Gold Bros in the news again

[OC Richard]

On a not unrelated subject - http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/ne...get.6770276.jp - we can earnestly hope that this might help to restore the Royal Mile to normality from the "tartan bazaar" it has become of late. I somehow doubt it, however, particularly if the chief perpetrators - Gold Bros - actually own their premises.

That's a step in the right direction... difficult as it may be to define just what "tat" is, and so forth.

As I've said before, I think there should be legislation protecting certain items as "Scottish Cultural Items" and banning importation for resale, to protect Scottish sporranmakers, kiltmakers, kilt jacket makers, and pipemakers from the flood of imported junk.

If the lawmakers don't wake up soon there won't be any of these craftspeople left.

(This would not prevent a Scottish piper from buying a set of American-made pipes for his own use, or prevent a Scottish kiltwearer from buying a Canadian-made sporran for his own use.)

Sorry Matt and other non-Scots who are making kilts etc of the highest quality- but I feel that the local Scottish craftspeople MUST be protected before they all disappear.

[Chas]

That's a step in the right direction... difficult as it may be to define just what "tat" is, and so forth.

As I've said before, I think there should be legislation protecting certain items as "Scottish Cultural Items" and banning importation for resale, to protect Scottish sporranmakers, kiltmakers, kilt jacket makers, and pipemakers from the flood of imported junk.

If the lawmakers don't wake up soon there won't be any of these craftspeople left.

(This would not prevent a Scottish piper from buying a set of American-made pipes for his own use, or prevent a Scottish kiltwearer from buying a Canadian-made sporran for his own use.)

Sorry Matt and other non-Scots who are making kilts etc of the highest quality- but I feel that the local Scottish craftspeople MUST be protected before they all disappear.

If A Scottish piper isn't going to buy Scottish pipes and and a Scottish kiltwearer isn't going to buy a Scottish sporran, why oh why should anybody else?

So the Scots can buy from anywhere in the world, but the rest of us have to buy from Scotland only?

Legislation will never happen in that respect. It is restrictive and discriminatory and will cause job losses all over Scotland. It is probably against EU law on restrictive practises.

There is no law protecting the thatchers or the blacksmiths or the harness makers or the pargetters or the candlers or the cobblers and cordwainers or the hosiers or the milliners or the blockers or the lace makers or the button makers or the ribbon makers, so why should sporran makers be given special preference?

Protectionism has never worked for any country. All that would happen is that the sellers would re-locate south of the border and carry on trading.

And while we are at it - where did all the blackwood and ivory come from for these Scottish made pipes - the tropical rain-forests of the highlands? I suppose that is why there are no herds of elephants wandering round the Great Glen - they have all been shot for their ivory tusks. And the wool - where does that come from? And where is it woven into tartan cloth? It's all happening in the highlands is it?

I have no wish to be cruel or rude or brutal, but I don't think it does us any good not to live in the real world.

Regards

Chas

[McClef]

It is not protectionism to demand clear labeling so that nobody is misled.

This already happens with a variety of products so why not with kilts and kilt related products?

That way country of manufacture would be clearly stated, no more "designed in Scotland" nonsense.

[Chas]

It is not protectionism to demand clear labeling so that nobody is misled.

This already happens with a variety of products so why not with kilts and kilt related products?

That way country of manufacture would be clearly stated, no more "designed in Scotland" nonsense.

Unless we have "Parma Ham" or "Arbroth Smokies" or the like, the most we get is "Made in the EU " or "Produce of more than one country". And that is a catch all for when parts are sourced out side of the EU and assembled in one of the EU States. We don't yet get clear labelling on all our foodstuffs. It will be quite a few years down the road, if at all, that we get clear labelling on all manufactured goods. I am not saying that it is a bad thing, just that I doubt that I will see it in my lifetime.

Regards

Chas

[McClef]

Yes there are one or two "totally" protected labels but there are more labels that provide far more than the basic information you mention Chas.

Much of it is probably voluntary admittedly. In the realm of clothing there is no doubt that kilts and kilt related products that are actually made in Scotland (however the materials are sourced) proudly proclaim that fact even though they may not be required to do so. Indeed those products produced by Gold Bros owned companies like Morrison Kilts are proud to do so then.

It is where the waters get considerably "muddied" that require the legislation. If a kilt or sporran is made in Pakistan it should say so on the label at the point of sale. If someone is still then attracted by the price or the quality they will then be making an informed decision.

Despite challenges made via Heather, it is clear that these changes will not be made voluntarily by GB.

[muirkirkca]

McClef has a good point. When I buy apparel in Canada it is clearly marked on a label as to what country where it was made - the place of final assembly. This also applies to automobiles and a wide range of manufactured goods even though the parts may come from different country sources. None of this nonsense about where it was designed. Maybe there should be emphasis along this line.

[Chas]

McClef has a good point. When I buy apparel in Canada it is clearly marked on a label as to what country where it was made - the place of final assembly. This also applies to automobiles and a wide range of manufactured goods even though the parts may come from different country sources. None of this nonsense about where it was designed. Maybe there should be emphasis along this line.

muirkirkca, it would be ideal if knew where everything came from. The unfortunate truth is that here in the UK, we are locked into EU rules and regulations. The question I ask is why don't the 'quality' manufacturers put 'Made in Scotland' on all their wares? Surely that would be the way to differentiate between goods - those that are made in Scotland and those that are not. If it didn't say Made in Scotland, everybody would know.

Regards

Chas

[Tobus]

McClef has a good point. When I buy apparel in Canada it is clearly marked on a label as to what country where it was made - the place of final assembly. This also applies to automobiles and a wide range of manufactured goods even though the parts may come from different country sources. None of this nonsense about where it was designed. Maybe there should be emphasis along this line.

The part in bold above is the kicker! Final assembly can mean anything. As someone mentioned earlier, a sporran can be made in Pakistan, and all they do in Scotland is attach the belt. So the "final assembly" is in Scotland and they can call it "made in Scotland".

I think no matter how people try to legislate the issue, dishonest people are going to find a loophole to exploit.