Makers of the famous Donegal tweed are calling for specific legal protection for their product.

Weavers in County Donegal say they are increasingly facing cheaper imitations of their material.

Kieran Molloy from Molloy and Sons has said many variations on the market are not made in the county.

“It’s making people think that it’s a craft product, when in fact maybe it’s coming from an enormous mill,” he said.

“People maybe think of Donegal and they’re thinking of the mountains and the sheep and the craft, and a lot of times that’s not what they’re getting.”

The industry is hoping to secure a protected status from the EU for the tweed, known for its distinctive flecks of colour.

Main image: Wooden hand loom in Eddie Doherty's shop in Ardara, Ireland. Carol Di Rienzo Cornwell / Alamy. 13 October 2011