HRH The Princess Royal visits The SIL Group in West Yorkshire
On 1 October 2024, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, in her role as President of the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT), visited Ladywell Mills, a key site of the West Yorkshire-based textile specialist, The SIL Group. The group employs almost 300 people across multiple UK sites, with a supplier and customer network spanning […]
The Possibilities of Classic Melton
Abbotsford textiles Classic Melton range is one of their most versatile fabrics due to its wide range of colours and high-performance qualities. They supply Classic Melton to various professionals in many different industries, from furniture manufacturers to small re-upholstery businesses. As a fabric manufacturer, they often send our fabrics off without knowing their end uses. […]
The International Year of the Camelids 2024
The International Year of Camelids 2024 is an opportunity to honour and champion the remarkable animals, herders, communities and most importantly for Seal International, the fibres collected from Camels, Alpacas, Llamas, Vicuñas, and Guanacos. Objective The objective of the 2024 International Year of Camelids is to raise awareness about the overlooked capabilities of the […]
Style Tips with Pepper Lee
How Many Trousers to go with your Suit Jacket. When it comes to building a versatile and stylish wardrobe, owning a well-fitted suit jacket is a must. A classic suit jacket is a timeless piece that can be worn on various occasions, from formal events to business meetings. But the question arises: How many trousers […]
Glen Checks: A Timeless Pattern in Fashion History
Glen Checks exemplify the enduring appeal of timeless patterns. This distinctive design, defined by its small, evenly spaced checks, have graced the world of fashion for decades. Recently, the brands across the group have witnessed a significant surge in the demand for Glen Checks, reaffirming their everlasting charm. Continue reading to delve deeper into the […]
Seasonal Cloth with Pepper Lee.
As the festive season approaches, our calendars fill up with parties, celebrations, and gatherings. Whether it’s a sophisticated soiree or a lively New Year’s bash, choosing the perfect dinner suit is essential for making a memorable impression. This blog made by Pepper Lee (an SIL Group company) explores different suit styles, discusses the necessity of […]
Abbotsford Textiles Presents the Cable collection.
Crafted from 100% pure new wool in the classic cable knit structure, Abbotsford Textile’s Cable collection redefines sophistication and comfort in interior design. Weighing 940g/lm, the Cable collection is extremely versatile, seamlessly adapting to both commercial and home interiors. It makes the perfect soft and snuggly fabric for cushions, throws and furniture upholstery as well […]
Abbotsford Textiles unveils 7 new colours in the ‘Texture’ Collection.
Abbotsford Textiles, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-quality woven fabrics, unveils seven brand new colours for their popular fabric collection ‘Texture’, available on their website. Now available in a total of 19 colours, ranging from darker shades like ‘Shadow’ a dark grey to bright shades of Teals ‘Spruce’ and Blues ‘Cadet Blue’ and green […]
An Interview with the Maker.
David Gallimore, the Managing Director of John Foster recently took the time to sit down with the new team at Pepper Lee to discuss reasons why it’s important to choose premium cloth. As both John Foster and Pepper Lee are companies within the SIL Group, we felt appropriate to share and spread the message. Q: […]
What Makes Cashmere Special?
Cashmere’s unmatched warmth and softness have made it a global favourite for scarves, blankets, cloth and more. Yet, as high street retailers offer this sought-after fabric at lower prices, you might question whether all cashmere garments share the same standard and what sets products produced by our group, apart? The answer lies within the Group’s […]
SIL Group invests in Joshua Ellis.
In pursuit of growth and innovation, Joshua Ellis has recently taken a significant stride forward with a substantial investment from the SIL Group, purchasing a state-of-the-art Picanol jacquard loom. Adding to the mills existing collection of traditional machinery, the new jacquard loom opens up a world of possibilities for the company. Allowing them to […]
Joshua Ellis welcomes six-figure investment into new machinery.
Yorkshire-based textile manufacturer, Joshua Ellis, has taken a significant leap forward in its pursuit of growth, with a substantial investment of £130,000 from The SIL Group into a cutting-edge Picanol jacquard loom. The state-of-the-art jacquard loom, installed last month, expands Joshua Ellis’s design capabilities with an increased capacity of 76 threads per inch, which weaves […]
New Hire at William Halstead.
Recently, there has been a new hire at William Halstead, as Cathryn Harrie joins as Sales Executive. The team are thrilled to have Cathryn working alongside existing Sales Manager, Jane Cook to learn the ins and outs of the company. Cathryn’s impressive background in the world of fashion and her past experiences, specifically working on […]
Stonedale Flannel: A Sustainable Milestone for Standeven.
