Ardara’s Triona Design is targeting a prime Massachusetts market during an upcoming Trade and Investment Mission.
Ardara based Triona Design will be showcasing the very best of Donegal Tweed in the US next week when they join seven other businesses from across the Northwest City region for the high profile trip.
Triona Design has a unique story tell as a fifth-generation tweed clothing brand based in Ardara. Established in 1984, the company is dedicated to maintaining the heritage of Donegal Tweed through modern, contemporary design.
Kieran Mulhern, Marketing Director with Triona Design will be taking part in the trade and investment mission and explains “all Triona products are made from the finest 100% lambswool and our products include coats, capes and jackets.
“We pride ourselves on the fact that from start to finish our garments are made to the highest of standards by our experienced craftspeople to ensure that our products are worthy of their Irish heritage”.
“Triona Design certainly has a compelling story to tell” says Kieran.
Kieran Mulhern, Marketing Director with Triona Design.
He adds: “For over a century, the village of Ardara in south west Donegal was at the forefront of the production of handwoven Donegal Tweeds. However, in the sixties, the arrival of modern machinery decimated the indigenous industry.
“My father Denis Mulhern is a fifth-generation hand weaver and it was his ambition and his desire to ensure that the tradition of handweaving was maintained and preserved and that led to the setting up of what was a small bespoke tweed company called ‘Triona’ from his front room in the family home.
“Today Triona remains a family business and our success is thanks to the determination and hard work of our loyal staff. We are now an international tweed brand with two retail stores and a visitor centre and we believe that the future is bright” says Kieran.
The founder of Triona Design, Denis Mulhern giving a demo on the hand weaving process on a traditional loom
Triona Design has been researching and networking in the US for a number of years now and believe that the East Coast and the New England areas are prime markets that they would like to target.
“We already export to the UK and US and are keen to grow our business in these markets and through our own research we have identified the East Coast and the New England areas as important target markets for us” explains Kieran.
Massachusetts is located in the Northeastern region of the US and is the most economically developed, densely populated and culturally diverse region and the nine states that make up the Northeastern region, including Massachusetts, accounts for approximately 23% of the USA GDP.
Boston which is the state capital and largest city in Massachusetts is placed among the top 30 most economically powerful cities in the world and the Greater Boston metropolitan area has the 12th largest economy in the world.
“We are keen to meet potential customers in this market and being part of this trade and investment programme means that we have the opportunity to avail of a range of supports including the pre-mission assistance programme, one to one business to business appointments and business networking events screened to match our own specific business objectives as well as avail of the support and expertise of the other businesses taking part in the mission” says Kieran Mulhern.
The trade mission is being facilitated by both Donegal County Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council to promote Ireland Northwest’s compelling and attractive investment proposition.
Along with Triona Design, the other companies travelling from Donegal are Fire Cloud 365 and CFish.
Atlantic Hub, Joule Group, Northern Ireland Clinical Research Sciences, Automated Control Systems, Baronscourt Brewing Company and Bridie Mullin Ltd. from the Derry and Strabane area will also be taking part alongside both Councils, third level and further education providers and development organisations from across the North West including Ulster University, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, the North West Regional College and Udaras na Gaeltachta.
The trade and investment mission will run from 12 to 16 November and will build on the strong political, economic and cultural linkages already established in both cities with the North West City region.
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