About the Paisley Design

The distinctive teardrop or tadpole shape was represented in Celtic Art up to the time of the Roman Empire, but the actual motif can be traced back to the Indo-European cultures of more than 2,000 years.

The design flourished in Kasmir, India, and during the time of the East India Company in the mid 18th century, beautiful samples of patterned shawls, often made in silk, were brought back to Britain where they became a great success.

However, supply was very limited, a silk shawl extremely expensive and demand very high, the result being that British textile manufacturers developed their own version of the teardrop pattern to suit the European market.

One of the largest weaving centres was in the town of Paisley in Scotland and such was their success in manufacturing these wonderful shawls in cotton and silk, that the name “Paisley” became synonymous with the pattern.