Tweed: what it is and how to care for it.

Tweed is a much-loved style of fabric that today is popular around the world and takes pride of place as statement pieces in many wardrobes. At Lee Valley Ireland we pride ourselves on the quality of our tweed garments, along with our

carefully selected range of tweed caps from renowned weavers in Co. Kerry, Co. Donegal and Co. Galway.

Our Lee Valley Ireland tweed vests and gilets are made from 100% woolen tweed, and lined with 100% calico. Our array of tweed caps from master tweed craftsmen here in Ireland are made from 100% woolen tweed with inner quilted lining. Read on to discover more about how to care for your Irish Tweed pieces.

To browse our range of Irish tweed products including traditional Flat Caps and Tweed Waistcoats Click Here

 Origins of Tweed

Tweed emerged in Ireland and Scotland in the nineteenth century; it began as a hand-woven fabric. The cloth was rough, thick, and felted and the colours were muted and earthy, reflecting the beautiful local landscapes and countryside.

It was commonly worn by farmers to battle the chilly and damp weather as it is a naturally weather resistant and rain repellent fabric, warm and insulative. 

Tweed Today

Tweed is now available in light, easy-to-wear fabrics, making it perfect for year-round garments, not just autumn/winter pieces. Irish tweed wool fabrics are woven using Irish lowland wool. The yarn is dyed, blended, carded, spun and woven into classic and stylish tweeds and fabrics.  

Inch Tweed Vest - Navy

Caring for your Lee Valley Ireland tweed hats and garments

Spot Cleaning
Stains are bound to occur, no matter how hard you try to prevent them.

To naturally remove stains, use steam from a kettle and dab dry. We do not recommend the fabric to be treated with detergents, bleach, soaps or sprays. 

For a deeper clean, we highly recommend your garment is dry cleaned only. These products should never be

machine washed or tumble dried.

  Always consult the garment care label.

Ironing

It is rare your tweed garments will wrinkle, as it is quite a robust material. It is most recommend to lightly press with an iron on cool setting or use a handheld steamer to freshen up and remove any creases, but only if required.

Storing your Tweed

You should store your tweed vests and gilets on a good quality padded hanger and cover with plastic or resealable bag. Ensure the area is not too humid, as moisture in the air can damage the structure of your tweed product.  

Tweed caps should be stored flat.

Kerry Tweed Gilet - Grey Herringbone

Herringbone Tweed

Herringbone is a broken twill weave that produces a pattern of ‘Vs’ on the surface of the fabric. Some say the herringbone pattern looks like fish bones, hence the name. At Lee Valley Ireland we specialize in Herringbone tweed waistcoats and gilets, while offering herringbone tweed caps among other tweed cap styles. Style your Lee Valley Ireland 100% tweed gilet or waistcoat with a

Lee Valley Ireland 100% cotton flannel grandfather shirt, top off with one of our traditional tweed caps for a casual and stylish look.

Scholar Newsboy Cap - Navy

100% Irish Tweeds – Guaranteed Irish™

Here at Lee Valley Ireland, we are proud of the quality of our 100% Irish Tweed range sourced from the traditional woolen mills of Ireland.

Our traditional tweed collection include men’s and women’s tweed caps, gilets and waistcoats. Browse our tweed collection online today, including our unique tweed vests, the only tweed vests in Ireland lined with calico - a traditional Irish woven hard-wearing cotton fabric.