Sporrans which form part of the uniforms of the Royal Regiment of Scotland are to be imported from abroad from now on, it emerged yesterday.
The move, believed to be part of cost-cutting by the Ministry of Defence, is seen as a blow to Scottish manufacturers just a week after sporran-making was placed on a list of endangered crafts by the Heritage Crafts Association. It’s believed the new versions will be sourced in Pakistan.
John McLeish, chairman of the Scottish Tartans Authority, said: “This is a bit of a kick in the teeth.”
The decision is understood to have been taken by an MoD procurement company. The owner of the Perth-based firm which held the sub-contract, said the MoD’s buyers “don’t get Scottish regiments”. He added: “The sporran is almost like a cap badge. We have patterns going back hundreds of years. It’s part of an identity. It should be made in Scotland.”
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