloth. It can hold stories and engender feelings and emotional responses beyond its mere colouring and patterns and it is far more than simply a Scottish tweed. It is truly “a very human thread”