From its early beginnings in 1770, the town of Galashiels saw considerable investment in woollen manufacture by 1790, such that its output of woven products was estimated to have increased ten-fold by 1829. But Galashiel manufacturers were finding it increasingly difficult to compete in fine-cloth products. Consequently demand for the traditional Border blue-dyed (previously grey-dyed) slumped. This gave rise to the product that made Borders famous all over the world, The tweed cloth of checked designs. These checked designs were originally just black and white, but as the author Karen McKecknie commented, they were subsequently produced in various colours and set a fashion trend. The author Clifford Gulvin argued that after 1830, Scottish wool-textiles had three design characteristics, which were "..... skilful use of colour, employment of pure virgin wools, and uniqueness of texture".

Hawick, in the 18th century, moved from yarn-spinning for English manufacturers to hosiery and carpet production. The town was introduced to frame-knitting by Baillie Hardie in 1771 and became a leading producer by 1794. From the early 19th century Hawick also began manufacturing woollen products, including the new tweed check designs. The tweed products, centred in the Borders was seen as a low intensity one with high prices associated with the quality upper end of the market. During the period 1830 to 1880 the Border wool-textile industry according to the authors Allan and Candlish achieved "... an international reputation for design, colour and textural quality unrivalled by the English centres of quality trade".

During the latter part of this period the author Clifford Gulvin commented that the importation of finer and softer wool from Germany anbd elsewhere enabled ".... the skills of the Border spinners and weavers, the piercers and warpers, the dyers and finishers, .... to produce cloth for which the Borders became famous : the warm, slightly rough cloth whose endless variety of colours is drawn from the hills, the stones and the whins, heather and bracken of the Borders".

But the fashion trend that saw the Borders achieve success, was to change, leading to demand for softer and finer woollen garments, and together with the invention of power looms, saw the demise of much of the Border wool-textile manufacturing output.

History of Wool-Textile Industry Contents

Woollen Producing Border Towns

Main Products

Raw Materials Used

Main Competitors

Export Destinations

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Socio-Cultural Implications

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