At last Thursday’s meeting Past President Iain Smith introduced Russell Fair, Commercial Director of Johnstons of Elgin, who gave a comprehensive and informative talk, including the vast history of the company.
A British family-owned luxury fashion and manufacturer, Johnstons was founded in 1797 based in Elgin and today its process is split between two sites, a “vertically integrated “ weaving mill in Elgin with carding, dying, spinning, weaving and finishing all done on one site and where it has been headquartered since 1800, and a knitting mill here in Hawick having purchased the former Blenkhorn Richardson site at Eastfield Mill in 1980.
Russell explained in detail how the company had developed over the years until the present day when it holds royal warrants for the manufacture of tweed, knitwear and woven accessories and has been awarded numerous industry awards, including the Borders Business Excellence Award for Manufacturer and Exporter of the Year in 2017.
The business continues to develop and expand with recent investment in a state-of-the-art design department, yarn store and Shima knitting machines, leading to the creation of around 40 new jobs increasing the number employed in Hawick to around 320.
In order to attract young people to the industry and develop the expertise required for these jobs a Schools’ Interaction Programme has been developed, working with Primary and Secondary school to introduce pupils to the variety of career opportunities available within the company. In 2012 Johnstons joined the Modern Apprenticeship programme, and in 2015 it became a Scottish Qualifications Agency accreditation centre. In 2022 the company won the Investors in Young People Gold accreditation for the recruitment, development and retention of Scotland’s young people.
In 2015 Johnstons of Elgin were one of three founding members of the non-profit, international organisation, the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA) working alongside Mongolian cashmere goat-herders to promote sustainable grassland management. The company now purchases 100% of its cashmere fibre from SFA-certified sources as well as only purchasing Merino wool from Australian suppliers which are Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified.
These initiatives contributed to the company being awarded the Queen’s Award for Industry in the Sustainability category in 2021.
The group’s interest in Russell’s talk was reflected in the number of questions asked at the conclusion. A hearty vote of thanks was given by Past President Ron Smith.