Creature Comfort

In this article we thought it would be a good idea to showcase the different animals which provide the wonderful natural fibres which are synonymous with Famously Hawick.

Woven woollen cloth from the ‘The Home of Tweed’, to some of the finest Cashmere, Lambswool, Geelong, Merino and Vicuna garment production in the world today.

Here is an introduction to the animals who make it all possible, with a short description about the characteristics of each of the fibres and what makes them so special.

Camelhair - Two Humped Bactrian Camel

William Lockies Camelhair is 100% natural, undyed and breathable. No chemicals are used in the fibre processing. These fibres are extremely soft and warm and comes from the specially bred ‘Two Humped Bactrian Camel’, which lives and roams the Gobi Desert.

Cashmere Goat

The so called ‘Fibre of Kings’, Cashmere is unparalleled in luxury, warmth, softness and durability.

Cashmere beginnings are humble. Mountain Goats found in the freezing climates of China and Mongolia grow a downy underfleece of soft short hair to protect themselves from winter temperatures as low as -40°c. This undercoat is cashmere. The fibre is then painstakingly combed from the goats by nomadic tribesmen. The transformation happens in Scotland where the waters are soft and where more than a century of wisdom and understanding of this precious natural fibre is turned into pure luxury.

Geelong Australian Sheep

Geelong is ideal for a lighter weight woollen garment. Geelong is 100% wool and is made up from fine micron fibres which comes from the very first clip from specially bred Australian lambs.

South Australian Sheep

Only the finest quality wool from the best pedigree sheep makes the cut for our Lambswool items. These sheep are especially reared in South Australia where the climate is mild which helps produce this world-famous quality wool. The wool is knitted at a tight tension on special frames.

Merino Australian Sheep

Merino wool is fine and soft, this natural fibre comes from Australian sheep. It is an active fibre that reacts to changes in body temperature. So it helps you stay warm when the weather is cold, and cool when the weather is hot. Merino fibres can also absorb a large quantity of moisture making it a very comfortable and breathable garment to wear.

Vicuña Wool – South American Vicuña

Imagine an animal so graceful it inspired Inca royalty to reserve its fleece for themselves. The Vicuña is a slender camelid native to the high Andes mountains of South America. These gentle creatures, related to the llama and alpaca, thrive in the harsh, oxygen-depleted environment. Their unique double coat protects them from the elements – the coarse outer layer shields them from the sun and wind, while the incredibly fine inner layer provides exceptional warmth. This inner layer, meticulously shorn every two to three years, becomes the vicuña fibre we treasure.

Woollen Tweeds – British Sheep

Wool is nature’s most versatile fibre. It has such a complex combination of properties that no other material, natural or man-made can match it.

In essence the production of wool is a beautifully simple process whereby Sheep turn the grass into wool, the wool is harvested, then the wool grows back. Where sheep are bred for wool, they are part of the natural carbon cycle, consuming the organic carbon stored in grass and converting it to wool.

The natural qualities of Wool mean that it is renewable, biodegradable and recyclable. It is highly durable, with inherent flame-resistant properties and a good level of natural water repellence. It is simply the ultimate natural performance fibre.

Photocredits: Johnstons of Elgin | William Lockies | Lovat Mill | Hawico Scotland