The Hattie Wrap | A Colour Story

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Standing at the entrance of the Mungo Mill, our single Hattersley Loom, fondly known as ‘Hattie’, has been a steadfast presence at Mungo. Dating back to the late 1890s, she serves as a relic of traditional cottage industry weaving – finding her place amidst our cross-section of weaving technology that spans from pre-industrial to present day.

One of the unique features of Hattie is her distinctive rhythm – a sound created by the rapid movement of her flying shuttle, and the tappets that control the shedding of the warp. Her shuttle (the bobbin that flies across the warp carrying the weft threads) also has the unique ability to produce a true selvedge – a self-finished edge that requires no extra hemming.

If you’ve recently passed through our mill doors of late, Hattie will be a familiar sight. Or for those who’ve visited our Cape Town store on 78 Hout Street, you might recall her on the first floor, where she lovingly wove runs of cotton Cook’s Cloth, and occasionally gathered groups for weaving demos during First Thursday’s.

For the month of September we had her dressed anew – weaving a limited run of wraps. A creative project led by Neta – who made the most of a rare batch of mohair to produce something truly exceptional.

“The colours were really good. At first I experimented with just two in each wrap, but felt it needed more. I added in more stripe detailing, and then they started to pop. What I like is the interplay of traditional, 19th century weaving techniques with contemporary colour-blocking styles.”

Our Hattersley Wraps are individually woven with a bamboo warp and a luxurious blend of mohair and silk in the weft, pulled together with a tappet twill weave. The combination of fibres lends a soft, textured feel that’s both warm and lightweight, perfect for wrapping over your shoulder on a cool evening.

One of the unique properties of animal fibres is their ability to absorb dye incredibly well. The result is rich, intense colours and strong colour fastness that endures over time. Each Hattersley Wrap makes the most of these brilliant yarns, with an experimental process that creates striking contrasts in each piece.

Utilising the principles of colour theory, Neta expertly juxtaposed complementary shades from opposite sides of the colour wheel, giving each wrap its dynamic, eye-catching quality that makes each one a work of art.

Design simulations for the Hattersley Wrap

Once the designs were completed, two of our skilled weavers, Angelo and Raoul (who know their way around Hattie and her quirks) began weaving them to life. The result is a creative collaboration that perfectly blends traditional weaving know-how with modern design finesse.

Each Hattersley Wrap is truly one of a kind, with subtle variations in colour and texture.

With only one or two available of each design, these are items that won’t be found elsewhere, or be repeated.

The Hattie Wrap

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