Johnstons of Elgin
Alexander Johnston founded Johnstons of Elgin in 1797 and the business remains family-owned to this day. Their Elgin mill has a history spanning three centuries , deeply rooted in the local community and reliant on the surrounding environment to provide the soft water critical to creating the world's softest cashmere, merino, lambswool and vicuña products. This local river water provides a plentiful supply that enables the raw fibre to be transformed using very few chemicals—and is the same free-flowing, world renowned natural resource used in the Scottish whisky-making process.
There are more than 30 different processes involved in the creation of Johnstons of Elgin luxurious textiles and products, with each step incorporating the work of local artisans based on centuries of innovation. A visit to their Elgin site, shop and cafe offers a chance to tour the mill, where knowledgeable guides walk you through the manufacturing process . As part of their commitment to sustainable production a fabric sale is held here annually and is where many of my end of roll and discontinued fabrics collection are sourced.
