Established in 1980, Spectrum Yarns is a go to source of high quality yarn for customers worldwide. A proud British manufacturer, this family run business is steeped in the history of its Huddersfield location, at the heart of the UK textile industry: “Textile manufacturers in Huddersfield create the best fabrics in the world by taking care of the product all the way through the supply chain,” says Paul Holt, sales executive at Spectrum Yarns.
The Spectrum Yarns portfolio encompasses four different businesses from fine worsted spinning and coarse spinning to hand knitting yarns and a line of knitted garments. The company’s fine worsted yarns are sought after by Dormeuil for its Jade fabric.
Spectrum’s work begins with the receipt of the processed fibre from Haldon Range in New Zealand, which has been grown exclusively for the Jade collection. The wool is always dyed in fibre form, being the gentlest method for producing yarns intended for high quality cloth. Spectrum Yarns commissions dyers in Bradford to dye the fibre to bespoke specifications.
The shade is checked by a skilled colour matcher who ensures all requirements are met. Colours are blended to achieve the right shade based on the mixing card. Ten hues typically go into a single shade, with complexity building layer on layer. It is imperative that the colour is level, especially as the company is renowned for the rich tone of its yarns.
Working to a base recipe, the matcher assesses the stocks and works out which shades are needed and in what weights. At this point Spectrum Yarns can alter the blend to achieve the correct colour, a highly skilled job which requires a great degree of experience.
“We need to think about the way colours are built up. Even in a navy solid there are elements of grey and black,” Holt explains. “Package dyeing cannot recreate this expertise which is held in high regard. It is crucial to ensure we get the colour right before the yarn reaches the customer. Professionalism and quality are at the core of our company philosophy.” Once the colour has been approved the dye lots are put into work to prepare the packing cases to spin. It can take up to ten weeks from the time the order is placed by Dormeuil to the completion of the yarn due to the many value added processes involved. Holt, however, believes that whilst an investment in time, the end product is well worth the wait. The extrafine fibre required for the Jade cloth needs to be spun at slower speeds. This two-fold yarn is produced by putting two ends together and twisting the yarn to give the weave strength. Quality assurance tests take place throughout the process to ensure that the product is never compromised.
The dyed tops are drawn out, pulling the staple fibres in straight parallel lines to create longer, stronger slivers. The sliver is then drawn out further to become a roving, which is wound off onto a bobbin ready to spin to the specific fabric weight required by Dormeuil.
The thickness of the roving dictates the thickness of the yarn. In the case of Jade, the yarn needs to be fine.
Once spun to the correct thickness the yarn is wound off the spinning tube and run through an electronic clearer to check for any faults. The assembly winder puts the two ends together to prepare the yarn for twisting.
The last process, twist insertion helps the yarn strength for weaving. In the case of the Jade collection, this is a fine yarn with a high twist. The twisting machine can take a week to produce a kilo package of fine yarn. Spectrum Yarns has a number of twisting machines for a variety of operations and added flexibility.
Currently the largest sector of the business is the well-established worsted spinning operation and hand knitting yarns are also making a big contribution. Spectrum is also looking to expand its Glenbrae branded range of knitted garments. The knitwear is manufactured at Spectrum’s site in Derbyshire. In total 180 people work across the Spectrum Yarns group.
Holt believes the reason the company has survived so long is its ability to diversify into different business areas, offering a consistently high quality product. “People like UK quality because it stands the test of time. We genuinely believe that there is a good future for manufacturing in the UK, particularly as more people have controlled stocks. This plays into the hands of ‘Made in the UK’ producers who can offer flexibility.”
Spectrum Yarns sees the message hitting home amongst merchants and retailers who are looking for something different and willing to invest in quality, which remains the driving force of UK manufacturing.