17 Jan 2001
The Scottish cashmere industry received a further boost today as Scotland Office Minister Brian Wilson today attended the overseas launch of the Cashmere Made in Scotland label in Tokyo. The label promotes the Scottish cashmere knitwear industry as a whole rather than leaving marketing efforts entirely to individual companies.
The international launch of the new label took place at the Third International Fashion Fair at Tokyo Big Sight, regarded as Asia’s foremost international fashion event. UK Fashion Exports sponsored the group of 43 British companies attending the Fair, which included 6 Scottish Cashmere Club members and a number of other leading Scottish manufacturers.
Speaking today at the launch of the new label at the International Fashion Fair in Tokyo today, Mr Wilson said:
"The cashmere industry represents the best of Scottish quality and design. Ninety-eight per cent of British cashmere knitwear is produced in the Scottish borders and the industry is crucial to the well-being of many communities.
"It is essential that the industry works together in order to maximise its impact in the highly competitive fashion world. This is recognised in the Cashmere Made in Scotland initiaitive which will lead to all garments carrying identification labels which guarantee the best cashmere in the world.
"There is no doubt that Scottish cashmere knitwear, and other high quality British products, are held in very high regard by the Japanese market. I have found the companies exhibiting in Tokyo this week very upbeat about the prospcts for the year ahead."
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. Mr Wilson was speaking at the Third International Fashion Fair (IFF) in Tokyo. The Fair is organised by Japan’s leading fashion specialist weekly newspaper, Senken Shimbun, with the objective of making it a showcase primarily for Asian designers, but also to provide a platform for European designers wishing to sell to Japan and other Asian markets. Senken Shimbun has been very supportive of British fashion and produced 4 special supplements on British fashion during 1997 and 1998.
2. Scottish Cashmere Club members attending the IFF in their own right were as follows:
The Hawick Cashmere Company
Barrie Knitwear (part of Ballantyne Cashmere)
Johnstons Cashmere
John Laing of Hawick
Lochcarron
Peter Scott & Co