Waverley Mills joins forces with Country Road to celebrate Tasmanian craftsmanship

A fashion juggernaut has teamed up with one of Australia’s oldest working textile mills — which happens to be in Tasmania — to recreate an iconic 90s design. Weaving the legacy together >>

The Country Road x Waverley Mills 90s Reissue Australian made merino throw. Picture: Supplied

Australia’s oldest working textile mill, Waverley Mills, has teamed up with a fashion and lifestyle juggernaut, Country Road, to celebrate two momentous anniversaries.

The Country Road x Waverley Mills collaboration will recreate two archival striped picnic throw rugs from a 1994 collection, paying homage to the heritage of both brands, who turn 50 and 150, respectively.

Crafted from start to finish in Tasmania, the reissue throws are made using Tasmanian Merino wool, which is spun, woven, and finished in-house at Waverley Mills in Launceston.

The making of the Reissue Throw at Waverley Mills. Picture: Supplied

Country Road Home general manager Ty Symonds said the collaboration is a limited-edition collection of products made to be loved and passed from one generation to another.

“Over the last few years, we’ve held discussions with Waverley Mills, aiming to understand their craftsmanship down to the finest detail, particularly as they had been a part of our narrative since the early days,” Mr Symonds said.

“Our journey with Waverley Mills led us to a pivotal moment last year when we visited their Tasmanian mill. It was there, amid the archival punch cards used in some of our original designs from the late ‘80s and early ’90s, that we found our ‘wow’ moment.

“These punch cards, a relic from before the wave of technological advancements, sparked an idea that would play a crucial role in our 50th-anniversary celebrations. We realised the potential of reviving a design from the archives, a gesture that would resonate with our longstanding customers and pay homage to our heritage.”

Mr Symonds said the serendipity of the collaboration was further underscored by Waverley Mills celebrating its 150th anniversary.

“This alignment of milestones has only added to the significance of our partnership, reinforcing our commitment to Australian manufacturing and craftsmanship,” he said.

“For us, it represents a rekindling of our relationship and a step toward fostering innovation and sustainability in manufacturing.”

The making of the Reissue Throw at Waverley Mills. Picture: Supplied

Waverley Mills chief executive Dave Giles-Kaye said the collaboration’s goal of being passed from generation to generation echoes how the mill operates; 60-year-old looms stand next to state-of-the-art modern textile equipment.

“One of the great things about working with Country Road is that we share a lot of very similar values, especially around craftsmanship,” Mr Giles-Kaye said.

The Country Road x Waverley Mills 90s Reissue Australian made merino throw. Picture: Supplied

The wool used in the reissue throw is sourced from Beaufront, a sprawling fourth-generation-owned farm at Ross.

Owners Julian and Annabel von Bibra said the reissue throw was an opportunity to embrace local manufacturers and form deeper connections within their industry.

“We’ve visited the mill. It’s got so much history and connection to our industry, and there we see our wool turned into a throw; that’s super exciting,“ Mr von Bibra said.

“That really does focus you on what you’re doing and drives that commitment to quality and being part of something bigger than just the farm.”

Originally published as Waverley Mills joins forces with Country Road to celebrate Tasmanian craftsmanship