Four Inspiring Brands from the Scottish Borders
What comes to mind if I asked what you know about the Scottish Borders? How many well known or famous brands can you name from the region? Answers to those are probably very little and none. Or possibly, you might have some notion to do with old mill towns from a bygone era. Or even something to do with rugby. Perhaps, if you’re familiar with the area you might still only be able to name a couple of notable companies.
The Scottish Borders is a region of Scotland and producer of premium, artisanal goods that sneaks under the radar. Creativity and craft are finely woven into the Borders fabric. The glory days of the textile industry may well be consigned to the industrial era. But that does not mean the industry isn’t alive, well, and even thriving in places. The continuing renaissance of consumer demand for authentic products of provenance is providing a welcome and sustained boost. I decided to take a look at some current inspiring brands from the Scottish Borders.
Home of the textile industry
It may come as a surprise to some that world-renowned brands such as Pringle of Scotland is from the area – headquartered in Hawick. Everyone is no doubt familiar with their argyle, diamond patterned knitwear designs. Another global Hawick-based company is Barrie Knitwear – a historic manufacturer of premium cashmere. A lesser known name to consumers but not the world of fashion. The brand, renowned for its outstanding traditional expertise, was acquired in 2012 by Chanel. It manufactures for some of the world’s most prestigious couture houses, department stores and private label outlets. But 18 miles north of Hawick lies Galashiels, the heart of the Scottish Borders. It’s here I’ve taken a look at four of the most interesting brands and institutions to put on your radar. Two from within the textile industry and two from out-with. What connects them all is that they are brands where craft, culture, and expertise are paramount.
1. Aero Leather Clothing
Aero produces traditional handcrafted vintage and performance leather clothing. The BBC reported Hollywood actor George Clooney as using Aero Jackets in his film ‘The Monuments Men’. The company themselves also state that their jackets have featured in many top blockbusters and are worn by many top Hollywood stars and celebrities. The roots of Aero date back to 1975, when it was founded as a trading company specialising in original WWII flying jackets and vintage US work wear leather jackets. Every Aero garment is individual. Each is made by one highly skilled leather craftsman taking pride in his or her finished garment, not made on a time-and-cost saving production line. Extensive research and many years of manufacturing experience have gone into every aspect of the design and quality control of their jackets.
2. Tempest Brewing Co
Tempest Brewing Co. was established in April 2010 in a disused dairy. The highest craft and creativity was central to their brewing philosophy and soon a strong customer following began to emerge. Not just locally but globally. The importance of constantly innovating became a pillar of their approach. Tempest’s respect for ingredients and knowledge of flavour combinations would begin to influence their product range. In 2016, industry recognition came thick and fast with award after award. Tempest was also named in RateBeer’s 100 best breweries in the world. Then in 2017 they threw open the brewery doors, put a marquee up in the grounds and hosted the inaugural Springfest and Oktoberfest festivals. These festivals have grown every year since. Now both Springfest and Oktoberfest have become mainstays in the craft beer calendar as well as ingrained in the local one. Tempest is much more than a brewing company. It’s a new brand that is now very much part of the regional fabric and culture. If it isn’t already, Tempest, just like it’s beers, should be a name firmly on the tip of your tongue.
3. MacArts
MacArts is a theatre, music and arts venue in the heart of Galashiels. But it’s much more than that to the Borders locals. It’s an iconic institution which is central to the cultural revival taking place. It’s adored both by the public and performers alike that play there. It brings a steady stream of well-known, as well as cutting edge acts, to a relatively sparsely populated part of Scotland. As a result, the town often punches well above its weight in the culture stakes. MacArts is run by the Duncan MacKinnon Music and Arts Trust. Their original aim was to convert a disused listed church building of historic and architectural significance into a state-of the-art venue. The combination of this extraordinary, intimate building with incredible sound system, alongside the terrific acts that play there, is what continues to bring rave reviews.
4. Studio ROAM
Studio ROAM is a textile and knitwear design company working with clients throughout Europe and beyond. In their Galashiels studio they create fashion baby blankets crafted with the softest most luxurious knitted products, using only the finest natural and sustainable materials. Each blanket is a unique decorative knitted product of “sumptuous touch and drape”. Studio ROAM only use the finest qualities of cashmere and wool in their production. Their vision is simple: create warm, soulful products that express their collective imagination of travel and distant places. Each and every design has a strong identity and character and as such is treated as an individual. Each and every blanket is crafted with care and attention to create a product of outstanding quality.
The Craft Works
Aiming to following in this vein is The Craft Works: a networked collective of the finest UK creative marketing talent. Headquartered in the Borders, we help UK businesses generate leads, increase sales, and boost revenue. In another world (or if this was a TV segment from the cheesy BBC One Show) I’d now be slipping on my Aero leather jacket, going down to MacArts for the gig, sipping on some craft Tempest IPA, while the baby soundly slept under the blanket.
[end]
See our next blog post ‘The guiding force of Frankie Knuckles in creative culture.’
