Tweeds – Sport Coating & Suiting

Each new season brings new sport coats and a new excitement to clothing.

For the fall, deep rich colors; earthy browns, golden wheat, rusts and reds of autumn leaves delight our eyes. . The interesting texture of a Donegal or Harris Tweed invites you to imagine an afternoon in the country. For the spring, the colors reflect the soft tones of an ocean landscape. Tans, blues and lighter greens dominate the palette. Pastels and ice cream colors in lightweight wools and silk/wool blends cool the eye.

W. Bill Ltd. and Porter & Harding both supply extensive collections of Tweeds woven in the Scottish border country, on the Isles off the coast of Scotland or in the Donegal country of Ireland.

Originally, tweeds were woven from coarse wool in the cottages of the Scottish weavers. The wool was spun and woven by hand. Colors were obtained from natural vegetation – vegetable dyes reflecting the soft colorings of heathers & lichens – green and brown shades that are still predominate colors today. The richness in tone is achieved by dying the wool before it is spun, often blending several shades of the same color into the spin yarn. Dying the spun yarn or the piece of finished cloth cannot duplicate this affect. These rough tweeds have been recreated in the modern idiom, reflecting the traditional designs, making them eminently suitable for both the town & country wear of today.