Historic cashmere brand to recommence trading

McGeorge of Scotland knitwear is to be resurrected in a Hawick mill.

The McGeorge of Scotland knitwear brand is to recommence production after almost 30 years at the town’s Langlands Mill.

The brand was one of Scotland’s most famous cashmere specialists after its launch in Dumfries in 1881. It later became part of Dawson International, together with other historical Scottish brands such as Braemar, Pringle of Scotland, Todd & Duncan and Barrie, but closed in 1990.

The relaunch is good news for the beleagured knitwear industry in the Borders, which has witnessed a nunber of closures and multiple job losses in recent years.

A spokesperson for the company behind the relaunch, Langlands Mill, which lists Italian tax consultant Dr Simone Castronovo as its sole director on Companies House, said: “We are delighted to revive this brand in Scotland, where we will make the best quality cashmere for “McGeorge of Scotland”, to be sold to top-end couture houses around the world.”

Paul Lewis, managing director of Scottish Development International, which advised Langlands Mill in the purchase of the mill building, said: “Today’s announcement is good news for Scotland’s textile sector and reinforces our world-wide reputation as a textile producer with a proud heritage and an enduring place on the world’s fashion stage.”

The mill was most recently utilised as a double glazing manufacturing unit.

Earlier this year, more than 120 workers lost their jobs after the collapse of textiles firm Hawick Knitwear.

Hawick Knitwear after the historic firm called in administrators. The Borders company, which traces its roots back to 1874, had suffered “difficult trading conditions” in recent years due to increasing production costs and reducing margins.

Meanwhile, Peter Scott and Co announced a raft of job losses in July.

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