Rampisham Hill Mill




Laura’s Loom


Laura’s Loom is primarily a weaving business, but she sources the wool she uses from ‘her backyard’ and then works with local mills to process ad spin into yarn. She is passionate about wool, championing it’s warm, comforting properties, the farmers and it’s sustainability.
“There’s a lot more wool weaving yarn available now than even just 15 years ago and it’s certainly cheaper on the whole to buy yarn from established spinners than to produce it from scratch. But it’s been a hugely enjoyable journey for me, meeting farmers, scourers, spinners and dyers and learning from all of them about wool and yarn and the woollen textile industry as a whole. I like being able to create yarn from locally sourced wool, to know exactly where my wool comes from and to understand completely the entire cycle from fleece to finished product. The products I make have a story, but more importantly I’ve been able to pay my local farmers a fair price for their wool and then make beautiful things from it. The farmers have appreciated seeing what I’ve made and learning about the textile industry. I’ve really enjoyed learning a little about farming life and making some new friends.”


The Woolly Shepherd


Tim Simmons explains : “Although wool prices are generally unstable, we continue to use wool and fleeces from small batches that would not otherwise be viable for farmers and smallholders. As the business has grown, we also source nationally, but we only use 100% UK grown wool and remain the only acoustic product designers to do so. “We believe it is vitally important to contribute to the rural economy and most of our wool is collected and paid for in Somerset and Devon. The wool is cleaned in Bradford and felted in Yorkshire and Somerset. This feeds back into our rural economy, providing fair trade for farmers and fair pay for local people at a time when the future of UK farming is uncertain and support for local producers is vital.”


Tellenby Merino


Recently Lesley talked to us about what it is about wool that keeps motivating her: “Because it’s the answer to so many of the problems facing our planet. By choosing wool to use in our clothing, our home textiles and of course our craft work we are reducing microplastic pollution, landfill and the mountains of synthetic fibre waste sent to 3rd world countries every year. Wool is sustainable. It grows every year and will degrade within a few months if returned to the soil or even the sea.
“I have a passion for the finest wool; Merino. But did you know there are many different qualities of Merino? At Tellenby, we grow the very finest type; Australian Super Fine. We produce wool of between 13 and 17 micron from our flock with very particular qualities which makes it ideal for the highest quality woven fabrics used in Savile Row suits or the finest knitwear. We are obsessed with quality and the breeding of excellence. We have spent many thousands of pounds and travelled extensively in Australia, learning from many experts there who have been so generous with their help. After 20 years we have accomplished what we set out to do -grow the very finest Merino in the UK and sell it to the very best, most demanding brands.”

