Barrydale Hand Weavers – Celebrating Craftsmanship

Barrydale Hand Weavers was born of a conscious desire to slow down, and it’s this that’s allowed us to take a uniquely considered approach to craftmanship.

Barrydale Hand Weavers has emerged from a proud, small-town venture to become a modern producer of exceptionally crafted hand woven products. The Barrydale Hand Weavers base material is locally grown cotton, spun here in South Africa and used in its natural state or dyed to colour specifications.

“As a business, we’re concerned not only with the preservation of an ancient process that results in beautiful products, but also in the empowerment, employment and skills development of our team – because that’s where our future lies.”

For owners Kate and Arran Bastable, the journey to Barrydale Hand Weavers has been both a long and a short one. The couple were visiting family in the tiny Karoo town of Barrydale when they came across the business. They instantly loved its products, and even wrapped their firstborn baby in a Barrydale Hand Weavers blanket.

When the opportunity arose in 2018 for the couple to acquire the business from family friend Carol Morris, their commitment was swift and decisive, though not taken lightly: after all, it involved three small children recently moved from Scotland to South Africa, two significant career pivots, and one full reassessment of the pair’s priorities. In short, Barrydale Hand Weavers was born of an intentional decision to slow down.

And so the Barrydale Hand Weavers story stretches back even further: the creators of the textiles have been a part of the business for years before South African Kate and Scottish Arran introduced their unique talents and innovation into the mix. The makers themselves remain at the heart of the business, and are now better-enabled than ever to grow meaningfully within it.