more doom and gloom...

[Mickey]

Mickey, that's just gorgeous! I don't spend a lot of time fishing, but a rod like that must be a joy to use.

I think it's the problem Scottish sporran makers are having right now. They're making the same thing as they have been for decades. Now Pakistan is doing it for less. Instead of changing their business model, they're being driven out of the game. <snip>

ith:

Thank you good sir High compliment indeed from someone like you! I certainly hope that it is being happily and proudly used by the recipient. It kind of annoys me a little when I hear that people hung one of mine on the wall rather be out enjoying the benefits of a fine rod. And you are so correct in all else, IMO.

In my opinion, the fact that not all Scottish craftspeople are perfect in their business relations does not argue for the mass importation of cheap third-world-made merchandise which undermines native Scottish crafts. <snip>

The cheap imported stuff isn't flooding the markets because of poor service, but because that's what the majority of people want. It's the "Disposable Era". Most people today just don't enjoy good stuff anymore. A nice watch used to be an heirloom. Now, nobody wants that "old thing". They want shiny and new, and 12 of them, so they want cheap. What I've found out though, is that the people who want something original and well crafted will avoid the garbage and seek out what they want, and happily pay what it costs, provided that someone is willing to offer what they are looking for. The people who buy $30 rods, will never come to me, at least seriously. The El Cheapos are good enough for them so that is where their limit is. But someone who comes to me, dictates what they want. If I only offered one thing, why would someone pay a premium if they can get a look alike for less?

I agree with you about the labeling. I think it is that places think that people expect to see the word Scotland on certain things, and will try and work it into the description where they can.

[Mickey]

William Scott and Son may be the largest manufacturer of sporrans in Scotland, but the article in the OP is the first time I've ever heard of them.

Same here. I don't know how the other crafts work, but in lines of what Artificer put it, in mine, for quite some time now, we have banded together to share ideas, push boundaries, experiment, and use each other as friendly competition to continue to evolve and polish techniques. We will also pass possible customers off to other guys/gals who might be better in a certain specific than we are. Reason being, it was getting, and continues to get harder, to find ways to do what the commercial end can't. To do what machines and untrained hands cannot. As far as thread art, they try and do things like take photos or computerized thread work and glue it on. It reached a point where I actually started incorporating "flaws" into my threadwork just so folks could see it was actually individual threads, and not a decal, as many believed it was. We know that if we as a group, do not continually help and push each other to learn new techniques to reduce costs and new ideas to increase interest, and bring the craft to the highest possible level, we as a group will someday cease to exist, and when that happens, we as individuals will be doing stuff just for ourselves.

Perhaps the Scottish sporran crafters could consider this, and instead of competing as individuals and turning a blind eye to what is happening across all crafts, try working together to compete with the rest of the cheap competition and attemp to bring the words "custom" and "handcrafted" back to something meaningful? That will help get the word out as to who makes the good stuff. And advertise! Just a little! I wish I'd known who to go to for good stuff, as I've bought my share of junk.

You should get that combo of yours into a high-end market of guys who do the same.

Many thanks for the info and offer, but I'm not nearly big enough to do something like that. I work with individuals. If I tried doing production or quota type work, it would take the enjoyment out of it for me, plus I simply don't have the time Feel free though, to take it and run with it if you want... Just give me a taste of the action

[RockyR]

Perhaps the Scottish sporran crafters could consider this, and instead of competing as individuals and turning a blind eye to what is happening across all crafts, try working together to compete with the rest of the cheap competition and attemp to bring the words "custom" and "handcrafted" back to something meaningful? That will help get the word out as to who makes the good stuff. And advertise! Just a little! I wish I'd known who to go to for good stuff, as I've bought my share of junk.

