TWEED: From Hill to Hill, a Rural Tradition is a short film by Pace Productions UK for the Angus Glens and Grampian moorland group to celebrate Scottish Tweed, and show the strong connection between this most famous cloth and the people who live and work on the land.
Tweed originated in Scotland in the 18th century when weavers set out to make a heavier, denser cloth; the development of the “twill” (the diagonal line that runs through he fabric) led to the what we now recognise as tweed. It is said that in 1831 a London cloth merchant mis-read a letter about “tweel”, the Scottish version of twill, thereby giving birth to the word ‘tweed’.
Made from wool, tweed is an ideal material for shooters and gamekeepers as it is hard wearing, has a degree of water-resistance and is warm. Blending patterns, textures and colour can not only act as a camouflage but also serve to identify the heritage of estates.
This short film not only gives an insight into the manufacturing process but also shows how important tweed is to the estates and outfitters, such as Campbell’s of Beauly (one of Scotland’s premiere tweed tailors).
It is well worth a watch.
