Foreign sporrans put traditional makers under threat
A traditional sporran maker says the ''critically endangered" craft is under threat from cheap foreign imports.
Malcolm Scott said his family business, which opened in Edinburgh in 1937, was struggling to compete with mass-produced Highland wear products from overseas.
The trade, which has existed since the 12th century, is in danger of dying out, with fewer than 20 professionals estimated to be left in the business.
Mr Scott said it takes several hours to craft a sporran using traditional methods and he cannot match the prices of mass-produced versions being brought in from the sub-Continent.
He said mass imports were also hitting traditional craftsmen making other elements of Highland dress, including kiltmakers, and warned that the art was "more endangered than ever before".
A sporran is the leather pouch that hangs on the front of a kilt and is held in place by a belt and chain. In previous centuries, it was used to hold precious personal items such as coins and nowadays provides storage for wallets and mobile phones.
They are crafted using a range of materials, including leather, fur, metal and horsehair, and can take several hours to make one.
Mr Scott said his business, William E. Scott and Son, was started by his grandfather and father and it still uses traditional methods that take a "good few hours" to manufacture just one.
Mr Scott said: "The whole trade has changed completely in the last few years. We're not the only traditional Scottish trade that's in this position – the numbers of kiltmakers, jacket makers and more have declined.
"It's an important part of Scottish heritage, but now there's probably more stuff made overseas now than there are in Scotland.
"Pakistan makes a lot of sporrans, and a lot of people in Scotland bring them in in container loads, at prices we can't even consider. That's probably why we're more endangered than ever before, because of the volume of stuff that comes into the country.
He added: "It's just human nature to want to save on price – but we can't compete, because the prices they charge are a fraction of what it costs me just for raw materials.
"But the sporrans we make will last longer than you will. It's important to support Scottish industry and it's an important part of Scottish heritage."
