Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 5 on 4/11/2002.

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The Golden Fleece

GERALDINE COATES ON THE REBIRTH OF QUALITY SCOTTISH KNITWEAR AS A CATWALK HIT

Fine woollens and ‘Made in Scotland’ have long been associated in the mind of the connoisseur consumer as partners in quality. After all, the knitwear industry was invented in the Borders of Scotland when the first specialised techniques for knitting and weaving fine yarns like cashmere were developed over 200 years ago. But up until recently, you could be forgiven for thinking that Scottish knitwear has looked pretty much the same for centuries. The good news for those who want to combine cutting-edge fashion with the cachet of pure Scottish wool is that it’s all changing fast. Today, the products of the Scottish knitwear industry are to be found as often on designer catwalks as they ever were on the golf course or the grouse moor. Part of this is a reaction to economic circumstances. Imported knits made from inferior yarns are everywhere. And no, it doesn’t look as good or last as long as the homegrown version, but, when a cashmere twin set is a third of the price in a high street store that it would be from a leading Scottish label, people tend to vote with their wallets. Potentially this could have spelt doom and
disaster for Scottish knitwear producers and times have been tough: jobs have been lost and companies have gone out of business. But what is astonishing is the way that key players have come out with their tails up, and, realising that they can’t and don’t want to compete with cheap Far Eastern products, have focused on delivering uniquely Scottish quality at .....

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By Geraldine Coates

Section : Scottish Clothing

Page number : 24