Welsh blanket makers team up with global fashion house
Stephen Price
Beloved Welsh blanket-makers, Melin Tregwynt, have collaborated with luxury fashion brand JW Anderson on a bespoke Welsh blanket, celebrating the timeless beauty of Welsh craftsmanship.
Founded by designer Jonathan Anderson, JW Anderson has been at the forefront of UK fashion and is known for creating the cardigan worn by Harry Styles that went viral in 2020, as well as Rihanna’s Super Bowl half-time performance outfit in 2023.
In 2025 Jonathan was appointed creative director of Dior and was also awarded fashion designer of the year.
This new Welsh double cloth design was developed as part of the JW ANDERSON brand’s growing homeware collection – a curated range which celebrated quality, culture, and craftsmanship to beautifully adorn the home.
The bespoke JW ANDERSON X Melin Tregwynt blanket features a tapestry-style double cloth design in bold, rich and warming tones, reminiscent of a cosy Welsh hearth.
The key element in the creation of the new design was the brand’s desire to maintain the feel of traditional Welsh tapestry designs, taking inspiration from both Melin Tregwynt patterns and the many other wonderful Welsh vintage tapestry designs.
The colours chosen for the design were also inspired by vintage Welsh tapestry blankets – particularly the bold colour combinations of the 1960s.
Each shade of yarn in the blanket was selected as a Pantone and dyed specifically for the design, as part of the made-to-order yarn spinning process. As with all Welsh double-cloth designs, the final product is created through the fusion of the woven pattern and the interaction of the yarn colours within the design.
The JW ANDERSON X Melin Tregwynt blanket is woven in 100% Cambrian Mountains wool, a premium wool yarn spun in the UK from fibre grown solely in the Cambrian Mountains region of Wales.
This yarn has created a soft yet durable blanket, with a subtle lustre – echoing the comforting weight of a traditional Welsh tapestry blanket but with the added luxury of a smooth and soft handle.
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Emma Colven, writing on behalf of Melin Tregwynt, shared: “The use of Cambrian Mountains wool was key in the development of this collaborative blanket, demonstrating JW ANDERSON’s support in celebrating home-grown – and in this case specifically Welsh-grown – wool, in a wider movement to invigorate the once-vibrant Welsh woolen industry.
“As one of the last remaining working woollen mills in Wales, we at Melin Tregwynt were delighted to be chosen by JW ANDERSON to collaborate on this development and for the blanket to be part of the brand’s innovative new collection.
“Our passion is our craft – keeping the tradition of weaving in Wales alive through our range of traditional and contemporary Welsh textile patterns, all woven at our little mill on the Pembrokeshire coast. To collaborate with such an illustrious brand as JW ANDERSON helps to increase the visibility and beauty of Welsh double cloth weaving and to help sustain this now endangered craft.”
Emma added: “We are so excited to finally be able to share this exciting collaboration with our community – almost a year in the making. It has been an honour to work with the JW ANDERSON brand in creating this beautiful and unique blanket design, celebrating the legacy of weaving in Wales.”
Employee-owned
Pembrokeshire-based woollen mill Melin Tregwynt became employee-owned in 2022, marking the business’s 110th anniversary.
The family-owned mill and shop was handed over to its 42 employees by its owners at the time, Eifion and Amanda Griffiths. Eifion’s grandfather founded the textile business in 1912 after buying the mill.
The ownership has been transferred via a trust and gives all employees a stake in the future of the business. This will preserve the knowledge and traditional skills developed over the last century since the company was founded.
Eifion and Amanda continue to work part-time at Melin Tregwynt. Amanda, said: “By passing the torch to our employees, we’re not just leaving a business; we’re entrusting a century-old legacy to those who have contributed the most to its success.
“This decision has imbued our business with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment.
“Our employees, now co-owners, are more invested than ever, driving innovation and ensuring the mill remains a cornerstone of the community.
“They are not just maintaining the traditions of Melin Tregwynt – they are evolving them, ready to meet the challenges of the future while staying true to the values that have defined our past.”
Collaborations have been a key feature in the brand’s growing importance in the homeware and textile industry, with one of its most successful and enduring relationship with Welsh maker, Helly Powell from Fauxidermy.
Helly’s love and knowledge of textiles knows no bounds, with silks and velvets sourced from across the globe, but for me, some of her finest works are made with homegrown fabrics, namely the timeless Welsh blanket cloth of Melin Tregwynt.
The Glyderau and Beddgelert editions in particular utilise multiple Melin Tregwynt cloths, bringing to life hares, otters, deer, boar and more in the most spectacular and moving ways.
In 2017, a collaboration with Melin Tregwynt and Fauxidermy led to the creation of a beautiful new collection, The Beasts of the Mabinogion, breathing life into the native wildlife of an ancient mystical Welsh landscape.
A Welsh success story, highlighting the enduring legacy of Welsh craftsmanship and slow fashion, and now very much a fixture in some of the most elegant homes in Wales and across the world.
Find out more about the new blanket from JW Anderson and Melin Tregwynt here.
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