Tootal

Tootal Scarves: Two Centuries of Style and Substance

While today the name “Tootal” has become almost synonymous with the silk scarf—particularly the classic Paisley design—not all scarves carry the same legacy. Few can claim over 200 years of British textile history. We can. And we wear that heritage with pride.

Our story begins in 1799 with Robert Gardner, a textile merchant and, by all accounts, one of the most stylish men in Manchester. As steam power and canals transformed the city into the beating heart of Britain’s textile industry—nicknamed “Cottonopolis”—our roots took hold.

In 1842, Edward Tootal joined the business as a merchant in silks and “fancy dress materials.” His success was such that by 1847, the company took his name: Edward Tootal & Co. So esteemed was Edward that even the London & North Western Railway named a steam locomotive in his honour. Upon his retirement in 1856, the business passed to his nephew Henry Tootal Broadhurst and Henry Lee, once an apprentice to Robert Gardner himself.

Tootal’s history is inextricably linked to Britain’s social conscience. In 1862, during the American Civil War, Lancashire mill workers famously refused to process raw cotton harvested by enslaved people—despite the hardship it caused them. Their stand was so powerful that President Abraham Lincoln personally wrote to the “working men of Manchester” to thank them for their extraordinary moral courage.

By the turn of the 20th century, Tootal was flourishing, with major textile mills in Manchester, Radcliffe, and Bolton. In 1892, we added architectural beauty to our legacy with the opening of our impressive Oxford Street warehouse and offices in Manchester—now the Grade II* listed Churchgate House and home to the Mayor of Greater Manchester.

During World War I, company chairman Edward Tootal Broadhurst joined the Manchester Pals recruitment committee, offering job security to every Tootal employee who enlisted. For his contributions, Sir Edward was knighted in 1918—adding yet another namesake locomotive to our growing legacy. As a gesture of gratitude to the people of Manchester, he donated 80 acres of land that would become Broadhurst Park, now home to FC United of Manchester.

By 1939, Tootal had become a truly global brand, with offices across the UK and in Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, and New Zealand. Our international presence expanded further in 1952 with a factory in Devonport, Tasmania. By 1973, we were the ninth-largest cotton firm in the world and fifth in the UK, employing 25,000 people globally.

Today, Tootal continues its journey from a charming base in Derbyshire. We still produce our iconic silk scarves and accessories, crafted to the same impeccable standards honed over two centuries. Because style may evolve—but heritage, quality, and craftsmanship never go out of fashion.