After visiting Johnstons of Elgin I came away fired up with the creativity and skills that go to make British manufacture. We're not good at appreciating the treasures made here in the UK, but if consumers had the opportunity to visit a factory like that in Elgin, they'd be buying British tomorrow.
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| Johnstons of Elgin - the site of their original factory from 1797 - all images Grey Fox |
For over 200 years Johnstons have been weaving wool on the banks of the River Lossie in Elgin, making a variety of products, from cashmere and vicuña scarves to beautiful estate tweeds. Their knitwear is made much further south, in Hawick in the borders.
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| The wool store |
Tucked away about seventy five minutes drive north west of Aberdeen, Elgin is in an area of Scotland that benefits from clean water, flowing rivers and soft lowland scenery. The features that brought mills to the area (water to clean wool and to power looms) also brought the great Speyside whisky distilleries; but unfortunately there wasn't time to visit both.
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| Dying the wool |
The factory is a fascinating mix of tradition and technology as the wool is prepared from raw material to finished cloth. Many of the looms and carding and spinning machines contain parts that would have been recognisable in Victorian times, yet they work away alongside those using laser technology. Teasels are still used in the cashmere-weaving process to achieve a soft finish. Here it's a question of recognising what works and not changing for change's sake.
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| Spinning |
Two parts of the visit stood out for me. Firstly, speaking to the design staff brought it home to me what high esteem Johnstons is held in internationally by the world of high fashion. Household names come to Johnstons to collaborate and to take advantage of their outstanding manufacturing and design skills.
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| Menswear from Johnstons of Elgin |
Johnstons are understandably quiet about their contacts and collaborations, but their recent work with Burberry is a matter of public record and their involvement in developing the monogrammed poncho that rocked the catwalks for AW14 is well-known. To see British design and manufacture having such status on the world stage is gratifying to say the least
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| Weaving tweed |
The second highlight for me was their archive. A room full of beautifully-bound books containing samples of tweeds and woollen fabrics from the nineteenth century. There to provide inspiration to modern designers, the collection is breathtaking in its range. I'd love to get in there and design a range of Grey Fox tweeds.
The factory shop is full of their products, tweeds, knits and home wear, gorgeous rugs and cushions. The tea shop rounds off a fascinating visit and leaves me full not only of cake, but of hope for the future of British manufacturing.
See Johnstons of Elgin for more information or to buy.
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| The people, without whom the looms would be silent |
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| The archive |
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| Nineteenth century tweeds in the archive |
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