Harrisons of Edinburgh – A Deep Dive Into British Fabrics
Harrisons of Edinburgh is one of Britain’s most respected cloth merchants, known for creating authentic British fabrics with real character — from tweed and flannel to classic suiting. Their approach blends traditional weaving heritage with updated colours and patterns, making their fabrics favourites among tailors and menswear enthusiasts around the world.
Their portfolio includes several sub-brands, each with its own identity:
W.Bill with soft Shetlands and Donegals, Porter & Harding with rugged outdoor tweeds, H.Lesser offering dense, refined suiting cloths, and Smith Woollens, famous for icons like Solaro. Together, they cover everything from winter flannels and high-twist summer suitings to contemporary jacketings in modern, easy-to-wear palettes.
At Lund & Lund, we work closely with Harrisons in our made-to-measure tailoring, offering a wide selection — from soft Shetland tweeds to clean and timeless business suitings that embody the best of British cloth.
To understand Harrisons from the inside — its heritage, its evolving identity, and what truly defines British cloth today — we sat down with Alistair Brook, who represents Harrisons across Scandinavia and several European markets.
With a background in textile design and decades spent inside mills in Scotland and West Yorkshire, Alistair brings a unique perspective on how these fabrics are made, how they’re meant tobe worn, and why Harrisons continues to play such an important role in modern tailoring.
Could you tell us a little about your background and your role at Harrisons?
-In the 1990’s I trained as a textile designer before moving into sales and marketing. I worked in various weaving mills in Scotland and West Yorkshire. My role at Harrisons is looking after the various customer accounts in France, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux and Scandinavia.
How would you describe the Harrisons DNA – what truly defines the brand today?
-That’s a great question. We are a purveyor of Authentic British Fabrics that have been designed and updated (in terms of quality / finish / colour design) so that our fabrics have relevance in the current zeitgeist. To communicate our collection of fabrics much more effectively , they are presented under various brand name.
Looking back, which parts of your heritage do you feel remain most relevant to the way you work today?
-Many of our iconic fabrics have a story, history and character that is wrapped up in the heritage of the wool trade as well an association with British culture in general. In a technological modern fast paced world, I like to think people love to connect to our fabrics because they bring calmness and security; this acts as some sort of counterbalance in our fast paced lives.
Could you share a little about your manufacturing process – especially any traditional tools or methods that remain unchanged?
-Over the years, wool fibres have become finer whilst spinning and weaving technology has become more efficient and faster. I guess the one traditional area that has been maintained in the United Kingdom is wet finishing – we still use the old “dolly” rope scouring (washing) machines with the wooden rollers / winches which helps “lather up” the fabric into a full bodied finish which is very important distinction. Conversely the Italians use open width scouring machines which is designed more for bulk fast high output production.
Harrisons has an impressive portfolio of mills and collections. How would you describe their individual personalities and what makes each of them unique?
-Our brand portfolio has grown over the years where we try to ensure each brand has its own personality. W.Bill offers softer tweeds like Shetlands and Donegals whereas the Porter & Harding collection is focused on more outdoor tweeds (Hartwist, Thornproof, Glenroyal). H.Lesser is known for its compact high thread density classic suiting fabrics and Smith Woollens has the famous Solaro, Formalwear and Finemeresco. Harrisons of Edinburgh has the largest fabric portfolio; fantastic contemporary jacketing cloths along with a large selection of suiting fabrics.
As I mentioned earlier, I do think that brand segmentation is really important to us as a means to communicate the DNA of the brand. When a large eclectic range of fabric qualities are marketed under just one umbrella brand, it is much harder to create an iconic status of a fabric in the eyes of the customer.
Is there a particular collection you personally feel deserves more attention right now – and why?
-That’s like choosing your favourite child! We have customers who seem to have more success selling suits whilst others prefer our tweed jacketings. But I suppose the W.Bill collection has gathered more traction over the last few years as customers seek softer tweed fabrics that conform into the smart casual look. I think tweed and denim is like fish and chips – they go so well together.
Have you noticed any clear trends in how men are wearing tweed, flannel, and classic British cloths today?
-I am not sure there are any specific clear trends as we live in a world of sub-cultures and personal tastes. But its about versatility; I do feel the weight, heft and drape of British fabrics works well with the soft shoulder unlined Neapolitan garments just as for the sharp shape sculptured tailoring of a Savile Row suit. The one clear trend that everyone talks about is sustainability; from this standpoint, the tight woven British cloths do create a garment with longevity and durability that fits into the sustainability narrative.
For someone making their first garment in one of your fabrics – what are the three things they absolutely shouldn’t overlook?
-Select a cloth in a classic design, a minimum weight of 300 grammes / 10 ounces and ideally no lustre or shine. The garment will last and give much better value for money in the long run.
Many of our customers want a balance of tradition and modern elegance. How would you recommend achieving that expression with your cloths?
-There are more possibilities to play with a jacketing than a suiting cloth. But Paul Smith coined the phrase “Classic with a Twist”; I would recommend focusing on traditional cloth qualities (defined in terms of the weight, handle etc) that have story and history but then consider selecting subtle but interesting colour woven arrangements in the classic weave effects of a Glen Check, Gun Club, Hairline or Herringbone. On this latter point, one needs to think about the number of fancy shades in the design and size of weave effect (Herringbone / Glen Check). “Balance” is such a personal thing, but this is why people like Marcus and Samuel are critical to help find it for each individual customer.
A warm thank you to Alistair Brook for sharing his knowledge and insight with us.
If you’re curious to experience Harrisons fabrics in person — from soft Shetland tweeds and dense winter flannels to refined business suitings — you’re always welcome to visit us in the shop.
Our made-to-measure team will guide you through the full range of books and help you find the right balance of cloth, construction and personal expression.
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