ECO-friendly artisan shop owner Kerry Molfesis and her daughter Loula have produced a tartan cloth especially for Wiveliscombe.

Ms Molfesis opened her Secret Island store, in North Street, 14 months ago, but has lived in the area since 1976.

She is a skilled weaver and has an ancient loom she has named ‘Alan’ and a sock machine called ‘Matilda’ on which she produces a variety of items.

Wiveliscombe tartan by Kerry Molfesis.
Wiveliscombe tartan by Kerry Molfesis. (Kirsty Boutflower)

Her tartan project came out of a conversation with Loula about Wiveliscombe and how neighbours helped each other so much that the community felt like ‘a clan’.

The word ‘clan’ set Ms Molfesis thinking of tartan and the possibility that the town could have its own tartan to represent the ‘Clan of Wiveliscombe’. 

A suggestion on social media prompted a huge response and they then ran a poll for residents to choose the colours for a Wiveliscombe tartan, which proved extremely popular with nearly 1,000 people taking part.

The top four colours of sky blue, bottle green, yellow, and dark red were then selected for the tartan cloth.

Ms Molfesis said: “We could not believe the interest.

“What was interesting was that people came up with reasons for their choice.

“Blue to represent the much-loved Wivey Swimming Pool, green - the rolling hills around the town, yellow - the hops used by the two breweries based here, and red, the colour of the soil so characteristic of the area.”

Now, the ‘Wivey Tartan’ has been produced on ‘Alan’ with specially-sourced British Wool and Ms Molfesis will register it with the Tartan Authority to belong to the ‘People of the Clan of Wiveliscombe.

Another example of a 'Wivey tartan' item in Secret Island, Wiveliscombe.
Another example of a 'Wivey tartan' item in Secret Island, Wiveliscombe. (Kirsty Boutflower)

Already, she has had to work hard to keep up with the demand as word of the new tartan has spread.

Ms Molfesis said: “It initially took about two weeks to set up the technical side and it probably takes about a week to make 40 feet of the tartan.

“We have already made key fobs which are incredibly popular, covered diaries, notebooks, scarves, and shawls, with more items planned.

“But we really see this as a long-term project and essentially a tribute to the amazing community of Wiveliscombe.”

She opened Secret Island in the former Nat West Bank building, which had stood empty for a long time in the centre of the town, believing it could work as a shop selling local art and hand-crafted products.

Ms Molfesis said: “We wanted to re-purpose the old building but at the same time do something that would benefit the community and boost the local economy.

“Knowing how many talented artisans there are here, this seemed like it could work.”

Now, she promotes an array of gifts and which she is also careful to recycle, reuse, and repurpose.

She said: “I am so grateful to all our talented contributors and it is very important to support them.”