Woollen mills: Plans to save ‘iconic’ Welsh blanket

The owners of Wales’ last remaining wool mills are finding creative ways to keep their businesses afloat as they near retirement.

Melin Tregwynt in Pembrokeshire is becoming an Employee Ownership Trust and Melin Teifi in Ceredigion is hoping to be taken over by the National Wool Museum.

But Welsh ceilings expert Jane Beck said most factories were unable to find solutions and would soon disappear.

In 1926 there were 217 active mills in Wales, today there are only five.

Jane, who has the world’s largest stock of Welsh blankets at her shop near Tregaron in Ceredigion, said the future of the factories was uncertain despite the huge demand for Welsh blankets.

“Most will be gone soon as there is no succession and they are not in the same position as Melin Tregwynt to be in a new position to take their business into the future,” she said.

She said most mills are “owned and operated by an aging workforce, reaping the rewards of the unexpected resurgence in popularity over the past decade.”

“With the exception of Tregwynt, the other mills use outdated machinery that is prone to breakdowns and lack experienced people to fix it,” she said.

She said it’s possible other mills could open, but they would need industry experience and get started, adding, “It’s not a game for the faint of heart.”

Eifion Griffiths, 67, is the third generation to run Melin Tregwynt of Castlemorris, Haverfordwest.

His grandfather bought the mill, then called Dyffryn, at auction in 1912 for £760 after his wife inherited money from her father.

After training as an architect, Eifion returned home to help his parents in the 80s.

He said he was determined to secure a future for the mill.

“We wanted to remain a Welsh company and continue weaving in this part of Wales,” he said.

“It tries to preserve a tradition.”

After the UK, Japan is the company’s largest trading market: “They understood the power of history and the history of the product because their own history of craftsmanship is exceptional.”

He said the Employee Ownership Trust is a way to ensure the company doesn’t get resold and lose its heart.

“If it goes somewhere else, the product might not change, but the way it’s made and the circumstances and environment can change, and we don’t want that,” he said.

“We don’t want to keep it like a museum, but we do want to preserve some aspects of the traditional weave and that seems like the best way forward.”

He said their plans meant the company would “actually be owned by whoever worked in the business.”

Employees receive stock and bonuses while they work for the company, and the management team continues to run the business as before.

He and his wife, Amanda, plan to continue the business for a few more years, but “to step back from the day-to-day and take a more strategic view.”

Eifion and Amanda have no children, but Eifion said that even if they did, they would have been careful about passing on the mill.

“I would have been very careful not to put that burden on them unless they really wanted to – I enjoyed it, but I don’t know many family businesses in the textile industry that have survived as family businesses,” he said

Production at the factory had to be halted during the first Covid lockdown, but online sales grew during this time.

He said their biggest problem is the supply chain: “Getting the yarn in fast enough and making it fast enough to get it out again.”

Raymond Jones, 76, owner of Melin Teifi in Felindre, Llandysul, has also grappled with how he will keep the mill running after his retirement.

He found another solution – the takeover by the neighboring National Wool Museum.

“I intend to keep going as long as I enjoy what I’m doing,” he said.

“Of course nobody goes on forever, so it would be nice if we planned for someone to take it over at some point, and we’re in talks with the museum, so it looks promising that it’ll happen at some point.

He added, “They want the production to continue, so I would think they’ll eventually take it on… we’ll see what happens over the next 12 months now.”

Museum manager Ann Whittall said: “We have a team of four craftsmen at the museum and we are beginning to work with Raymond to ensure we retain these skills for the future.”

Raymond said the whole industry in Wales is facing the challenge of an aging workforce: “We’ve all reached a stage where we’re getting old, there aren’t many people in this industry who are young.”

Despite the challenges, he is positive about the future of the Welsh blanket.

“There’s enough work now to keep everyone busy,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s going to die out, there’s too much support… the museum itself is very supportive, it’s also part of their story and with their support I can’t imagine it fizzled out either.”

Roger Poulson’s parents founded Curlew Weavers Woolen Mill in Rhydlewis, Llandysul in 1961.

Since the end of the 1990s, the company with five employees has been producing yarn and woven goods for rare breed farmers and “transforms the fleece into salable goods for them”.

“I have no plans to retire at the moment, my wife says I’ll die on one of the machines,” said Roger, 72.

He hopes his son will take over the business when the time comes to retire.

“My son helps me on weekends and evenings and runs the mill when I’m on vacation and hopefully he’ll come along to run it with me in the future,” he said.

“He was interested in coming into the mill and I said ‘no, you have to see the world and things’ because often farmer’s sons in particular are forced to take it on because there’s nobody to take it on, that Heart not in it and it’s purgatory.

“I wanted to make sure he saw the world and did a few other things, and it was really in his blood.”

He said weaving is an integral part of Wales’ identity: “It’s a very important part of heritage in Wales and across the UK.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that the deal is there.

“I think the market for rare breeds is growing, I think people are more concerned about natural fibers and sustainability.”

Bridgend textile artist Laura Thomas, who works from her studio in Ewenny, Vale of Glamorgan, has had a fascination with Welsh throws since she was a child.

“The Welsh blanket is a real cultural icon for our country and is well known around the world – it’s instantly recognizable and very recognizably Welsh,” she said.

“They are beautiful, well-made heirlooms for people to cherish.”

She was impressed by the industry’s resilience.

“[They] are really resilient, they’ve been very imaginative and imaginative and creative in maintaining their businesses, finding new markets, telling the story and explaining the heritage.”

She said renewed interest in sustainable and independent products has led to a “burgeoning movement” for micromilling across the UK, with businesses opening in Bristol, London, Glasgow and Liverpool.

Laura said it gives her hope for the future of the industry in Wales: “It’s exciting to see that this has been happening in Wales for a long time.

“It’s really important that we keep the mills turning in Wales so we can continue to tell the story of the market to audiences around the world.”