Tartan firm looks to smash fundraiser endorsed by Outlander star

A textile firm that designs and manufactures tartan is looking to meet its latest crowdfunding target – endorsed by Outlander star Sam Heughan – to progress the creation of a permanent facility on the Black Isle.

Clare Campbell said the sum will help create a prestigious facility with a global profile. Picture: contributed.

Prickly Thistle was set up in 2015 by former accountant Clare Campbell, and having racked up a prestigious client list it is now looking to put in place the “final element in the story” by raising £120,000 by Sunday 28 July 2019.

Campbell told Scotland on Sunday that the sum will help convert an agricultural steading into a prestigious textile mill, looking for the Black House Mill site to be up and running by the summer of next year – and attracting global recognition.

More than half the total for the #BuildTheMill campaign on Kickstarter has been raised – and it recently gained a boost from actor Heughan encouraging his Twitter followers to support “this wonderful project”.

Since launch, Prickly Thistle has served customers including high-net-worth individuals around the world. It has made bespoke tartans for organisations in Scotland such as Skyscanner, Tomatin Distillery, Belladrum Estate, Investing Women, candle firm Essence of Harris, and gin specialist House of Elrick.

It also created a tartan to coincide with Celtic rockers Runrig’s 45th anniversary and final concert, and another to honour an NYPD detective shot while on duty.