Yorkshire-based textile manufactures Standeven, proudly launches their latest collection, Stonedale Flannel. The company’s first official collection to be made entirely from 100% Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) accredited wool. Stonedale Flannel marks a significant milestone for Standeven, who have been steadily integrating RWS accredited yarn into their fabric collections for years aligning with parent company SIL […]
Seal International: Exclusive Mohair buyer Alice Connacher
Alice Connacher (second from right), our exclusive mohair buyer for Seal International recently visited us from South Africa and spent some time around the group getting to know the business. Previously having a career as a commercial lawyer in Amsterdam, Alice decided to become the third generation to enter the family firm – Connacher Wools. […]
Standeven Fabrics: Chatting with Megan, our Commercial Admin Assistant
Today we caught up with Megan from Standeven and had a chat about her experience within the company, interests in the textile industry, motivation, and vision for the future… So Megan, what made you want to work for Standeven? I started my career working in the Luxury Fabrics cutting and pattern room, I was given […]
Abbotsford: Mount Zion to Illingworth Moor Flower Parade
We are proud as a company to have been able to contribute offcut fabrics to the creation of this powerful Flower Waterfall in memorial of those who have lost their lives during the pandemic. Residents of Halifax have come together, inspired by the display of thousands of poppies around the Tower of London, to remember […]
Joshua Ellis: The Cashmere Stole – A Seasonal Top Five
The cashmere stole is a wardrobe staple you simply cannot do without – and if you haven’t done so already, it’s definitely worth investing in. Widely regarded as the ultimate in luxurious comfort, our variety and range of cashmere stole means it doesn’t just enhance your autumn/winter outfit, because it’s an accessory that can last […]
John Foster: Introducing AW22/23
Chalk Stripes, Windowpanes, Twills, and a modern twist on the classic Glen Check all make John Foster’s AW22/23 collection a comprehensive selection of coordinated plains and patterned cloths in a range of colours including favourite Autumnal hues. A colour palette which highlights our suiting cloths, a perpetual staple for any season that never goes out […]
Joshua Ellis: Yorkshire heritage and the cashmere stole
It will soon be time to look ahead to our 2021 autumn and winter collection. And, with that in mind, we thought we’d provide a bit of background about where our inspiration comes from, before products like our cashmere stoles and cashmere scarves are worn by people across the globe. So, what exactly goes on […]
William Halstead: Special Development Tartan
Representing the continuity of Bradford’s industrial heritage in woven fabrics, customers have the opportunity to harness our wealth of technical weaving skill with a receptive creativity to develop individualised cloths, all woven and finished within a few short miles maintaining our commitment to local production. Special developments offer creative freedom through our combination of own production, technical […]
Abbotsford: Launching Classic Melton
After 18 months of development work, we are very excited to launch our new Melton Wool Collection. We have successfully sold Melton Wools for many years and we wanted to simplify our offer to maximise value for our customers. After many months of trials & testing we finally selected 60 fabulous new colours which will […]
Abbotsford: Our collaboration with Knightsbridge Furniture
We’ve had the pleasure of collaborating recently with the Knightsbridge Furniture team to create some outstanding pieces of contract furniture used in the first of our 2020 photoshoots. As one of the few British contract furnishing companies, their key values of choice, quality and exceptional service, are three principles Abbotsford Textiles wholeheartedly agree with, ensuring […]
John Foster: A contemporary take on a classic
Our new cloth ‘Oxbridge Flannel’ is perfect for Autumn Winter and is available now ‘Oxbridge Flannel’ combines John Foster heritage with modern trends, bringing you a collection of traditional flannels, as well as some unique and contemporary cloths, inspired directly from our extensive archives. Our new collection encompasses timeless colours and patterns, such as plains, checks and […]
AG Transport Services: Our New Website
Welcome to Our New Website Hello, we would like to welcome you to our new website for AG Transport Services. We hope you find the information you are looking for, however, if you would like any further help please call us on +44 (0)1274 229020. Features of the new website: Live Chat: We now have […]
Joshua Ellis: Autumn/ Winter 2019 – The Inspiration
Established in 1767, Joshua Ellis celebrates a distinguished heritage of British manufacturing with a steadfast reputation for luxury and quality. Our Autumn-Winter 2019/20 accessory collection takes inspiration from the current trend for folk and craft inspired fabrics. Brightly coloured tartans and block checks sit alongside multi-coloured tweeds which are a throwback to British design house […]
FTS Dyers: The 50th Anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Lunar Tartan!
As the 50th anniversary of the moon landing approached, Fiona Armstrong visited Langholm to meet the man who devised the Lunar Tartan, commemorating the event. 50 years ago Neil Armstrong visited Langholm to discover his ancestral heritage as Langholm was the stronghold of the Armstrong clan. As a result of this visit, a special commission […]
Joshua Ellis: Joshua Ellis joins forces with Wolf & Badger
This month, Joshua Ellis joined forces with London & New York based concept store Wolf & Badger. The store, which boasts over 600 of the best independent, eco-friendly brands on its roster, will be selling over 55 of Joshua Ellis’ designs of cashmere scarves and accessories online and in its London store. “We are thrilled to […]
Standeven Fabrics: A formally informal perspective on Black-Tie
A few decades before the inception of Standeven, the highly esteemed Henry Poole on Savile Row introduced ‘Black Tie’, a practical yet formal outfit appropriate for certain special evening occasions and ceremonial wear, proving to be a timeless menswear staple all over the world. Before we dive into the what is, and why, of the black-tie, it’s […]
Joshua Ellis: Apprentice Jess Fraser recognised as most promising young person in the Textiles Industry
Jess Fraser, one of our fantastic apprentices has continued to excel within the company and the textiles industry yet again. On Monday the 21st Jess was invited to attend The Civic Dinner at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall. Jess was then presented with The Lord Barnby Award by The Worshipful Company of Woolmen. Read More The Lord […]
Abbotsford: We are pleased to announce our new website & Branding!
We are excited to announce the launch of our new website showcasing our wide range of high-quality performance fabrics perfect for your business. Abbotsford specialises in the following sectors: Contract Furnishings Home Interiors Military & Marine Bespoke Fabrics Browse our collections and discover our services at abbotsford-textiles.com and order your free sample today!