Material girl Susanne checks out a first for the county

Northumberland has its own tartan, but, somewhat strangely, it has never had its own tweed.
Susanne Hume of the Northumberland Tweed CompanySusanne Hume of the Northumberland Tweed Company
Susanne Hume of the Northumberland Tweed Company

Now that’s all changed, with the arrival of the Northumbrian Tweed.

Susanne Hume, who lives near Etal, launched the new fabric today, with the help of backing from the Duchess of Northumberland.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I was absolutely staggered when I found out that our beautiful county didn’t have its own tweed,” she said.

“I have really enjoyed the process of creating and designing it.”

“It has been a pleasure to create the fabric with the support of Her Grace, the Duchess of Northumberland, and to create something associated with the county, as well as putting the textiles industry on the map for Northumberland, is wonderful.

“I hope to work with the Duchess to extend the Northumbrian Tweed range and it is with much excitement that I look forward to the future of my new company.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Susanne launched The Northumbrian Tweed Company a year ago, making and selling a number of products using off-the-shelf tweeds from the Cairngorms and Cheviot ranges.

It was while selling her items at a Christmas market in The Alnwick Garden she realised there was a demand for a dedicated Northumbrian tweed.

Detailed marked research revealed that 80 per cent of those surveyed would welcome a tweed specific to Northumberland.

The colours of the tweed have been chosen to represent the county.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It has a traditional green background with a touch of heather and pebble running through it to symbolise the heath and hills. The checks are made up of brown, for the rich farmland, and yellow and red, the colours of the Northumbrian flag.

The Duchess said: “I am really impressed by the finished Northumbrian Tweed and wish Susanne the very best for her business venture. It deserves to do well.”

The Northumbrian Tweed is woven by Marton Mills in Yorkshire, which is the closest English mill to Northumberland.

The range, available both online and in various outlets across Northumberland, currently includes cushions, draught excluders and personal accessories.