'Bringing the brand home': Family-run firm to produce its yarn in Yorkshire after £4.25m investment

Spectrum Yarns said the move will also create 20 new jobs at its Spa Mill facility.

The firm added that the move puts it at the “forefront of spinning, dyeing and combined heat and power technology.”

Richard Brown, owner of Spectrum Yarns, said: “We wanted to be more in control of the products we sell, our process, offer shorter lead times for our yarn, improved quality control and reduction in our carbon footprint.

“It is important to us that we aren’t dependent on overseas businesses which have up to five months lead time and uncertain political and economic outlooks.”

The investment includes a new dye house, which is able to handle acrylic and wool, as well as new drying machinery for both.

Spectrum has also purchased machines to stretch break the acrylic followed by a new assembly line, new twisting machines and a new balling plant.

In addition, the company has invested in a combined heat and power plant which it says produces electricity “more efficiently” than a normal gas fired power station. Heat from the exhaust gases is then also reused in the dye house.

The company noted that the plant is also hydrogen ready.

The business said the advances mean the brand will be more efficient with its resources, using less water and energy.

It added that by manufacturing in Yorkshire, the brand is also reducing transport distances, cutting both fuel consumption and pollution.

The firm’s flagship yarn range, titled Special, is now being manufactured within the new plant.

Mr Brown added: “Special is the UKs most popular yarn.

"The volume we sell makes it the most cost-effective yarn to produce in this country.

“To maintain the quality of such an iconic yarn, we have carried out extensive trials on the raw materials and continued these right through to the processing.

“Because of our in-house spinning expertise and quality control we can ensure every pack that goes out will be consistent and of the quality our consumers expect from us.”

To celebrate its investment, Stylecraft is also launching a ‘Made In Yorkshire Special’, with 20 new colours set to begin appearing in yarn shops nationwide from October 22.

Each shade has been dyed, spun and balled in the mill in the Colne Valley at Slaithwaite.

The firm’s Special range currently has 100 shades.

The company said that as stocks run out of other colours, they will also be spun in Yorkshire, in a move it described as ”bringing the brand home”.

Spectrum Yarns moved into Spa Mill in 1990, after first being launched and beginning spinning ten years prior in 1980.

Spa Mill was originally founded as a cotton mill in 1907, and continued to spin cotton until the 1930s.

Spectrum Yarns now mainly spins wool and wool nylon for apparel, knitwear and upholstery fabrics.