Speaking as someone who purchases from several different Scottish (and American and Canadian) sporran suppliers, I will say this... WEScott and Sons doesn't supply sporrans to the masses and therefore have little reason to advertise to the end users. They are a manufacturer and wholesaler who supply to stores, who in turn, supply people. That's the way their business is run and has been run. They have stock designs and mass produce them (and I'm sure would be happy to do a 'one off' custom sporran on rare occasion for a good customer). That's how they make money as most businesses do... make things as quickly as they can and keep as many costs down as they can (I won't say how). In fairness, that is how a few of the major sporran makers (at different price points) make their sporrans and how most of the manufacturing world operates. Cut wasted materials, cut wasted time, produce as much as possible in your working day.

There IS a slightly 'revolutionary' mindset at other companies I deal with in the UK. They are starting to make sporrans to custom specs. MANY of the sporrans we carry (from 2 different manufacturers) are done to my exact specs. Many times that means a variation on a stock design, but it's something that only I do and they supply that 'style' to only me. There are also a few VERY small sporran manufacturers who ONLY do bespoke (custom) work. Their prices are a bit higher, but their work (and fur selection) is of equally high quality. In the short time (8 years) that we've been in business, I've seen 2 larger sporran companies go bust and several small 'custom' ones pop up.

The old business model of "mass production to the wholesale market" may be dying, but the desire for quality Scottish (and Canadian and US) made sporrans has not gone away. Will there always be someone willing to do it cheaper? Yes. VALUE is the key... provide value for the price you offer and people will appreciate it.

That being said... to address your first point of the companies coming together and working together... I don't ever see that happening (though you know what they say... never say never). Many of the competing firms do not like each other and have 'gripes' (justified or not) going back decades. Who has ever known a Scot to hold a grudge?

[Tobus]

The old business model of "mass production to the wholesale market" may be dying, but the desire for quality Scottish (and Canadian and US) made sporrans has not gone away. Will there always be someone willing to do it cheaper? Yes. VALUE is the key... provide value for the price you offer and people will appreciate it.

And this is where I think we come in. This forum has been incredibly helpful to me and many others on recognizing what is quality and what is not. Value in and of itself is worthless if nobody knows how to recognize it. I'm glad to see that this forum has a strong cadre of individuals who appreciate quality, and are willing to educate others on it.

[Ryan Ross]

It's too bad that products like sporrans don't usually have an "ingredient list" on them, like foods do. That could strike a chord with even the average consumer.

Picture it:

-vegitable tanned cow hide
-chrome tanned Virginia whitetail hide
-English bridal leather
-elk suede splits

Vs.

-vinyl
-urine tanned camel hide

I think something like that would make folks think.

[artificer]

It's too bad that products like sporrans don't usually have an "ingredient list" on them, like foods do. That could strike a chord with even the average consumer.

Picture it:

-vegitable tanned cow hide
-chrome tanned Virginia whitetail hide
-English bridal leather
-elk suede splits

Vs.

-vinyl
-urine tanned camel hide

I think something like that would make folks think.

It's funny, but every piece I send out has a list just like that, with the care for each bit included

ith:

[RockyR]

It's funny, but every piece I send out has a list just like that, with the care for each bit included

ith:

I didn't know you used Urine tanned camel hide in your sporrans! I was looking for one to match my urine tanned camel hide shoes!

[artificer]

I didn't know you used Urine tanned camel hide in your sporrans! I was looking for one to match my urine tanned camel hide shoes!

Oh, I can get it, but like any specialty material, urine tanned camel comes at a premium (I need to drink a lot of tea first- which isn't free, you know).

I'd much rather use urine tanned camel than vinyl...

ith:

[Ryan Ross]

It's funny, but every piece I send out has a list just like that, with the care for each bit included

ith:

You're on the lamentably short list of makers who are proud enough of their leather choices to do that, my friend. If such things were the standard, this thread may not have needed to be started.

Personally, I like knowing what's in my food and I like knowing what's in my sporrans. ith:

I'd much rather use urine tanned camel than vinyl...

I didn't think a man like you would choose the lesser of two evils.

...speaking of which, it's too bad the Old Ones are hard to get a hide from.

[Santa Wally]

I didn't know you used Urine tanned camel hide in your sporrans! I was looking for one to match my urine tanned camel hide shoes!