The sofa sorter

ANDREW THORNBER RUNS FAMILY-OWNED FABRIC MERCHANT ART OF THE LOOM

We use Shetland wool. Shetlands are bred for meat but their fleece is soft, yet robust, making it ideal for furnishings – everything from bedspreads to sofas. (Art of the Loom supplies the fabric for the DFS Country Living sofa.) The wool is produced and woven in Yorkshire. During the Industrial Revolution, this was the heartland of British wool. There are few weavers left there now. We’re proud to keep the tradition alive.

I come from a long line of weavers. My great-great-greatgrandfather, Benjamin Thornber, was a farmer-weaver before setting up this business. For me, wool’s uneven texture and imperfections give it character. That’s what makes it stand out from a synthetic fabric. Unless a product specifies that it’s made using British wool, it probably isn’t.

All our processes are done in England – but this comes at a cost. Fleeces are reasonably priced but British-woven wool is expensive because wages, rent and duties are higher. There’s a price to pay for total traceability, but I think there is a shift happening: people expect businesses to do the right thing. artoftheloom.co.uk