Eastern promise beckons for iconic fabric company as China trade soars
A Cumbrian fabric company – worn by figures such as The Queen, Princess Caroline of Monaco and actress Nicole Kidman – has seen its exports to China soar over the past three years.
Carlisle-based Linton Tweeds, an iconic name in the world of haute couture fabrics, reports its business with China has increased by 65% since 2019, as the trading powerhouse develops a taste for its exclusive goods.
Over the past 100 years the brand has dressed the likes of Princess Diana, Michelle Obama, Cindy Crawford, Stella Tennant, and Claudia Schiffer.
Joint managing directors, brothers Duncan and Ross Walker, took over the business from father Keith, now chairman, last July. They continue a family line that goes back to 1969 when their grandfather, Leslie, was asked, as managing director, to revive the company.
He bought the business and revolutionised it by pioneering the use of the exotic yarns for which Linton has become famous.
The company now employs 65 staff and sells 140,000 metres of fabric a year from its Shaddongate base in the shadow of Carlisle’s landmark Dixon’s Chimney.
Ross, 30, and Duncan, 28, had been managers and directors for four years when they took over and in six months have overseen investment in new technology and improved sustainability.
Ross said: “You realise when you are MD there is no one above you. The advantage is that if we have ideas for how to make the company better it’s just down to us to implement them.”
Duncan said: “China is really booming. It is now about 50% of what we do. The fact we are over 100 years old, and the history of the company, is important there.”
Investment has included a new energy-efficient boiler and eight high tech Dornier weaving looms which cost £200,000.
Linton has also recently gained its Global Organic Textile Standard accreditation and has implemented measures to improve sustainability. The brothers are keen to use new yarns which are sustainably created.
They have also weathered the twin upheavals of Brexit and COVID. Ross said: “Brexit didn’t affect us as much as we thought. Instead of being a company that sells just to Europe, we are more worldwide. The customers we have in Europe were always going to find a way to deal with us.”
He added: “I would say the pandemic has affected us more, especially in recent months. Our yarn suppliers are struggling to give us deliveries – they need to get components and they can’t get them, so it’s a supply chain issue.”
Among Linton’s more recent customers in Europe are Dolce & Gabbana and the Paris fashion house Balmain who join a list of clients including Yves Saint Laurent, Lanvin, Tory Burch, Burberry, Victoria Beckham, Marc Jacobs, Karen Millen, Alexa Chung, Prada and Karl Lagerfeld.
The company first came to prominence in the 1920s when William Linton met Coco Chanel and began providing the material for her iconic garments.
Clothes made from Linton’s fabrics are on the Vogue website illustrating key spring/summer trends for 2022. And actress Kristen Stewart wore a black hot-pants suit at the Venice Film Festival last year. It was made from Linton fabric, in tribute to Princess Diana who she played in the film Spencer.
Duncan said: “In the film she wore the red Diana jacket. We were asked to make that, for her to wear in the film. We made the original.”
He added: “We keep in mind what makes us different. We look out for the most creative, eye-catching and interesting yarns. Our aim is to always be innovative.”
