IRISH SCARVES BY LIZ CHRISTY

Our Irish Scarves Collection is the outcome of Liz Christy’s commitment to making quality textiles, in an environmentally friendly way, in Ireland. She has a great sense of place living in County Monaghan surrounded by drumlin hills, the remnants of the last ice age.  This explains her decision to keep her roots in her birth county, and build her life and work here.  In the mid 1980’s it may have been tempting to embrace city life after graduating from Art college in Galway.  But Liz is the first to admit that if there is a difficult way to do something, she will find it.  In 1986 she returned to her hometown of Castleblayney, a border town. She put her toe into the waters of self-employment as a career. Her first hand-weaving studio opened in an old furniture factory.

COMMITMENT TO THE ETHOS OF HAND-CRAFTED SLOW FASHION

In the late 1990s, the world was focused on speed.  This was when Liz was re-establishing her business at Swallow Cottage in Annayalla. Business was all about getting products made as quickly as possible, for as little as possible and replacing it as soon as possible. Liz’s bank manager described her as a fish swimming against the tide in the race to outsource. But he saw her belief and backed her.  Liz developed and ran her business based on the ethos of Quality and Slow Fashion before it was ever a buzzword.

We continue to follow this path with great responsibility and the sense of sustainability which Liz inspires.  Therefore, all the looms in Swallow Studios are manual, powered by human energy. We do not have electric or computerized looms. Liz has trained her team of weavers to make the scarves that she designs.  She values her people and their skills. Liz knows that they put love as well as a skill into each piece of Wearable Art.

WORLD-INSPIRED – MADE IN IRELAND

We are proud that our ‘Irish Scarves’ are indeed genuinely hand-woven in Ireland.  As a textile designer, Liz is inspired by the world at large. Her interests include art, archaeology and poetry along with local flora and fauna. You will see these inspirational themes feature in her luxury hand-crafted textiles. which embody colour and warmth.  Our Irish Scarves Collection includes scarves woven with wool, cotton, kid mohair and silk. Product design and innovation are ongoing at Swallow Studios.  Soon luxurious alpaca yarn, from animals born and bred in County Monaghan by Glaslough Alpacas, will feature in a new range inspired by ancient civilisations, so watch this space