How you can help save the 'critically endangered' Scottish sporran
Scotland’s sporran-makers need people to recognise the value of their craft
News that the great Scottish sporran is ‘critically endangered’ will spark concern across the land. A cousin of the slightly smaller haggis – it also has legs shorter on one side than the other in order to run around hills, but does so in the opposite direction – the sporran is famously used to make the traditional pouch worn with Highland dress.
Jokes aside, the warning by sporran-maker Malcolm Scott, of Edinburgh firm William E Scott and Son, that cheap imports are threatening this traditional craft must be taken seriously, given there are thought to be fewer than 20 professionals left.
"It's just human nature to want to save on price, but we can't compete, because the prices they charge are a fraction of what it costs me just for raw materials,” he said. "But the sporrans we make will last longer than you will... and it's an important part of Scottish heritage."
So if you want to support a historic industry – and keep on telling corny jokes to tourists – there’s really only one thing to do: buy a Scottish sporran today.
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