Laxey Woollen Mills is the only commercial woollen mill on the Isle of Man weaving traditional and contemporary Manx tweeds, cloth and tartans.
The Mills has produced Manx tweed since 1881 – starting even before the world famous Harris Tweed – and not only continues this tradition but innovates with new designs and products.
The Mills uses Manx Loaghtan, Manx-born Hebridean and Manx white wool, purchasing fleeces from a local farmer, providing him with a market and celebrating and ensuring a future for Manx Loaghtan farming.
It links up with small, traditional, artisan craftsmen and suppliers in Scotland and Ireland to produce its hand-tailored garments, slippers, bags, purses and accessories.
Designs and colours in Manx tweed are influenced by the colours in the Island’s landscape, hedgerows, seascapes and seasons and connect the practice and products to the Biosphere.
Keeping the tradition alive, the Mills employs an apprentice weaver, who is learning the whole craft: warping, beaming, colour and pattern design, weaving, mending and finishing.
The Mills’ looms – one of which dates back to 1926 – are pedal, rather than electricity, powered; much of the lighting in the gallery is low energy; customer bags are paper and gallery packing materials, including inner cones from yarns, are recycled.
A collaboration with Laxey Launderette means shorter runs of tweed are now 'finished’ (the final stage of washing and pressing) within half a mile of the Mills rather than sent away for the process.
Cloth trimmings are given to crafters and creative groups free of charge.
The Mills hosts exhibitions of textile art, much of which has been created using textiles and wools that are hand-spun and hand-dyed using native plants and substances.
Visitors from the Island and around the world come to see the weaving and buy tweeds, cloth and tartans, while online orders are also despatched globally.
Storyboards will soon show the many stages of woven tweed 'From Mountain Track, to Wearer’s Back' (the original slogan from 1881) so customers and visitors can better understand the tradition.
The Mills’ Hodgson Loom Gallery and Shop provide space for Isle of Man artists and photographers to exhibit and sell their work.
Many featured artists are influenced by the Island’s landscape, history, folklore and Celtic and Scandinavian artistic traditions.
Every year, the gallery holds a themed open art competition and exhibition.
It actively promotes Manx artists and sculptors and holds a five-week exhibition to coincide with the Isle of Man Art Festival in May and, running this on through TT fortnight so Manx art reaches a wide audience
Newly opened within the Mills is the Laxey Tale Story, part of Visit Laxey Valley’s project to introduce visitors to the wealth of industrial heritage in Laxey and stunning scenery from Laxey harbour to Snaefell summit.
The Mills has produced Manx tweed since 1881 – starting even before the world famous Harris Tweed – and not only continues this tradition but innovates with new designs and products.
The Mills uses Manx Loaghtan, Manx-born Hebridean and Manx white wool, purchasing fleeces from a local farmer, providing him with a market and celebrating and ensuring a future for Manx Loaghtan farming.
It links up with small, traditional, artisan craftsmen and suppliers in Scotland and Ireland to produce its hand-tailored garments, slippers, bags, purses and accessories.
Designs and colours in Manx tweed are influenced by the colours in the Island’s landscape, hedgerows, seascapes and seasons and connect the practice and products to the Biosphere.
Keeping the tradition alive, the Mills employs an apprentice weaver, who is learning the whole craft: warping, beaming, colour and pattern design, weaving, mending and finishing.
The Mills’ looms – one of which dates back to 1926 – are pedal, rather than electricity, powered; much of the lighting in the gallery is low energy; customer bags are paper and gallery packing materials, including inner cones from yarns, are recycled.
A collaboration with Laxey Launderette means shorter runs of tweed are now 'finished’ (the final stage of washing and pressing) within half a mile of the Mills rather than sent away for the process.
Cloth trimmings are given to crafters and creative groups free of charge.
The Mills hosts exhibitions of textile art, much of which has been created using textiles and wools that are hand-spun and hand-dyed using native plants and substances.
Visitors from the Island and around the world come to see the weaving and buy tweeds, cloth and tartans, while online orders are also despatched globally.
Storyboards will soon show the many stages of woven tweed 'From Mountain Track, to Wearer’s Back' (the original slogan from 1881) so customers and visitors can better understand the tradition.
The Mills’ Hodgson Loom Gallery and Shop provide space for Isle of Man artists and photographers to exhibit and sell their work.
Many featured artists are influenced by the Island’s landscape, history, folklore and Celtic and Scandinavian artistic traditions.
Every year, the gallery holds a themed open art competition and exhibition.
It actively promotes Manx artists and sculptors and holds a five-week exhibition to coincide with the Isle of Man Art Festival in May and, running this on through TT fortnight so Manx art reaches a wide audience
Newly opened within the Mills is the Laxey Tale Story, part of Visit Laxey Valley’s project to introduce visitors to the wealth of industrial heritage in Laxey and stunning scenery from Laxey harbour to Snaefell summit.
