Today marks the release of our brand new improved Gold Brocade material used exclusively on the MKI Mini Cooper S and Super Deluxe models. Over the years Newton Commercial has worked to improve the Gold Brocade material but recent investment has allowed us to create a material that is now virtually as the original used. 

Improving on a classic

Newton Commercial have been producing the Gold Brocade material used on the MKI Mini Cooper S and Mini Super Deluxe for a number of years now and have made extensive improvements during this time to make as close as possible to original production material. Using a piece of original Gold Brocade material, we have been able to recreate the original backing colour and have also improved the difficult task of lining up the Gold print and the material emboss that has proven so difficult up to now. Extensive research and investment has allowed us to continue our investment and commitment to the Mini scene, developing new products and striving to achieve original material and processes such as the release of improved Fleck material used on the early Austin Seven and Minor Minis in 2018. 

Robert Young Chairman of the Mini Cooper Register said ‘“This revised grey and gold brocade trim, now available from Newton Commercial, is truly superb with improved grey colour match and the gold embossing perfectly set, this will make a great addition to any Mini Cooper”. Jonny and the sales team will be rolling the new Gold Brocade material out over the next few months, taking it on the road to the Mini Cooper Register show at Beaulieu and the IMM show at Bristol. Free of charge samples of the material are available by request so please get in touch with our sales team who will be happy to help. 

The best in the business...

Formed in 1979 by husband and wife team Vera and Richard Newton, Newton Commercial is now the industry leader in the manufacture of interior trim and upholstery for classic cars and are celebrating 40 years of experience in the classic car and commercial industry in 2019. A number of our team have been with us for over 25 years and have continued to share their knowledge of manufacturing classic car interior throughout our nearly 60 strong workforce in our Suffolk factory.  We are proud to be the only British Motor Heritage approved trimmer in the world, celebrating quality and an attempt to supply genuine components for classic British cars. 

History of Gold Brocade 

Gold Brocade was used in the MKI Coopers and Mini Super Deluxe cars in the 1960's. The Coopers in this era were not only mechanically different to the standard Minis, they had different style interiors too. The seat frames were the same but the design of the seat covers were different, and the Coopers also offered the reclining seats which Newton Commercial are able to replicate as a complete seat. The four main base colours used in the Mini Cooper were Tartan Red, Porcelain Green, Powder Blue, Cumulus Grey and Dark Grey and the seat centres and panels had either Gold Brocade, Silver Brocade or Dove Grey which we have had recreated to original grains and colours. 

The Brocade material was made specifically by ICI for the classic Mini and trimmed on site in the trim shops at Longbridge and Cowley. The original tooling, however, was scrapped in the early 1970's and although was still some stock of the Brocade seat covers and panels these were soon used up. When the MKII Cooper was designed with a predominantly black interior, people would paint their gold and silver Brocade seats black to keep up with the design of the times. If only they knew what the original brocade would have been worth now. In 2018, a 2.5m x 1.4m sheet of original Gold Brocade sold for £1.3k on eBay!!

Newton Commercial on the case...

It was only in the 1990’s when a surge of Mini enthusiasts looked to refurbish Minis and go for the original look of the 1960 Mini Coopers. John Lafferty was producing a version of gold brocade on a small scale for local enthusiasts and here Richard Newton saw an opportunity and bought the rights and tooling from him in the early 90’s. We continued to produce this material on an old fashioned printing tool in a sheet format.

The clamour from Cooper enthusiasts for better original material was evident when Richard’s son Jonny, took over running the business and it became a pet project of his to find tooling to make the best possible brocade. He received the help of legends in the scene, like Scott Turner, Fred at Nippy cars, Mark Roles and Robert Young from the Cooper Register, Jonny managed to find the right supplier who could manufacture the brocade. The issue of the gold leaf not being the in grooves was overcome and the original colours were identified from using numerous old samples and original pieces still on the roll.