The ‘English Corner’ is a little feature that appears weekly in the Weekend section of the Rhein Neckar Zeitung in Heidelberg (one of the oldest newspapers in Germany), to help readers with their English language skills. Libor Mikeska (from Australia) and two other colleagues (one from Liverpool and one from Canada) have been taking turns in submitting articles on an assortment of themes over the last 7 years. Sometimes they haven’t the vaguest idea of what to write about, but luckily inspiration comes from all sorts of areas! This week it was Harris tweed and Libor chanced upon my Roobedo website whilst doing some research on the Harris Tweed brand for an article he recently had to write on upcycling trends. He also came across a 2004 documentary by Neil MacConnell on Youtube (A life of Tweed) where you can hear more about Harris tweed, the process of how it’s made – a fantastic slice of history. I am now a little older than when I was interviewed for this, but glad to say my core values are still the same, and the Harris tweed industry is thriving!
Libor says…When you consider the quality and heritage of this superb fabric, which is hand-woven exclusively by
weavers on the islands of the Outer Hebrides, you can’t go wrong.
Scouring the Internet for a neck tie I wanted to give a colleague for his birthday, I came across the ‘Roobedo’
label, which has been around for over 20 years. It was set up by talented designer Ruth Morris, who is a kind of
ambassadress for this iconic tweed company, as not only has she featured in many promotional videos but
she also designs and sells both new and upcycled items made from this unique fabric. She also has the right ‘waste
not, want not’ attitude, for she has already organised a plethora of workshops and repair cafés for locals and
those who have some way of getting to Pitlochry in the north of Scotland.
Not a place many people would have even heard of, but definitely worth a visit from the photos I have seen.
What a good idea!
Alas ongoing covidism has thrown a spanner in the works, so trips to Scotland have become but mere wishful thinking.
We’re just going to have to be patient until we’ll be able to meet Ruth in person or pat her adorable greyhound Becky while on a trip to her Victorian fairy-tale town, which is roughly 100 km north of Edinburgh. In the meantime, as with most clothes we wish to buy during these uncertain times, it will have to be done online.
Thank you Libor!
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