Woollen Mills weaves a celebration

OLD MEETS NEW Foxford still makes its traditional scarves, throws and blankets, but in contemporary designs and colours.

Open evening in Foxford marks 125 years

If you haven’t been in Foxford Woollen Mills for a while, here’s an opportunity you really shouldn’t miss. To celebrate 125 years, the famous textile designer, manufacturer and retailer  is throwing its doors open for an open evening on Thursday, October 5 – and everyone’s invited.
Between 5pm and 8pm, attendees can enjoy canapés and a glass of wine while they browse the shop floor, where there’s a 25 percent discount on all fully priced items for the open evening. The Foxford Brass Band will mark the occasion with a concert, while later on, in the café upstairs, the dulcet tones of a cello will waft through the air.
Foxford Woollen Mills has been a hallmark of timeless elegance and handcrafted design since it was founded. Today, the newly revamped store boasts high-end interior furnishings as well as the time-honoured Foxford weaves. The traditional scarves, throws and blankets are still there but in contemporary designs and colour ways inspired by the subtle tones in the outstanding scenery of Mayo. The one thing that has not changed, however, is the quality.

Try the new tour
Even the Foxford tour has been totally revamped, and it’s free for everyone at the open evening, with an optional donation to Cystic Fibrosis. (The usual price is €10, of which €2 is donated to the charity.) No longer self-guided, it’s a fascinating half-hour tour led by a dedicated tour guide.
Starting at the front reception, it brings visitors through the process of making Foxford products. First step is warping, where they can see, touch and feel the different wools now used. The next step is weaving, where the real magic takes place as the items take shape. Finally, each handcrafted piece is finished on the production floor. The process is the same as it was three centuries ago but the wools, the colours and the finished items are contemporary and bang up to date. Cashmere and merino were certainly not on the looms in the 1800s.