“‘Linton’ was inspired by a visit to the Linton Tweed Mill in Carlisle, which has been producing high-quality fabrics since it’s was founded in 1912. Known for its commitment to sustainability, the mill utilises energy-efficient machines, borehole water, smart production planning, and the recycling of leftover yarns and deadstock.
Wanting to showcase the variety and breadth of their fabrics, I incorporated over 30 different tweed designs into my piece. The fabric I used comes from the selvedge edges left over after sample pieces are cut. Due to their narrow width and length, these pieces are typically not used, so I sought to give them new purpose.
To construct ‘Linton’, I used a boater frame, covering the outside and underside of the brim with individually sewn pleats of fabric, each one overlapping the last to create a full, textured effect. The trim was crafted from yarns shed during the cutting process, which I repurposed by moulding them into thread balls using a balloon—an incredibly effective technique that highlighted the rich variety of colours.
This project was both a creative and technical challenge, requiring me to thoughtfully showcase the fabric while working within its specific dimensions. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of bringing Linton to life, transforming overlooked materials into something beautiful and purposeful.
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Sustainability at Jenny Roberts Millinery
At Jenny Roberts Millinery we take great pride in not only our high standard of customer service, but also our craftsmanship and efforts to minimise waste in our making processes.
Having an extensive range of hire hats and headpieces, we have succeeded in making couture millinery accessible to all through our affordable and vast hire offering. This also ensures that the brand is fashion conscious, as each design isn’t a ‘one-wear’ item like many millinery pieces can become. We also offer our clients the opportunity to return their bespoke hat for re-trims, to ensure the longevity and versatility of a bespoke hats wear-after-wear, and making the brand an all-round ‘circular’ fashion label. We ensure that even when the hire hats reach the end of their hire-life, every effort is put into salvaging elements of the design, such as feathers and handmade flowers that can live on to adorn other creations.
Each design is hand-dyed and blocked by hand in our Harrogate studio using traditional millinery techniques. Every element of the creation is constructed in our workroom, from flowers made petal by petal, to the feather mounts which are cut and created by us. We ensure that all our materials are ethically sourced from reliable U.K suppliers, guaranteeing that any feathers and felt materials are only animal by-products. In recent years, we have started using natural dying processes where possible – such as using tea and coffee to dye elastic for head fittings.
In summary we are passionate about exceeding our clients’ expectations in every way from the experience we offer when choosing millinery to hire, to the one-off design created in house to the longevity of the product and our passion for slow and sustainable fashion.