ABRAHAM MOON & sons

Opened in 1837, Leeds-based Abraham Moon & Sons is one of the last remaining vertical woollen mills in Britain. In 2009 the company launched Bronte By Moon, a collection of blankets, throws and home accessories. Design director Martin Aveyard reveals more.

We search the world to find the best wool. Quality is key for us, so the farms we choose to buy wool from and the way the sheep are raised are very important. Our merino lambswool is predominantly from South Africa, our Shetland-quality pure new wool is from New Zealand and the alpaca for our new range of throws is from the Peruvian Andes.

People are now more adventurous with colour and pattern,

adopting their own style rather than following a trend. Our latest collection of throws and cushions is inspired by nature, from a classic red and blue nautical theme to exuberant wildflowers and pink bouquets with a twist.

Wool is like a spring – it has a natural crimp that allows it

to return to its shape. Its complex coiled structure gives it great resilience against becoming flat and hard. This means that upholstering furniture in wool is a great investment. Wool fibre can be bent 20,000 times without breaking. It has excellent powers of recovery.

Our mill is vertical. This means that every stage of making takes place in-house, from design development and sourcing raw wool to dyeing, blending, carding, yarn spinning, warping, weaving and finishing. Moon is the only vertical mill left in England and this enduring heritage is very important to us. We have families who have had three generations working in the mill and we attract new talent by o≠ering apprenticeships.