Harris Tweed may soon be Yorkshire owned

Much of the Harris Tweed industry could be under the control of a Yorkshire company within months, according to the BBC in Scotland, in order to be more attractive to investors. Clothing manufacturer Haggas is in talks with the KM Group and a smaller tweed firm in the Western Isles. The KM Group produces 95% of Harris Tweed and has been on the market for four years. The BBC further reported the company closed one if its mills, with only one remaining, and with the work being transferred to Stornoway on Lewis. According to the report, there has been interest in the KM Group since 2002, when the company stated it was over to offers.

The three parties involved in negotiations have not been willing to comment, although it is expected the a deal could be signed before the end of the year. Harris Tweed is cloth that has been hand-woven by the islanders of Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra in their homes, using pure virgin wool that has been dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides.