THE biggest producer of Harris Tweed has been named the best textile maker in Britain.
Harris Tweed Hebrides won the Textile Business of the Year for 2013 and also carried off the UK Manufacturer of the Year Award at the NatWest UK Fashion & Textile Awards in London.
The firm, which makes 90% of the material to carry the Harris Tweed Orb mark, is based in Shawbost, Lewis.
Last year it reported its highest level of production in almost 15 years, dispelling fears the famous hand-woven cloth could be under threat of dying out. Harris Tweed has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years with celebrities from Kate Middleton to Madonna and Doctor Who sporting garments made from the fabric.
The awards were presented by the Princess Royal to Ian Angus MacKenzie, chief executive of Harris Tweed Hebrides, and Brian Wilson, chairman.
Mr MacKenzie said: "This exceeded our highest expectations. To receive both of these awards is an extraordinary recognition of how much the company has achieved in the five years since we finished our first tweed."
Mr Wilson added: "This is the highest accolade yet for the skills and commitment of the mill workers and weavers on which the industry is founded."
Fellow Scottish designer and manufacturer Johnstons of Elgin were also nominated for the Let's Make it Here UK Manufacturer of the Year award for their cashmere apparel and knitwear range.
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