As one of the last remaining vertical woollen mills in the country, Yorkshire manufacturer Abraham Moon can list Royals, rock stars and fashion icons among its lengthy list of famous clients. Beyond went along to their mill in Guiseley to discover how it is still going from strength to strength nearly 200 years after first opening.

When Billie Eilish took to the stage sporting a baseball hat at this year’s Grammys, few people would have noticed the logo on the side which featured two Union flags and the word ‘Moon.’

But for those in the know, it was the latest celebrity endorsement for a proud Yorkshire family firm which has stood on the same site in Guiseley since 1837 and which still maintains a global reputation for quality craftmanship.

Abraham Moon & Sons, is one of the leading woollen mills in Europe and the company responsible for supplying the textile used by some of the world’s biggest fashion brands.

Crafted using a woollen fabric produced by the 188-year-old company, the hat Eilish wore that night was just one of a long-list of celebrity-worn items that began its life in the West Yorkshire mill and which over the years has provided material for everybody from rock stars to royalty and presidents to sporting icons.

The mill which has been in the hands of just two families since it first launched – the Moons and now the Walshes – remains one of the last bastions of a Yorkshire industry that once dominated the textile world and its survival and continued success is testament to the resilience of a firm that has always put traditional manufacturing and quality produce at the forefront of all they do.

Now nearly 200 years since Abraham Moon first launched the mill, it is those same principles and attention to detail that have ensured the Yorkshire business has not only survived but is thriving despite the mass production of cheaper textiles around the world.

Throughout its history, the mill has functioned as a manufacturer of woollen cloth from fibre to fabric and Brand and Product Director, Joe McCann is proud of their standing as one of the leading woollen mills in Europe.

He explained: “What that means is that everything is done from start to finish here in Guiseley.

“We do everything from the initial designs to the dying, the blending to the carding, the spinning to the winding, the warping to the weaving, the fringing to the mending, the finishing and lastly, the final inspection to the despatch.

“The fact we can do all this is very unique and the advantage is that it gives us better control over the whole process which in turn leads to better quality and a unique finish which we have never compromised on.”

Unlike some textile and clothing companies where some products are made in-house and others made overseas where production costs are lower, everything is produced in a labour-intensive process in the Yorkshire mill using wool from the UK, New Zealand and South Africa.

Mill workers at Abraham Moon pictured in 1902

Joe added: “The backbone of our work is the manufacture of clothing fabric that will generally be sold to brands to be turned into garments while the rest of our business involves the production of interior fabrics for upholstery, curtains or soft furnishings, as well as scarves and throws which we sell to both trade, and to the public through our Bronte by Moon label in our shops located on Stonegate in York, and at our mill in Guiseley.”

Over the years the likes of Dolce & Gabana, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Burberry have all worked closely with Moon material, favouring its quality production and longevity over other textiles.

But it is not just the big fashion houses who use the one million metres of fabric that Moon produces every year, and the company supply many high street brands with material to incorporate into their own designs and products.

Joe added: “I think in terms of major fashion brands, there aren’t many people across the industry who we haven’t supplied to at some point but you can also see our material on the high street, which ensures it is not out of reach to someone who wants to buy something of quality or note. That has always been important to us because ultimately tweed has its origins in outdoor and workwear due to its durability and practicality.”

And so, although the mill is a lot more hi-tech than it was in the Victorian era, it does broadly the same thing – raw undyed wool goes in one end and luxury fabric comes out of the other before been exported to more than 50 countries worldwide, including the US, Japan, South Korea, China, Italy, France, and Australia.

As for Billie Eilish’s hat, Joe reveals every component of the fabric would have been made lovingly and painstakingly here in Guiseley.

He said: “As a British textile manufacturer with a long heritage of craftsmanship, it’s always exciting to see our fabrics used in such creative ways, particularly by artists who embody individuality and style.

“Our fabrics have been used by some of the world’s leading designers, and this moment highlights the continued appeal of British wool in contemporary fashion.

“It’s a fantastic example of how tradition and modernity can come together in design and we’re proud to be still flying the flag for the British textile industry in the same place where it all started nearly 200 years ago.”

You can shop the Bronte by Moon range in York at 33 Stonegate, and at the mill shop on Netherfield Road, Guiseley.

The full collections can be viewed online at brontebymoon.com and moons.co.uk