About Us.

Crawford & Irwin is an independent, luxury, modern accessories brand based in Kilrea in the heart of Ulster. As a brand we offer quality, limited-edition bow tie sets made from traditional fabrics sourced across the British Isles. To date we have worked with suppliers in Ireland, Scotland and England to acquire a beautifully curated selection of fabrics. These fabrics include, amongst others, Irish, Scottish and English wool, Irish Linen and English velvet from one of the only velvet producers remaining in the UK. We are also able, from time-to-time, to procure both natural and synthetic vintage fabrics that are fashioned into unusual and highly desirable pieces.

Britain and Ireland are renowned across the world for their beautifully manufactured sustainable fabrics.  We are a modern brand that is committed to the sustainability cause and that, in practice, cements the concept that sustainability is fashionable. To find out more about our sustainability pledge please visit our sustainability page.

Biography.

I am Thomas Irwin, the creator of the Crawford & Irwin brand.  Born and raised in rural Northern Ireland I have a deep connection to family and small town community ethos. I have a unique taste in clothing that endeavours to balance quality and style manifesting itself as a 1970s aesthetic.

The brand name, Crawford & Irwin, together with its logo reflect the merging of the two family trees. The roots of Crawford in Scotland and the Irwin in Ireland. The branding is a reminder to look to the past to find the stories woven into the fabric of our own lives.

I graduated in 2020 with a First Class Honours degree in Textile Art, Design & Fashion from Belfast Art College - University of Ulster Belfast.  My graduate collection won the Provost’s Award for most sustainable graduate collection 2020. Sustainability continues to play a major role in my work. In 2021, during my time as a Graduate in Residence in UUB I was honoured to receive the inaugural crown of BBC1’s ‘A Stitch Through Time’, a design competition centred around Ulster’s textile and fashion history.