Mourne Textiles | County Down, Northern Ireland (UK) | By Emma Harrison

Located at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in County Down, Northern Ireland is Mourne Textiles, a family-run business with a rich history of textile production dating back to 1909. Founded by Norwegian weaver Gerd Hay-Edie in 1949, the Mourne factory started life as a small hub of Scandinavian manufacturing in the Irish mountains with Gerd importing all looms and textile machinery from Norway and training local people to hand weave her designs. The business quickly flourished and today remains a family affair with Gerd’s daughter, Karen Hay-Edie as Master Weaver and her grandson, Mario, at the helm of the business.

Mourne’s products include sumptuous throws, cushions, tablewear and rugs weaved on site and made with 'wild' Donegal and Merino yarns spun to exact specifications. Mario is very careful to stay true to his grandmother’s designs and Mourne still uses the Irish tweed, designed by Gerd and made famous by fashion designer Sybil Connolly, in their beautiful throws. 

You can order Mourne’s products online or find their creations at a range of international stockists including London-based Margaret Howell, The New Craftsmen and Mouki Mou.