19 Apr 2021
We have always led the way when it comes to sustainability and traceability. In 2014 when our company was founded, and before sustainability became a buzz word, we were out in the field (no pun intended!), digging deep and laying our foundations in sustainability and traceability.
This year, we are going further on our traceability journey and would like you to join us. Once considered more valuable than gold, it can be said the understanding of textiles has been lost; do we really understand what goes into making these instrumental pieces that clothe us, that keep us warm, that decorate our homes and that are so pivotal in everyday life? We want to help people understand the journey of our textiles, and, as you know, every journey begins with one first step.
We felt what better way to understand a journey is there than to follow it, and ours begins with the tiny steps of a baby cria (the name of a baby alpaca!)! Over the next 12 months we will be following the life of an alpaca from its birth through to its first shearing. But the journey does not end there – for either the fleece or the alpaca! We will continue our journey onto the spinning and weaving process flowing the alpaca fleece as it is made into one of our SIGNATURE pieces. This journey will showcase the time, effort, and love that goes into making luxury textiles.
We are thrilled to be working with one of our wonderful alpaca breeders, Kate, from Mullacott Aplacas, who is joining us on this journey and allowing us to share in her life and that of her alpacas. With this all said, we would like to introduce you to our newest recruit – Araminta the alpaca!
The first of Kate’s cria to be born this year, Araminta the alpaca’s first few weeks on this earth have been full of adventure fun. Weighing 6.8kg at birth she has a healthy appetite for life, and food, adding a further 3kg to her birth weight in the first 10 days of her life!
Over the next 12 months we will be following Araminta (the alpaca and not our founder) on her journey, regaling tales of her progress on our journal and social media platforms.
Having always sourced our fleeces direct from breeders in the UK, we have always been proud to know not only the name of the farm from which our fleece comes but also on occasion the name of the individual alpaca that has gone into making our pieces. Understanding that this level of transparency is a rarity, we are proud to share this journey with you and hope you find it an enjoyable and insightful one.
This is one small step for an alpaca, but one giant step for the textile industry.
"*" indicates required fields
We are guardians of people’s stories...
We ourselves are stories that weave and take shape through the thread, thanks to the gentle hands of the weavers.
The yarn, the loom, our and your stories, are the tools we have chosen to make what cannot be seen or touched, real and wearable. We give shape to the values in which we believe, we give voice to stories to be shared with those dearest to us, forever.
Not just exquisite works of art to wear, but ambassadors, ‘talking’ objects, timeless storytellers of meanings and values that we want to preserve and pass on.
Meet Isabelle, one of our talented handweavers!
Isabelle has long had an interest in textiles, ever since her grandmother taught her to sew.
She discovered weaving when visiting universities before applying to study. Immediately captivated by the woven textile displays at Loughborough University – the home of our George Wood looms – She became fascinated by how these complex woven structures could be created from just a few cones of yarn.
Isabelle enjoys the slow, hands-on process of weaving, appreciating how it demands your full and present focus, and is always excited to share the complexities of handweaving to our visitors.
Meet Helen, one of our talented handweavers!
As an advocate for sustainability and ethical production, handweaving appealed to Helen as the embodiment of slow, responsible craft.
She fell in love with the challenging yet meditative weave process during her textile degree at the Glasgow School of Art.
Helen adores that she can name the alpacas in the pieces that she weaves, as this level of provenance imbues the pieces with deeper meaning for both weaver and future owner.
We choose 100% undyed British alpaca fiber for our designs because it embodies the values we hold dear: sustainability, durability, and unparalleled luxury. Each fleece is sourced from carefully chosen UK farms where animal welfare is a top priority.
Our close relationships with breeders enable us to trace many of our yarns back to the individual alpacas, ensuring exceptional quality and transparency. The alpaca’s fleeces are left undyed, allowing the natural richness and unique tones of their coats to shine through in every piece.
In the UK, only 5–10% of alpacas produce fleece of the exceptional quality we require. Every fiber is meticulously selected for its fineness, crimp, luster, and colour, ensuring our pieces meet the highest standards of luxury and craftsmanship.
It has taken years for our weavers to attain the skill and knowledge required to create our handwoven items.
Handweaving takes precision and patience, with each warp prepared by hand and meticulously threaded through the shafts of the loom. Once weaving is complete there is a lengthy finishing process involving darning, stitching, washing and brushing – all by hand.
It can take our handweavers anywhere between 2 to 6 weeks to complete one of our Signature pieces.
Each piece in our Heritage handwoven collection has been inspired by Araminta’s deep love for the natural beauty of the Scottish landscape.
From the golden glow of the beech woodlands surrounding her family home in the Royal Deeside Corridor during autumn, to the ethereal light of the Scottish Highlands at dawn and dusk, the landscape is a constant source of inspiration for Araminta. The shifting interplay of colours, textures, and natural rhythms informs each handwoven piece, translating fleeting moments into timeless design.
Any moment in time could become Araminta’s next creation.
Meet Lisa, one of our talented handweavers!
Lisa studied weaving at Heriot Watt University, in the borders of Scotland – an area renowned for its textile production.
She always enjoyed creating things and was recommended to study textiles by her art teacher. When first starting out in her weave degree, she found the slow process of setting up challenging, yet today it’s her favourite part.
She finds peace whilst threading the loom, enjoying and embracing the flow.
Each piece has been lovingly handwoven and finished in our Edinburgh Atelier by our team of handweavers on vintage George Wood looms.
Araminta Campbell is one of the largest employers of handweavers in Scotland, fostering employment for talented craftspeople in Scotland plays a vital role in preserving the rich legacy of Scottish textile craftsmanship. Every thread woven in the Atelier carries with it the heritage and passion of centuries-old traditions, brought vividly to life through contemporary designs, and the work of our talented weavers.
It has taken years for our weavers to attain the skill and knowledge required to create our handwoven items.
Handweaving takes precision and patience, with each warp prepared by hand and meticulously threaded through the shafts of the loom. Once weaving is complete there is a lengthy finishing process involving darning, stitching, washing and brushing – all by hand.
When you choose one of our handwoven treasures, you’re not just owning a piece of Scotland’s rich textile heritage – you’re connecting with the hands that brought it to life.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
"*" indicates required fields
