About Lochcarron
From Kilt to Catwalk, Lochcarron of Scotland is the worlds leading manufacturer of tartan. With a heritage dating back to 1892, our cloth and products are proudly made in Scotland by skilled craftspeople who dye, warp, weave, mend and tailor our tartan textiles. We have over 500 authentic Scottish tartans for you to browse, proudly made in Scotland. 
Our story begins in 1938, when Highland Home Industries, a network formed in 1889 to revitalise skills and provide a sales outlet for home-based craft workers from the Scottish Highlands and Islands, supported the local laird to establish a small weaving factory at North Strome, a hamlet situated 3 miles south of Lochcarron village, on the banks of Loch Carron in Wester Ross, Scotland. Morris John Buchan of Hawick, who was from a family of woollen craftsmen and had trained in textiles in the 1920s, was persuaded to manage the unit. A weaver from Galashiels, Issac Wood, was sent to Lochcarron to teach local men how to weave tweed across the four looms. Morris’ mother and grandmother joined him, moving to Lochcarron and managing sales. Though the outbreak of the Second World War brought an early end to the factory, it marked the beginning of what would become Lochcarron of Scotland, a name that proudly reflects our origins.
After the end of the war, the mill in Lochcarron was revived, and in 1947, Morris Buchan established Netherdale Handloom Weavers at Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, producing head scarves and other woven accessories for the small but growing tourist trade in Scotland. In 1949, the first Strome single-width tartan was woven, the Crawford tartan, on the Hattersley Domestic loom, and marks the beginning of our journey as tartan specialists.
The 1950s and 60s saw a growing demand for markets for the tourist trade for Scottish tartan and highland wear outfits. This growth occurred not only in Scotland but also stretched out into the Canadian and American markets, with tartan being exported across the globe. During this time, we developed new fabric qualities and recognised opportunities in the fashion market for imported textiles. Lochcarron of Scotland helped host Fashion '88 in 1988, which promoted Scottish Borders Textiles to an international stage with high-profile designers.
In 1962, Peter Anderson Ltd was sold to Morris Buchan and the Lochcarron name was adopted at a larger premises, Waverley Mill on Huddersfield Street in Galashiels. Through the acquisition of Peter Anderson of Galashiels, our heritage now reaches back to 1892. In 1992, to celebrate the centenary, we welcomed a visit from The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, to the mill.
In 2006, we relocated 6 miles south from our headquarters in Galashiels to a larger site and current base in Selkirk. With more modern buildings, this site helped streamline production processes while preserving traditional crafts. Formally, Tweed Mill owned by Gardiners of Selkirk, the mill was fittingly renamed Waverley Mill, maintaining our connection to our Galashiels roots. Around the same time, weaving ceased at the mill in Lochcarron but remained as a retail store, renamed the Lochcarron Weavers Heritage Shop. In 2023, we moved from the original site to a new location, now welcoming visitors on the North Coast 500 route.
From these humble beginnings, Lochcarron of Scotland has grown to the world’s leading manufacturer of tartan. We are very proud that the company still bears the name of where it all began more than 75 years ago. Today, Lochcarron of Scotland is a truly global brand with timeless appeal, offering a unique authenticity and showcasing the very best of Scottish textiles. From kilt to catwalk, we continue to champion traditional tartan fabric manufacturing whilst continuing to innovate, designing bespoke creations for major international fashion houses. Tartan is the thread that runs through our history, and it is the story of our future.
