Dating a Harris Tweed label

Hello trying to figure out the age of a Harris Tweed label. Looked through the resources but nothing

 

Hi Fernando, and welcome to the forums.

If you can post pics of the garment and other labels, it will be very helpful.

Your Harris Tweed label is similar to one in the VFG Label Resource from the early '60s - it's the same label in a different format. The fabrics I can see in your pic look like they're from a similar era but additional photos will help. There should also be a label from the tailor, perhaps hidden in an interior pocket - tailors buy the fabric and make it into something, this label is for the fabric only.

 

Hi circa Vintage

 

Hi circa Vintage

 

Thanks for the pic: it could be early '60s.

 

Sorry No other labels.

 

We actually need to seperate out that Harris tweed label from that particular resource page as it belongs to a different brand. It is a common misconception that the two are variants of the same label, they are not. Your label can be dated due a rather infamous dispute between The Harris Tweed Association Ltd (of the Orb mark) and The Independant Harris Tweed Producers Ltd (of the shield mark). The latter was a collective of three mainland mills (trademarked in 1958) who were selling tweed cloth as Harris Tweed but that was not authorised nor stamped with the orb mark. Some of them justified this use of the Harris Tweed name by putting the yarn onto beams, shipping them to one of a the hebrides islands where it was turned into tweed on a loom and then having it shipped back to the mainland, finished off and marketed as Harris Tweed. Some also went to the length of spraying the fabric with a 'Harris Tweed Aroma' (said to immitate peat fire smoke) however this was misguided as the 'aroma' of Harris Tweed is actually due to the crofter's urine used to shrink the tweed after weaving.
The Harris Tweed Association began legal procedings against them in 1962 in English courts, while The Independant Harris Tweed Producers Ltd began legal procedings in 1961 in the Scottish courts went on to become the longest court case in Scottish legal history, ending in 1964 when it was ruled that all parts of the manufacturing process must be completed in the Outer Hebrides for it to be called Harris Tweed.

As such, all shield Harris Tweed labels will date between 1958-1964.

 

Wow - That's fascinating stuff Melanie.

 

Thanks Melanie - great information! Harris is one of the Hebridean islands. They were obviously trying to trade off the name so it's good they didn't succeed. Love the detail about tha "aroma"!