Bradford has reached another textiles milestone as worsted weaving finally ended after more than a century at an historic mill.

But rather than being a grim statistic in the decimation of the city's wool trade, it's good news for weavers Wallass & Co, which is moving on to bigger and better things in Baildon.

Fabric production has taken place at Drummond Mill, in Lumb Lane, since Victorian times.

In the six years since managing director John Wall made the bold move to set up his own weaving company, Bradford has shed around 7,000 textiles jobs. Yet Mr Wall's venture has gone from strength to strength by concentrating on specialist markets.

Over the past week the 17-strong company has moved out its 13 looms and other equipment to new premises at Briar Rhydding House, in Otley Road, formerly occupied by engineers and a stage set production company.

Wallass has ensured its survival by focusing on clothes as well as school and corporate wear. This year the company expects sales to be up 20 per cent in value.

And now the firm, which produces around 400,000 metres of fabric a year, is moving up-market. It is midway through a project with top British designer Katherine Hamnett to produce an eco-friendly, pesticide-free range of worsted garments.

"Our new venture is into very high value luxury export fabrics for the Far East market, especially China and Japan," said Mr Wall. "We're looking to sell in small quantities at high prices with lots of design.

"Now we're selling at £6 a metre but for Far East products we'll be looking at around £15 per metre. The market has changed from having a top end, a middle market and a lower end. Now it has a huge lower market and a small but worthwhile high quality luxury market. The luxury end will be buoyant for the foreseeable future for men's suitings."

The new premises will enable Wallass to carry out all its manufacturing on one floor. The aim is also to open a mill shop to sell its own products along with other crafts and textiles, some imported from India.

Plans for the redundant Drummond Mill are still under discussion with developers.

Mr Wall said that the firm's success during the continuing contraction of the textiles industry had come from attention to flexibility and customer service as well as ensuring the high quality of low quantity orders.