Real Welsh Flannel

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John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,109
2,847
66
Pembrokeshire
MELIN TEIFI: LAST OF THE WELSH FLANNEL WEAVERS

Tucked into a fold in the hills in West Wales is the village of Dre-Fach Felindre. Now a quiet spot, this was once one of the major centres of the Welsh woollen weaving industry, a heritage that is recognised by the village now being home to the National Wool Museum. This is one of Wales’ most fascinating museums, housed in one of the many old woollen mills that crowd the area.

Most of the old mills are now ruins, taken over by other industries or are just empty shells.

As well as housing the National Wool Museum, the old “Cambrian Mills” has on its grounds Melin Teifi, the last mill to be producing Welsh flannel.

Mr Raymond Jones and his wife, Diane, the owners of Melin Teifi (that is Tivy Mill to you English speakers) worked for Cambrian Mills Felindre Ltd for 18 years up to its closure in 1982. Reluctant to look for work in another industry, Mr and Mrs Jones established Melin Teifi and took up accommodation in part of the Cambrian Mill in 1984. Although a separate commercial venture, the Mill is an integral part of the Museum’s interpretive exhibition: While the main part of the National Wool Museum concentrates on the history of the Welsh woollens industry, Melin Teifi shows you how a small mill can still operate today.

Initially Melin Teifi employed only 3 people, while today it provides employment for eight – a tiny number compared to the hundreds once employed in the industry in this valley alone – and concentrates on the production of flannel tweeds, blankets, quilts, shawls, traditional Welsh costume, flannel shirts, smocks etc.

Most of what Melin Teifi makes (and they are equipped to make almost any type of woven woollen cloth) is commissioned “one-offs” working with some big names in fabric design, and supplying fabric for “designer label” manufacturers. You could be surprised by some of the names that use Melin Teifi to weave their wool fabrics and even make their finished designer garments etc.

After a visit by HRH Prince Charles, Melin Teifi produces items for Highgrove Enterprises!

All the fabric used in making Melin Teifi’s products is woven on site and uses woollen yarns sourced in various parts of the country. There are not many spinners of 100% wool yarn left in Britain, and although some yarn is spun in Wales from the wool off the backs of Welsh sheep, wool yarn is also sourced from the rest of Britain, notably from Ilkley in Yorkshire.

After the crash of the Welsh woollen industry which once produced fabrics and clothing to clothe much of Britain and even much of the world, Melin Teifi is the last manufacturer of traditional Welsh flannel.

In Melin Teifi’s small and somewhat chaotic shop you can buy some of their superb quality fabrics by the yard, off the roll, or garments from their exclusive range of flannel and tweed countrywear range as well as blankets, scarves and other items.

I first found Melin Teifi as part of the visit to the Welsh National Wool Museum and was impressed with their flannel shirts. Unfortunately (or fortunately) they were out of stock of a shirt in my size in the colour I liked, but this gave me the opportunity to order a shirt to be made to a pattern that I had designed and cut myself, to fit my requirements perfectly.

The shirt was made up by Mrs Diane Jones herself and I was so impressed by the quality of the fabric, make-up and finish of the final shirt (not to mention the very reasonable price) that I immediately ordered a second shirt to be made up!

Most folk on this website know that I champion natural fibre clothing as I do believe that it cannot be beaten for wear in a “Bushy” environment. Welsh flannel is a prime example of why I love natural fibre clothing as it is tough, hardwearing, comfortable to wear, eco-friendly, slow to get “aromatic” with hard wear over long periods, easy to wash (hand wash cool – easy in the field!), good looking etc.

And now there is only one place to get genuine Welsh woollen flannel, either off the roll or made up into classic shirts.

For more information visit www.melinteifi.com
Tel 01559 371003,
Or better still, visit the mill itself: Melin Teifi, Dre-Fach Felindre, Llandysul, Carmarthenshire, SA44 5UP.

While you are in the area you can visit the Welsh National Wool Museum (and café), enjoy some great walks, or just enjoy the scenery.

Some of the most important folk on the Bushcraft scene live not too far away from the village – they must know something about why the area is great for lovers of the outdoors!
Outside and inside
Weaving sewing and displaying the wares











I had them make me up a shirt to my design - one I had made in blanket wool

And reproduce my design in their wool

It was so good that I had them make up a second - identical - one and now I long for the cooler weather!
The woollen shirt cost me around the price of an "off the peg", imported, branded cotton outdoor style shirt...
No affiliation - just a happy customer
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,209
362
73
SE Wales
I'll make a point of getting over there for a visit before the Autumn and get a shirt as well as visiting the museum, if funds allow...........we should all be supporting enterprises such as this; it's no good bemoaning the lack of regional makers of quality gear if you don't then support those that are trying to remedy the situation. The shirt looks great, BTW :)
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Great looking place - shame about the website :)

They could sell a lot of those shirts to our members if they sorted that out I suspect!
 

tombear

On a new journey
Jul 9, 2004
4,494
556
54
Rossendale, Lancashire
Great write up! We went there 2 or three years back and herself indulged me in two pieces of wool from them. There was a roll of rather nice stuff on the cutting table but they couldn't sell me any as it had been made to order for, if my memory serve me right, Bison Bushcraft. Anyroad I did find some other stuff of the same weight that I liked almost as much which I later used to make the byrus britanicus I warbled on about in another thread.

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106539&highlight=Britanicus

They also had some lighter, fluffier natural white coloured stuff which I used to line a oblong Saxon cloak. Both got lanolinised earlier this year.

Compared with buying from a middle man the prices were excellent and the quality very good. The white stuff was on offer as it had some oil marks from the looms but those washed out when I pre shrank it.

The staff were very helpful and the museum was well worth the visit.

ATB

Tom
 
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Harvestman

Bushcrafter through and through
May 11, 2007
8,656
26
55
Pontypool, Wales, Uk
I'm off there tomorrow. Its my wedding anniversary, and she has ideas of buying reams of expensive fabric, though I probably won't be allowed to buy anything.
 

tombear

On a new journey
Jul 9, 2004
4,494
556
54
Rossendale, Lancashire
7th Anniversay? Then again I don't think me or herself have ever got the other the traditional present for a anniversary.

she normally gets me a tool.

its probably a comment.

atb

Tom
 

John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,109
2,847
66
Pembrokeshire
John Fenna and Flannel in the same sentence, 'la chose la plus naturelle du monde'

Bon Dieu - il avait quelque chose la!
Et quand je le revoir il aviat - peutetre - une oeil pouche!
Sorry if the grammar and spelling are not perfect ... it is a long time since I wrote any French!
And it was Brussels French I was fluent in...
Cheek!
 

Harvestman

Bushcrafter through and through
May 11, 2007
8,656
26
55
Pontypool, Wales, Uk
I went there today, and really enjoyed the museum tour. Came away without buying anything though, but would have been sorely tempted if funds had not been tight. Was a good trip.
 

Brynglas

Full Member
I called in at the Woolen mill last week on a trip down to West Wales. I lived in Cwmpengraig, just up the road for several years. The whole area is a great place to visit with plenty of accessible countryside, coastline and woodland. It was great tomseemthe museum and mill busy as the area needs thentrade. I have a Woolen shirt from melin Teifi whichnismnow over 15 years old, it's still doing the job for me as an outdoor and work shirt.
 

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