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Trademark-protected since 1910, the famous woollen cloth known as Harris Tweed can only be produced in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland – yet it is exported to over 50 countries around the world. Examining contemporary experiences of work and life, this book is the first in-depth anthropological study of the renowned textile industry, complementing and updating existing historical and ethnographic research. Drawing on one year of ethnographic fieldwork research in the Outer Hebrides, it offers an intimate account of industry workers’ lived experiences and contributes to anthropological debates on work and labour, cultural production, inclusive belonging and place-making in global capitalism.
“This book is a beautifully-crafted ethnography of the multiple and complex meanings of weaving among those involved in the Harris Tweed industry. The book takes the central concept of 'work' but expands it through both ethnography and theory.” • Magnus Course, University of Edinburgh
“This is an excellent book … It is a smart and refreshing contribution to the anthropology of work and labour, showing the importance of place and place-making in the production of a global commodity. I wish more academic books were written in the same jargon-free and engaging style.” • Rebecca Prentice, University of Sussex
List of Figures
Acknowledgments
Note on Pseudonyms
List of Abbreviations
Introduction: Working the Fabric
Chapter 1. Where Harris Tweed is Made: ‘Remoteness’, Resourcefulness and Island Life
Chapter 2. Following the Tweed Van: Road Stories, Productive Encounters, and Local Experiences of a Global Industry
Chapter 3. In the Loom Shed: Time, Work and Value in Harris Tweed Weaving
Chapter 4. Weaving Lives and Livelihoods: Uncertainty, Anticipation and Personal Narratives
Chapter 5. Manufacturing Repertoires: Production, ‘Heritage’ and Place-Making
Conclusion: ‘Finishing’ as a New Beginning
References
Index