Kiltmaker Slanj cheers new outlet in Glasgow

Kiltmaker Slanj has celebrated the opening of its new headquarters in Glasgow’s east end, thanks to six-figure funding from Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

From left: Brian and Craig Halley of Slanj outside their new store in Glasgow's east end. Picture: contributed.

The family firm, run by brothers Brian and Craig Halley, has been providing tartan to everyone from Nicola Sturgeon, who has been sporting its face masks, to Biffy Clyro and Barack Obama for 25 years. The new Duke Street site creates four job and joins Slanj’s smaller unit on Glasgow’s Bath Street and a store in Edinburgh.

Slanj made headlines after its charity tartan face mask, developed to support Shelter Scotland, was endorsed by the First Minister, who wore one of the firm’s masks as she visited a branch of New Look in Edinburgh, and later tweeted details of the product. Extra team members were roped in to meet an “unprecedented” demand and the business experienced a 16-fold increase in annual online order figures, raising over £40,000 for the homeless charity.

The firm has worked with a number of charities and organisations throughout the years, creating bespoke tartans for Beatson Cancer Charity and more. It also support the Kiltwalk – where they offer free kilt hire for Glasgow and Edinburgh participants. Slanj even developed and gifted a kilt and tartan trews to Barack Obama during his 2017 Scottish visit, and for Eric Cantona who visited Glasgow to speak at a gala dinner for Street Soccer Scotland.

The firm in 2004 kitted out the Tartan Army, with custom home and away tartans created for the Scottish Football Association.

Founder Brian Halley welcomed the £243,000 boost, saying: “As a business, we’ve always rented our premises, but our goal has been to own our own space for a while now. The east end of Glasgow is perfect in so many ways, and we’re proud to have been welcomed into the community.

“It’s been an uncertain but exciting time for the business. We’re looking ahead to the future with our new store, and have been looking forward to opening the doors.”

Gary McCabe, relationship manager at RBS, commented: “Slanj have been with us since the beginning, and it’s been a real pleasure to play a small part in its journey. Brian is a marketing mastermind, and the new headquarters are just the next chapter in their exciting story.”

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