OPERATION LOOM LAND
If you have attended one of my talks, you may have heard me going on about two things:
1. Partying like a Weaver (because no one parties like a weaver)
2. Operation Loom Land.
“Imagine with me, if you can massive, fully functioning cloth mill encompassing the entire history of mechanised weaving from the 1870s onwards that is accessible to those who want to learn about textiles.
Operating commercially, sustainably and providing hands-on education to those that want to understand and preserve the heritage of local crafts. All overseen by some sort of over-enthusiastic ‘Wonka-esque’ character with big hair and his own cohort of bright and brilliant weaving minions…”
Earlier this year, a rare opportunity presented itself. Elvet Woollen Mill has operated as a weaving mill since the late 1870s and has remained practically unchanged since the 1940s - it is like walking into a time warp.
Since the early 1980s The Mill has been owned & operated by Mike Tollput. It is one of only seven remaining weaving mills in Wales, weaving traditional Welsh tapestry patterns. At 92 he decided to retire and sell it on the condition it should remain a mill. In an age of property development and disappearing industrial heritage, this is an incredible legacy.
We have taken it on.
This is an incredibly emotional event for me. Operation Loom Land is something I came up with a long time ago - to try and paint a picture of how I saw the London Cloth Company in the future. It’s been a long journey already.
I have spent the last 11 years travelling the country clearing out closed or derelict mills.
During which time, we have
- Built an entire vertical weaving mill from scratch, encompassing several hundred tons of machinery that we have salvaged, renovated and restored.
- An entire library of related books and archives.
- We have curated the largest new collection of commercially operating historic textiles machinery - at every turn, always thinking -
What is the point of having all this stuff if no one gets to see it?
At Elvet Mill, the time has come. We are now actually going to build Loom Land.
We have big plans for the mill, to make the most of its historical role in the industry but also to share our passion with a new generation and introduce innovations to make it sustainable and to ensure it has a role in the future of weaving in Wales.
THE PLAN
Continue our important restoration work of industrial heritage: once we have moved everything, the company will be one of largest collections of commercially running heritage machinery in the UK.
Be the lowest carbon company that we can possibly be, with as many facilities as possible being off grid, continuing to utilise low carbon technology and be one of the UK’s most sustainable textiles companies.
Host educational tours & workshops, with international guests and speakers, to train and enthuse the next generation of weavers and to become a recognised destination for textile learning in a welcoming and accessible environment. Because what is the point of having all this stuff if no one gets to see it?
Party Like a Weaver and have fun!
It is a privilege to own the mill and we feel a responsibility to make the most of it and to share it with others. To do this, we need your help.
The mill requires emergency work in the next months to prevent it from decaying. It still has its original roof! The guttering isn’t able to cope with all the rainfall. Most of the wiring dates back to the 1950s. The heating was installed in 1964. There is no insulation nor toilets onsite. And the windows all need replacing.
This will all ultimately cost well over £100k, but we need to prioritise a first phase of emergency action over the next few months.
I have set the target quite low compared to the need; I don’t want to take the piss.
All round, things are pretty mad in the world at the moment, it’s a horrible time to be asking for help. But it is also a time when we need more stuff like this; traceable low carbon production capacity and places where available hands-on fun education and training can happen.
We need your help to protect our industrial heritage because once it’s gone, it’s gone.
So, this winter, why not help make the world a little bit more bonkers and join us on a journey towards opening what is essentially a textiles-based theme park?!
Thank you,
Daniel
