Category: Stories

Six months ago we began our journey alongside Araminta the alpaca, showcasing the journey of our textiles from their first step as a cria (a baby alpaca), through to shearing and on to the use of their fleece. By following Araminta, we hope not only to provide transparency but to also share some alpaca knowledge along the way.

We love tweed. An incredibly versatile material, it has developed from humble origins to become a fabric that is prized by fashion designers, tailors, and even royalty. Combining sketch book and computer, natural colours and specialised machinery, here at Araminta Campbell we aim to stay true to those rural origins whilst developing a contemporary approach to bespoke tweed design and weaving.

In the centre of our Edinburgh studio stand our pride and joy; our two handweaving looms. Both have come to us through other weavers, and while we previously didn’t know their full history, we have recently been contacted by their makers daughter, and we now have their full story to share with you!

Nestled at the foot of the Pentland hills just outside of Edinburgh, Bobcat Alpacas is home to a growing herd of Scottish alpacas! We had the pleasure of visiting Bob and Cath to see the alpaca shearing process that happens across Britain during the summer.

Estate tweeds are a cherished part of Scotland’s rural history, and are still worn to this day by families, ghillies, gamekeepers and residents on estates across Scotland and England. They serve both a practical and cultural purpose, unifying an estate and giving it a collective identity as well as providing a high performance cloth for outdoor pursuits.

Our Signature handwoven collection is all made here in our Edinburgh weaving workshop. Every piece is an exclusive one off item, and takes up to 10 days to create, which is why we often describe them as our ‘handwoven paintings’.

Natural dying was a key catalyst in the beginning of Araminta’s weaving journey, and the colours she developed continue to influence her work today. The link between Scottish textiles and the natural world is something she continues to pursue in her custom tweeds and tartans as well as her Signature handwoven designs.

All of the fleece used in our Signature and Minta Collections is sourced from alpaca farms here in the UK. This wonderful material is both sustainable and luxurious and has a long list of other qualities that make it a truly special fibre.