Everything You Need to Know About Scottish Wool & Textiles

Scotland’s textile heritage runs deep within its cultural fabric, from cherished family jumpers to iconic tartan kilts. Of course, to understand Scottish wool and textiles today, we need to discover its unique history.

The Earliest Textiles

Woollen garments have been a part of human history for millennia. The discovery of wool trousers in western China dating back over 3000 years reveals the ancient significance of this versatile material. Organic matter is rarely preserved in the archaeological record, requiring the right conditions to prevent decomposition. Finding trousers from at least the 10th century BC is remarkable. In contrast, the earliest pair of socks, found in Egypt, dates between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD. The earliest example of double knitting appeared in North Africa 900 years ago.

The First Sheep

Sheep and goats were the first domesticated livestock. Sheep arrived in Britain in 4000 – 3000 BC with early Neolithic settlers from mainland Europe. These sheep were small and generally dark colours, similar to Soay sheep today. Although these early sheep likely arrived in southern England, horns have been discovered at the prehistoric and Norse settlement of Jarlshof on Shetland. Today, some of the oldest sheep breeds in the UK are found on Scotland’s far-flung northern isles.

The Wool Trade Begins

The Roman Empire reached Britain in the mid-1st century AD. The Romans encountered an established wool industry, and introduced their sheep to the emerging mix of breeds in the country. Remember those prehistoric sheep that we mentioned earlier? It is no coincidence that they remain in areas of Scotland that the Romans could not conquer.

It should be noted that although the written record is much older, descriptions of specific sheep breeds don’t exist until the 1700s in the UK.

The sprawl of one of the most iconic empires in the Western world’s history allowed the emerging wool trade between Britain and mainland Europe to expand. British wool remained a powerful trading tool when the Roman Empire collapsed in the 5th century. By the time William the Conqueror arrived in 1066, Britain and Spain were at the centre of the Western world for wool production.

The Wool Trade Boom

The wool trade peaked in Medieval Britain following the arrival of the Normans. The boom shaped much of the country we know today, especially in England. From the romantic golden streets of the Cotswolds to the towering wool churches across the country, evidence of the success of the Medieval wool trade can be seen everywhere.

Between the 13th and 15th centuries, Scotland was second only to England as a wool-producing nation. Other Scottish exports included fish and animal hides. Today, Shetland is synonymous with wool, the most famous wool from Scotland. This story began in the 1600s when Shetland exported hand-knit socks from handspun Shetland wool to the English and Dutch.

By the 16th century, heavy taxes and strict legislation saw English interests shift from the wool trade to textile manufacture. As a result, the Stroud Valley, in southwest England, became a hub of clattering water mills. However, unlike England, Scotland did not turn to cloth yet, and the wool trade continued into the 1700s.

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution reached Scotland after it had swept through England, emerging in the mid-1700s. In England, technological advances saw the textile trade move from southern England to the north. Subsequently, a new era of wool towns emerged in places like Leeds, built on steam power. Back in Scotland, linen was the leading textile industry. This transition to industrial textile mills led the way for cotton, jute and, of course, wool. By the early 1830s, the textile industry employed almost three-quarters of Scottish workers. Tartan, as we know it today, also emerged in this period.

The Highland Clearances

A conversation about the Industrial Revolution in Scotland can only occur by also discussing the Highland Clearances. Infamous in modern history for the mass displacement of Scottish families, players like the Duchess of Sutherland show the Clearances through a particularly notorious filter.

Many factors contributed to the Highland Clearances. One influence was the British Agricultural Revolution. Starting in the early 1700s and preceding the Industrial Revolution, this overhaul of farming methods allowed the expanding populations of industrial cities to be fed. At the same time, the events that led to the Battle of Culloden in 1746 also marked the end of the clan system as it had been known. Following this, power came from wealth rather than manpower. As the price of sheep and wool increased, livestock replaced tenant farming. By the second half of the 1800s, tens of thousands of Highlanders had emigrated. After this, by the end of the 19th century, falling wool prices gave way to deer and game.

The Wars

Just as the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800s had seen the price of wool spike, the First and Second World Wars had a similar, larger demand for this fibre. As a result, the British Government operated the Imperial Wool and Sheepskin Contract Scheme during both wars. The Scheme involved buying wool from across the Commonwealth for an inflated price. Wool bought through the scheme was primarily used to produce uniforms for the military, including trousers, skirts and jackets.

Following the end of World War II, wool prices began a continual decrease. Textile mills, many of which had seen a revival during the wars, closed for the final time. Simultaneously, Scottish wool and textiles gained a reputation for being scratchy and stodgy, unable to compete with the acrylic garments flooding the market.

There are many woollen mills, textile mills and yarn festivals across Scotland to discover. Of course, we’ve listed a few of our favourites below to help you find out more about Scottish wool and textiles in person.