Bored with your current wardrobe? How about a whiskey-scented jacket or a suit? Well, Scottish textile brand Harris Tweed Hebrides has teamed up with the iconic Scotch whiskey company, Johnnie Walker, to create a “smart” tweed fabric that possesses a uniquely intoxicating whiskey smell. What is more, its fragrance will be capable of enduring the dry cleaning process.
After months of research, the fabric was developed by textile technologists at Scotland-based Heriott-Watt University’ s School of Textiles and Design. The aroma was infused into the cloth by means of an advanced micro-encapsulation process, to ensure that the strong whisky smell lasts even after multiple washes. Talking about this innovative project, Donald Macka, of Harris Tweed Hebrides’ Shawbost branch, said:
I have worked with aromas in the past but they were only meant to withstand one dry clean. The process we have devised for Johnnie Walker means that this scent is layered into the fabric throughout the finishing process and is permanently imbued in the tweed.
It combines two of Scotland’s most famous products: Johnnie Walker Black Label, a blend of as many as 40 whiskies aged over a period of 12 years, and Harris Tweed, a fabric hand-woven by the natives of Outer Hebrides. The result is a design that resembles the colors of the various whiskey ingredients and an aroma that is marked by its “rich malt, golden vanilla, red fruit and dark chocolate tones”. Brian Wilson, the head of Harris Tweed Hebrides, said:
This is a very natural partnership of two great Scottish brands with inputs from one of our cutting-edge academic centres. The more of these partnerships we promote, the better for the Scottish economy…The early indications are that the finished products are creating a high level of interest in the target markets.
Italian designer Angelo Bratis will work alongside Harris Tweed Hebrides to create a range of clothing, using the incredibly ingenious whisky-scented fabric. The products will likely be sold all over Europe, including Germany.
Via: Daily Mail / CNET