Made from the finest wool from Australia and New Zealand, Robert Noble's tweeds and tartans are warm, colorful fabrics that have been produced by the Scottish people for centuries, and are now treasured the world over.
Located on the banks of the River Tweed, Peebles has long been a center of the Scottish wool industry. At the start of the nineteenth century, it was famous for its shepherd tartan, used to create trousers and cloaks. This fabric featured a relatively simple black and white tartan pattern, and became incredibly popular among members of the London elite. The wool manufacturers of Peebles were extremely creative and experimented frequently with unique patterns and weaves and by 1834, the demand for their tartans had grown so great that foreign wool had to be imported into the area. The need to import wool may not seem like such a shock, however it is estimated that at this time, this area possessed more sheep per acre than anywhere else in the world! Their 400,000 sheep yielded more than 2,000,000 pounds of unwashed wool a year, and this amount was still only enough to meet about a tenth of the total demand.
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<img src="http://www.source4style.com/trends/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/three-sheep-scotland_21024_990x742.jpg" alt="scottish wool sheep" width="750" height="562"></div>
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While shepherd tartan may have been the design that catapulted Peebles to international fame, tartans have been produced in over 7000 unique patterns during their long history. In many countries, the pattern of crossing stripes that defines a tartan is frequently referred to as ‘plaid,’ when in fact, ‘plaid’ is derived from the Gaelic word for blanket, ‘plaide.’ These [blankets](https://www.commonshare.com/capabilities/blankets) were almost always made from tartan fabric, which is how the confusion of terms occurred.</div><div><br></div>
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<img src="http://www.source4style.com/trends/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/shp-ctrvshepherdreivertartanorg__20049139228870312801280.jpg" alt="shepherd tartan" width="750" height="760"></div>
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<a href="http://www.source4style.com/search?q=tartan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><strong>Tartans</strong></a> became so associated with Scotland during the 17th and 18th centuries that the British government </div><div>banned the wearing of tartan in the Highlands after the Battle of Culloden of 1746. They believed that the fabric was so indicative of the strong Scottish spirit that forbidding it would subdue the region. However, this campaign was completely unsuccessful and Scottish tartan manufacturers began springing up in larger numbers than ever before during the mid 1700s. Many tartans were associated with specific clans and families, and while these associations exist today, tartan has lost much of its original symbolic significance.</div><div><br></div>
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<a href="http://www.source4style.com/search?q=tweed" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><strong>Tweed</strong></a> was invented among the small populations of Scottish farmers and land workers hundreds of years before it was discovered and popularized by the English aristocracy. Originally made of thick, rough wool, it was woven by hand and felted, designed for heavy use by working men. Legend has it that the name ‘tweed’ is the result of a clerk mistaking the Scotch word ‘tweel,’ referring to the fabric we today call ‘twill,’ for ‘tweed,’ the name of the local river. Regardless of its origins, the name stuck, and today the fabric is treasured throughout the world.</div><div><br></div>
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<img src="http://www.source4style.com/trends/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/02-tcx-close-up-of-tweed-production-1112-mv.jpg" alt="scottish tweed" width="750" height="486"></div>
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In the early days of tweed production, around the mid 1800s, the fabric was produced mainly for use in men’s attire. Because color fastness was an issue for wool fabrics at this time, these tweeds featured primarily dark and neutral colors such as black, brown, and grey, but as [spinning](https://www.commonshare.com/capabilities/spinning) techniques improved, producers frequently used ‘twist yarns,’ comprised of two different colors, to add variation and interest to the cloth. Now that producers have developed new [dyes](https://www.commonshare.com/capabilities/dyes) and techniques that are effective on such thick, coarse fibers, tweeds are available in a full spectrum of colors, though they are still known for the speckled or heathered appearance created by the use of twist yarns.</div><div><br></div>
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<img src="http://www.source4style.com/trends/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/robert_noble_11.jpg" alt="robert noble mill" width="750" height="501"></div>
<div><br></div><div><b></b>Robert Noble creates some of the finest tweeds and tartans available today. With roots running all the way back to 1666, the manufacturer has been located in Peebles since 1884. While they create traditional <a href="https://www.source4style.com/robert-noble/collection" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><strong>fabrics</strong></a> that tell a story of Scotland’s history, they remain committed to innovation, releasing inspired seasonal collections and bespoke designs, and using the very latest technology and modern looms to produce high quality materials.</div>
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In addition to maintaining a commitment to quality, Robert Noble is also dedicated to environmental sustainability and reducing their carbon footprint. While they consistently take steps to reduce the amount of electricity they consume, and to improve the recycling of yarn, the grounds of their mill also host illustrious gardens where employees are encouraged to grow fresh produce and flowers.</div>
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