Pony used for sporrans after seal ban

IT WAS hailed as a victory for animal lovers, but the EU ban on the sale of seal skin means pony hide and rabbit skin are now filling a gap created in the sporran market.

• The traditional seal sporrans available at Edinburgh's Bowdens Kilt Hire & Sales, and right, an example of the new vegan sporran. Photograph: Jane Barlow

The majority of the traditional Highland accessories are seal skin but the sale and manufacture of anything made from it has been prohibited since 20 August.

The ban was aimed at ending the cruel slaughter of the mammals and was welcomed by campaigners, but some businesses say it will lead to a part of Scottish culture being consigned to history.

Kiltmakers say pony skin will replace seal skin as a realistic alterative. Thousands of ponies and horses are slaughtered annually at two abattoirs in Britain and their meat sold in France. Many are unwanted children's riding ponies or former racehorses.

Iain Jackson, a partner in the Aberfeldy-based Kilt Sporran Company, said: "Pony skin and cowhide are the closest and will likely replace seal skin, while rabbit offers an alternative, albeit with a different look and feel.

"We have made sporran sales this month but it's been much slower. We do expect an impact on the business with the quality of alternatives falling short of that of the seal skin product."

However, for the committed animal-lover, "vegan" sporrans made from mock leather and faux fur have gone on the market. The manufacturers are attracting orders from around the globe and kilt chain Slanj, which has kitted out Sir Sean Connery and Billy Connolly, plans to stock a selection.

Retailers can continue to sell existing seal skin stock, but many fear that when in runs out in a few weeks seal skin sporrans will start to become a thing of the past.

Duncan Chisholm, an Inverness kiltmaker and chairman of the Kiltmakers Association of Scotland, said: "It has affected sales as a lot of customers like the more traditional sporran. What will be on offer now a lot of the time are synthetic materials. They don't look the part, they are not the same quality. A lot of the traditionalists will perhaps be put off wearing the kilt as they just don't like the synthetic options available.

"The seal skin sporran looks nice, it's good quality, has got good wearing and is an adornment to the kilt outfit."

He added: "Our stock of seal skin sporrans is fairly low now, it will last just a matter of weeks. The makers cut down knowing this ban was coming. However, I haven't heard of any black market yet."

David Hughes, manager of Bowdens of Edinburgh, said: "We are still permitted to sell and use the sporrans we had in stock but once that changes the ban will start to take effect. We have about two to three months in stock and after that it's a different kettle of fish."

Brian Woodward, a Tyneside-based craftsman and shoemaker, recently launched the world's first range of vegan sporrans after the unexpected success of a one-off creation. To meet the strict demands of the Vegan Society the sporrans cannot contain any animal products or by-products.

He said: "We were asked by the then president of the Vegan Society to look at making him a sporran. Someone else saw it and asked for one and it snowballed from there, so we decided to set up a specific vegan sporran website. We assumed someone else had already made them, but were surprised and delighted to find that they hadn't."

Woodward, who admits he has never donned a kilt in his life, added: "Around 70 per cent of our orders are from north of the Border, while the rest come from every corner of the globe. We have had inquiries from New Zealand, Iceland, Finland, the US, Canada and pretty much anywhere where there is a Scottish population. There is significant majority of the Scottish community around the world who want to wear cruelty-free products when they are wearing their national dress."

Moray-based sporran designer Jennifer Cantwell has also launched her own successful vegan range. She said: "I was getting requests from all over the world to make them so I decided to go for it."

High street kilt firm Slanj, which has branches in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, confirmed they would explore stocking vegan sporrans.

Spokesman Ross Lyle said: "The recent ban on seal skin has opened up the debate on whether animal products should be used. There is a place for vegan sporrans in the market and I think we would be inclined to have one or two in stock at all times. Having said that, I believe the vast majority of our customers will prefer to stick with the real thing."

Historically sporrans were made from small animals, including pine martens, otters, wildcats, badgers and skunk.

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