The Harris tweed jacket worn by Matt Smith as the current Doctor Who has caused a local storm in the Hebrides – the original tweed design was ‘swapped’ for a similar jacket that is made partly from an acrylic fibre.

The handwoven tweed was apparently not ‘warm enough’ for outdoor filming and the new jacket, which is an exact copy of the 1960s original, is both warmer and lighter.  But the weavers who make Harris tweed are deeply unhappy about this slur to their product and also somewhat confused that the copy is more expensive than the hand-made original! A replica of the replica will be available for fans to buy from October 2011, and to the complete confusion of the Harris tweed industry, it will cost £360. A genuine Harris tweed will cost … £250.

But there’s a wider question about what can be worn in the workplace. Inappropriate clothing causes accidents, which can sometimes be serious, and suitably designed and made clothing doesn’t just prevent problems, it can make the working day easier and more enjoyable.

Acrylic mixes may not be popular with the tweed industry but in school uniforms, for example, they provide a crease-resistant, stain-rejecting fabric that allows parents to spend less time washing and ironing and more time supervising homework and having fun with the kids!

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