Slow-Fashioned: Abraham Moon & Sons
Abraham Moon & Sons is a woolen cloth manufacturer based in Leeds, United Kingdom. Founded in 1837 by Abraham Moon, the company is one of the UK’s only remaining vertical mills, meaning that each step of the fabric production process and fabric sales are housed within the same facility.
“All our cloth is woven on dobby looms, on the same site that has been here since 1837,” said Pam Birchenall, head of apparel sales for Abraham Moon & Sons. “We buy the raw wool fiber, dye the fiber, spin the yarn, warp, weave and finish the cloth – all on the same site – then ship all over the world.”
Some of the more unique fabrics that the company creates are crafted from mélange wool yarn shades that can contain up to seven different colored fibers. Ultimately, these colorful yarns form the interesting fabric designs that define the brand. Because Abraham Moon & Sons has their own finishing, they are able to create a wide range of cloths, all crafted from raw wool from reputable sources.
Though the company has been in business since 1837, it has evolved over time to continue meeting customer needs by developing lasting relationships with buyers.
“At Moon we have always tried to keep up with changing consumer needs and trends,” Birchenall said. “We have never been afraid to give something a try to give the customer something unique. We often make bespoke fabrics for our customers so they have something that no one else has!”
To maintain the quality of every fabric the brand implements rigorous quality checks at every stage of the fabric production process – from the fiber to the yarn to the cloth.
“We work with many premium brands where quality is everything,” Birchenall said. “It is so important to have good staff that appreciate this and follow quality through all processes. At every step of every process there are people checking quality, along with a team in QC double checking this. The family constantly invests in new machinery, building improvements and training for staff to keep relevant and on point.”
Throughout its long history, the ownership of Abraham Moon & Sons has only passed between two families – first, the Moon family and later, the Walsh family. This family environment plays a critical role in the brand.
“Being a close-knit, family-run business is at the core of our integrity and heritage,” Birchenall said.
Because GenTeal Apparel prioritizes high-quality and thoughtfully designed materials, we have sourced Abraham Moon & Sons wool for the creation of our Fairhaven Vest and our Hartford Vest.
