Join us as we reflect on the highlights of the past year and consider the upcoming commitments of Kinloch Anderson as 2022 moves closer.
Launch of eco-friendly pet range
The launch of our eco-friendly pet range was easily one of the greatest highlights we experienced in 2021. These products had been long sought after by loyal Kinloch Anderson patrons and we were delighted to finally deliver on this request in an environmentally friendly way that utilised new materials and practices we previously had not made use of.
For the inner cushions of our dog beds, we chose a type of dredged ocean plastic called Quallofil Blue – sourced from the social enterprise Plastic Bank.
And for our dog travel beds, we used recycled polyester for a durable luxury material.
We were also featured in The Scotsman for the range’s launch – you can read this here.
Waste reduction
Because of our made-to-measure manufacturing model, we already produce a lot less waste than we might if all of our garments' sizes were standardised. But we wanted to do even better and reduce our waste further where possible.
Therefore, this year we managed to ensure zero waste with our wool tartan and tweed offcuts by donating them to schools for art projects and selling them at minimal cost to local crafters.
We also made a concerted effort to promote our kilt refurbishment and alteration services more to ensure longevity of family heirloom garments bought by previous generations.
Said goodbye to plastic tagging
This year, we were very glad to finally say goodbye to the use of plastic tags on our garments and moved to fabric cord tagging. This change was made in light of our conscious effort to reduce plastic in our manufacturing process wherever possible.
We believe that the same time, care, and attention that goes into making our products should be reflected in the decisions we make regarding our tagging and packaging.
These small details may seem inconsequential, but in many cases they are the key to kick starting more sustainable practices.
We have considerably reduced our plastic usage because of this change and it has inspired us to spend more time analysing the smaller aspects of our business that may present big opportunities for us to make a difference.
What’s next for Kinloch Anderson?
Having been in the kilt manufacturing business for over 150 years, Kinloch Anderson has had the privilege and opportunity to see trends, fads, and fashions come and go. With such a strong presence within the industry, we recognise our duty to lead by example in regards to good practice.
Therefore, we will be entering 2022 and beyond with the same commitment to keep evolving for good – continuing with the traditions and techniques that are unique to our name, but also sourcing new technologies and innovations that will help us keep our core values and sustainability ethos true to the heart of the company.
Practically, this will look like the following:
- We will seek to replace swing tickets with recycled card
- We will aim to stop using all single use plastic, or replace with recycled plastic wherever possible
- We will help our cloth suppliers to develop non-chemical dyes and solely use British wool in their weaving
- We will continue to promote the ideology of buying less but demanding the best
- As a heritage clothing brand who make some of the finest Highland Dress in the world, we are keen to share more of our dedication to British craftsmanship and our championing of Scottish Tartans and Tweeds
Our resolution
The turn of the year is a great time for resolutions, big or small.
For many years now our resolution has remained the same as we know there will always be more ways for us to continually improve our practices in light of new innovations.
So, once again, we resolve to continue operating our brand in such a way that ensures we frequently evaluate our business practises and hold ourselves accountable for the manner in which we craft our products, always with the end consumer (you!) in mind.