This page introduces you to the early history of the wool-textile industry in the Scottish Borders, which was described by the author Omand as ".... a much loved area engendering a fierce loyalty and passion among its people" and who also commented that "no region of Scotland has so many threads so intricately woven into such a rich and satisfying tapestry"
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Woollen Producing Border Towns
The early woollen production was centred in Galashiels from around 1770, while Hawick
was producing yarn from the 1730's. These were the main centres of wool-textile production
in the Borders. Woollen production was also evedenced in the other Border towns, such as
Kelso, Jedburgh, Selkirk, Melrose, Innerleithen, Peebles and Langholm.
Galashiels was and is one of the main wool-textile producing towns in the
Borders. Its early beginning was in 1770, but it was not until 1820's that
Galashiels' product of traditional Border blue-dyed (previously grey-dyed)
reached its peak. But the products that made the Borders famous all over
the world, were the checked designs, which originated from Galashiels.
But fashion trends change, though tweed cloth is stil produced in the Borders
and is exported around the world. The history of Borders woollen production
is somewhat more complex. Therefore a more
detailed description is offered.
Even with the advent of tweeds, the main competition for the Border wool-textile industry
was from England, as it previously been. Though tweeds were aimed at the upper end of the market,
the mills of Yorkshire, Colne valley and Huddersfield were also able to compete with cheaper
products.
Most of the tweed exports were to "young" industrialising countries, such
as the United States and on the European continent.
But as they developed their own wool-textile industries,
they began to erect tariffs to protect their emerging industries, and thus created greater
barriers to entry.
Woollen Producing Border Towns
Main Products
Hawick, in the 18th century, moved from yarn-spinning for English
manufacturers to hosiery and carpet production. The town was also
a leading frame-knitting producer by 1794. From the early 19th century
Hawick also began manufacturing woollen products, including the
new tweed check designs.
Raw Materials Used
Apart from the favourable factor of the rivers that intersected the Borders, allowing mills
to be located there, the wool from the Borders' Cheviot breed and later the Border Leicester,
a derivative of the former, were to provide the raw material for its success. These had not
previously been bred there, and thus were an integral part to the establishment of a thriving
wool-textile industry.
However, though initially the Cheviot wool had, according to the author
Karen McKechnie "helped to bridge the quality gap between English and Scottish woollens", they
were to subsequently deteriorate in quality and no longer be suitable for fine-cloth production,
by the late 1830's. Then came the 50 year heyday of the check design tweeds and thus these
Border wools earned their place in history.
Competitors
Export Markets
Woollen Producing Border Towns
Main Products
Raw Materials Used
Main Competitors
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