How Johnstons of Elgin Has Woven Cashmere in Scotland Since 1797
Johnstons of Elgin was founded in 1797 by Alexander Johnston in the Scottish Highlands town of Elgin, Morayshire, originally processing locally sourced wool from Cheviot and Shetland sheep. The firm's location in the Scottish Highlands placed it at the heart of a textile tradition stretching back centuries, with access to the soft water of the River Lossie, essential for processing natural fibres.
Johnstons began working with cashmere in the 1851, becoming one of the first European mills to process the fibre. The company imports raw cashmere from Mongolia and China, then dehairing, dyeing, spinning, and weaving it at its own facilities in Elgin and Hawick. This vertical integration, from raw fibre to finished product under one roof, is exceptionally rare in the modern textile industry (https://www.johnstonsofelgin.com).
The firm's most celebrated products are its cashmere scarves and stoles, which are woven on traditional shuttle looms that produce a tighter, more durable fabric than the rapier looms used by most modern manufacturers. The difference is tactile: a Johnstons scarf has a density and drape that lighter-woven alternatives cannot match, and it improves with wear as the fibres bloom and soften.
Johnstons also produces estate tweeds, tartans, and vicuna fabrics for luxury fashion houses. The firm weaves cloth for some of the most prestigious brands in menswear, many of which do not advertise the connection. This behind-the-scenes role means that Johnstons' fabrics appear in garments from London to Milan under labels far more famous than its own.
The Johnstons of Elgin visitor centre in Elgin offers tours of the mill, allowing visitors to see every stage of production from raw fibre to finished fabric. It is one of the few remaining opportunities to witness industrial-scale textile manufacturing conducted with artisanal care in a historic Scottish setting.
For the consumer, Johnstons of Elgin offers a rare combination: mill-direct pricing for products made to the highest standards in an industry where supply chains are typically long and opaque. A Johnstons cashmere scarf purchased directly from the firm represents significantly better value than comparable products sold through intermediary luxury brands.
For the man seeking cashmere of genuine provenance, Johnstons of Elgin is among the most trustworthy sources in the world. Start with a plain cashmere scarf in a neutral colour, wear it through a Scottish winter, and you will understand why this mill has been processing fibre in the same Highland town for over two centuries.
