Welsh Blankets - A History
Welsh Blankets - Summary
Welsh blankets are a treasured part of Welsh culture, celebrated for their unique patterns and expert weaving craftsmanship. Dating back hundreds of years, the wool industry was once a key part of Wales’ economy. Although it declined during the 20th century, the industry has made a strong comeback. Today, Welsh blankets are in high demand worldwide, admired for their warmth, durability, and timeless designs like the Caernarfon Portcullis pattern.
Key Points:
- Rich History: The wool industry shaped Wales’s economy for centuries and remains an important cultural symbol.
- Skilled Craftsmanship: Each blanket is woven on traditional looms, reflecting generations of expertise.
- Modern Appeal: Welsh blankets combine traditional techniques with contemporary styles, making them popular today.
- Sense of Belonging: These blankets capture the feeling of "hiraeth," a Welsh word for homesickness and longing for home.
- Practical and Decorative: Whether used as cosy throws or beautiful decorations, Welsh blankets add charm to any space.
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Welsh Blankets History
Welsh blankets have become highly sought-after fashion items, not only in Wales but across the UK and around the world. Crafted on traditional looms, these blankets bring a touch of elegance to any room or home, whether traditional or contemporary.
Their origins trace back to the 12th century, when blanket-making was a vital Welsh industry. Although the trade nearly vanished in the 20th century due to competition from northern English mills, it has since experienced a revival. Today, Welsh blankets are once again in high demand. Woven on traditional looms from wool by skilled artisans, they are both functional and beautiful, enhancing any home décor. Nothing says hiraeth more than an iconic Welsh blankets.
Early History from 12th Century
Wales has a long-standing reputation for its wool industry and the production of high-quality blankets, dating from ancient times to the present day. Although evidence of sheep farming and wool spinning exists in prehistoric Wales, sheep only became economically significant in the 12th century, following the arrival of the first Cistercian monasteries in south Wales. By the 13th century, water-powered fulling mills were introduced—these mills cleaned the wool of oils, dirt, and impurities while thickening it. Despite these developments, spinning and weaving remained a cottage industry throughout the 13th century.
It wasn't until the early 16th century that wool production gradually shifted from the south to mid and north Wales. English companies, such as the Shrewsbury Drapers Company, began distributing Welsh wool, and by the 18th century, there was growing demand for affordable, durable Welsh textiles. These materials were exported from ports like Bristol, Liverpool, and Welsh ports to be used in clothing enslaved people in British colonies across North America and the West Indies.
Overseas Trade
In the 17th century, wool exports made up over 60% of all goods exported from Wales.
Prior to 1800, Wales had very few factories, with most production taking place in people's homes. As demand for Welsh cloth increased across the Atlantic, more people in rural mid-Wales began relying on the woollen industry, discovering that spinning and weaving offered a more reliable and higher income than farming. Some small settlements eventually developed into centres of woollen manufacturing.
Initially, much of the cloth was exported through Shrewsbury and London, but over time, the port of Bristol became the main hub for shipping Welsh woollen goods to the Americas.
Industrial Revolution
During the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, the Welsh woollen industry was slow to mechanise compared to the mills of northern England. This became a prime reason for its subsequent downfall. When railways reached mid Wales in the 1860s, they brought a flood of cheap mass-produced products that overwhelmed the local industry. At its peak, there were over three hundred woollen mills in Wales but after World War 1, the industry went into steady decline and today only a few mills continue to operate.
Current Day Welsh Woollen Industry
Welsh wool and the Welsh woollen manufacturing industry was historically one of the most important industries throughout Wales. However, it was in the Teifi valley and surrounding areas that the wool industry was at its most prolific during the latter parts of the 19th and 20th century.
For a few hundred years, the Teifi valley was the centre of a thriving woollen industry with dozens of woollen mills in the area and over twenty in neighbouring Pembrokeshire. Today, only a few of these woollen mills are still producing Welsh blankets using age old looms together with traditional skills and methods of yesteryear.
National Wool Museum Wales
The Welsh woollen industry today is showcased in the National Wool Museum of Wales, in Drefach Felindre, Carmarthenshire, West Wales. The Museum is in the Teifi Valley in the former Cambrian Mills and the museum and the town of Drefach Felindre is a National Heritage Site. It is part of the National Museum for Wales. The museum not only traces the history of the Welsh woollen industry, but it also has a working mill producing blankets, tapestry blankets throws, cushions and many other products, all for sale in the museum.
TirGlas Welsh Blankets
We have a large collection of Welsh blankets ranging from the iconic Welsh tapestry style blankets to smaller more contemporary throws and knee rugs. Our beautiful, soft and cosy traditional Welsh blankets are woven from 100% new UK wool. They are a fantastic source of warmth and comfort. These wool blankets vary in design, size and weight from heavyweight double weave reversible blankets to the traditional honeycomb (or waffle) weave blankets and knee rugs. All our blankets and throws for sale are not vintage or used or second-hand blankets.
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All of our blankets and throws are woven in Wales in limited numbers. They are woven with personal care and attention using traditional looms, some of which are over 100 years old. Some blankets and throws are woven on Dobcross 90 inch (2.3 metre) wide looms and others on narrower looms. None of our Welsh blankets for sale are mass produced.
Our wool throws are ‘soft to touch’ wool throws made from a blend of Welsh wool and British lambs wool. Available in a variety of check or windowpane patterns. Our wool throws for sale are available in a variety of colours and sizes including the often referred to "knee rug". If you are looking for wool throws for sofas or beds, these wool throws will fit the bill!
Welsh Tapestry Blankets - 'Hiraeth'
Sadly, today we have very few tapestry blankets available as due to retirements of weavers and mill closures these blankets are not being woven.
Our Welsh tapestry blankets range is named ‘Hiraeth.’ Nothing says Hiraeth more than an iconic Welsh tapestry blanket. Welsh tapestry blankets together with throws, floor rugs and cushions are iconic Welsh products and are stunning additions to any home, traditional or contemporary. They can be used in different rooms of your home from a bedspread to a 'decoration' in your living areas. Looked after well, they will become a family heirloom of the future.