Mourne Textiles is reviving ‘fibre to fabric’ processes in Northern Ireland
11/07/2023
Mourne Textiles is a third generation design-led manufacturer of handwoven products based in County Down, which is aiming to revive the full natural fibre manufacturing process in Northern Ireland.
The company is in the final stages of crowdfunding to develop a new net-zero raw material supply chain for high-value manufacturing industries, rejuvenating equipment, and technology to deliver that based on its shared history.
Mourne Textiles director Mario Sierra said: “We discovered a complete set of industrial flax spinning machines while searching for vintage power looms in old derelict linen mills. Although old, these machines are still very relevant today for processing flax, hemp, and possibly nettle fibres once they have been harvested, scutched, and heckled.
“In collaboration with local farmers at Mallon Linen, we aim to promote sustainable fabric production here on the Island of Ireland, by creating a field-to-fabric circular supply chain. Our focus is on producing environmentally friendly fabrics grown and processed locally.
“To achieve this, we plan to restore the flax processing and spinning equipment, which is the missing piece in the supply chain. Our machines are from renowned textile brands, Mackies, and Combe Barbour, which are synonymous with the Northern Irish Linen Industry.
“We have also obtained an industrial power loom to produce narrow-width linen and selvedge denim. This Atherton loom is a recognised textile brand that we are excited to restore to create sustainable Irish denim – truly promoting our heritage and craftsmanship.
“The second phase of our project is to train a new workforce to operate the restored machines and open up the ‘Micro Spinning Mill’ as a working museum. This will enable visitors to learn about the production techniques used in the past and see the production process first-hand. Our goal is to promote our Irish heritage, craftsmanship and develop a sustainable future for textile production in Ireland.”
Read more about the Mourne Textiles Crowdfunding campaign here.