Product Focus: Navy Blue And Bronze Silk Twill Tie
Up this week is our Navy Blue and Bronze Silk Twill Tie. A firm favourite of the team, and a versatile purchase.
This design is classed as a "Macclesfield Neat", which is a continuing repeat of smaller, geometric patterns brought to life in an array of beautiful colours. Historically these patterns were carefully sculpted onto wooden blocks for hand printing and, later translated onto screens and finally digitised, in line with technological advances.
Macclesfield Silk History
All our tie silks are printed in Macclesfield, an area which was the historic centre of the British silk industry. One of the reasons for the Macclesfield silk industry flourishing begins with buttons. Traditionally buttons were covered in mohair or linen, but during Tudor times, Spanish silk buttons became the height of fashion, and so Macclesfield began covering buttons in silk to keep up with the trends of the times.
The location also played an important part in Macclesfield's journey to the top. Rivers running off the nearby Pennines were able to power the machinery in the mills, and a clean supply of water was (and still is) also essential for the silk dyeing process.
By the mid 18th Century when silk buttons were no longer in such demand, Macclesfield moved towards printing broadsheet silks. By the 1820’s there were around 70 mills in the town and the silk industry remained a large part of the town’s economy well into the 20th century.
Our producer
We source our silk from specialist hand-printers who continue to build on the three centuries of Macclesfield silk printing, also incorporating the latest technology which allows for digital printing. Situated in the picturesque countryside close to Macclesfield, and drawing the highest quality water from its own reservoir, the team is passionate and determined to maintain the town’s history as a world-leading producer of finished silk. Indeed, many of the team have followed in their parents’ footsteps and continue to work to the highest standards, as set by their forefathers.
With access to historical design archives, and their own vast collection of designs, our producers have an invaluable and expansive selection of print designs from which inspiration is derived. With all of the modern assets to remain at the forefront of technological advances and a wealth of history behind the organisation, the business is willing and able to rejuvenate the exquisite and intricate designs of the past for the benefit of the current audience.
Founder insights
“Working with Macclesfield printed silk is a true honour and we’re proud to support a UK based industry that’s been going uninterrupted for over 200 years. The quality is unrivalled in our opinion and this tallies with our commitment to always sourcing the finest materials for our clothing. This particular design is a personal favourite. Using the traditional Macclesfield 'neat' pattern, the navy, bronze and cream are colours that naturally sit well together and makes this one of our most versatile options in the collection."
Elliott Rampley, Co-founder
What Makes Our Ties So Special?
2. We choose to work with only the finest fabrics to make our ties. Our wool and cashmere fabrics are woven in the UK from the world renowned Fox Fabrics and Scabal. We also only work with the finest silk, printed in Macclesfield, England, an area that traces its history of textile production back hundreds of years.
3. Our ties are produced as a classic 3-fold tie with a self-tipped finish, which provides a nice weight while not using an excessive amount of fabric. Self-tipping is widely considered as a finer way to finish a tie, where the back of the blade is made from the same fabric as the tie itself. Self-tipped ties are generally found on premium quality neckwear due to the higher cost of production.
4. We produce our ties with the versatile dimensions of an 8cm (3.15 inches) wide blade and 150cm (59 inches) long. This ensures our ties will pair nicely with the width of most jacket lapels. We also add a stretch loop while slipping the tie, a continuous piece of thread that allows the fabric to move when worn. This special stitch is another indicator that a tie is handmade.
