Introduction

Mourne Textiles was founded in the foothills of the Mourne Mountains, County Down, by my grandmother, Norwegian textile designer, Gerd Hay-Edie. My grandmother’s iconic textile designs and pioneering weaving techniques became a staple of mid-century British design and collaborations with Robin Day, Hille and Conran, established her lasting influence upon the world of weaving.

I am proud to share my grandmother’s passion for weaving and continue the Mourne Textiles legacy from the original mill in Rostrevor. Today, we connect the designs of the past with modern influences, to create a collection of luxury home furnishing fabrics, cushions, blankets and scarves. 

We continue to champion the beauty and community of our surroundings and combine this with our respect of craftsmanship, artistry and design excellence. 

In a world of standardisation, Mourne Textiles embraces the unique.

We continue to produce hand woven textiles from the same workshop first established by my grandmother, Gerd Hay-Edie over seventy years ago.

About Us

Mourne Textiles has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. When I was a young boy, the workshop was my playground. I vividly remember the unmistakable smell of lanolin from the fleeces, and in the background the rhythmic sounds of the looms creating fabric: it was a wonderful place to grow up.

My grandmother originally set up the workshop and design studio in 1954 and from our glorious location in the Mournes, established a global business that would endure for over fifty years. Her iconic designs, combined with her unique technical ability, saw many accolades and inevitably cemented her reputation as a pioneer of 20th century hand-woven textiles.

My mother, Karen Hay-Edie, shares my grandmother’s deep passion for weaving and is herself, a Master Weaver. Over the years, my mother's skill and expertise has brought a new element to the business and her technical influence has been a vital component in breathing new life into my grandmothers’ designs.

Today our story continues and similarly to my grandmother's renowned collaborations with 20th century design icons, I have embraced opportunities to work alongside fellow creatives. Recent projects have included partnerships with some of the most exciting names in modern design, including Margaret Howell, Carl Hansen, Pinch and Twenty Twenty One. 

Our Environment

The stunning landscape of the Mourne Mountains has always inspired me just as it did my grandmother, when she moved here in 1947. We are privileged to still work from the original studio that was purpose-built by Gerd, all those years ago, in fact, the internal layout of the mill has not been altered and many of the looms used today, have stood in the workshop for more than five decades, in many ways, the mill is almost like a working museum.

The spectacular and varied panoramas which seem to ebb and flow with the changing seasons, continue to provide a never-ending source of beauty and inspiration.

I passionately believe that our heritage business has a positive impact on the rural community, instilling an appreciation of our craft.

We pride ourselves on our low environmental impact, our natural, low energy consumption and small carbon footprint. Wherever possible we adopt ethical, transparent, environmentally friendly and sustainable practices in our business and are committed to working with a sense of social responsibility, while embodying integrity, value, depth and richness.

Our People

We are committed to our people and truly believe that our success is built on the energy, craftsmanship and passion of all our team members.

I am immensely proud of our wonderful team of local weavers and together, we continue to champion native weaving talent, ensuring that these valuable skills are shared, learnt and transferred within our community.

We are proud to work with QEST (Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust) in offering apprenticeship grants to learn the vital, time-honoured skills of weaving.