Johnstons of Elgin

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Johnstons of Elgin, is a producer of cashmere and wool garments made entirely in Scotland. The mill in Elgin, established in 1797, is the same mill that produces cashmere garments today. Cashmere doesn’t come from a sheep but from the Cashmere goat of Mongolia. To stay warm in freezing seasonal temperatures, as low as -30℃, the goats grow a thick coat, the undercoat of which ‘floats’ in the Spring.  These long, lofty fibres are combed from the animals and are gently processed to maintain their natural softness. While sheep can produce around 3kg of wool in a given year, the Cashmere goat only gleans around 200g…Read More

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Johnstons of Elgin founded the first course in Sustainable Pasture Management, through the Sustainable Fibre Alliance, in 2018. This course, in the Khenti region of Mongolia, teaches sustainable herding methods to the children of nomadic herders. It combines modern sustainability theories with the traditional skills passed down through generations which are embedded within their centuries-old nomadic culture.

Cashmere has become increasingly popular, and you may wonder why some Cashmere products cost more than others. It may be that a lower grade of Cashmere has been used or harsher processing methods applied. In extreme cases, other fibres, such as Yak hair, have been passed off as Cashmere. There are in the region of 30 different processes involved in transforming raw fibre into luxurious Johnstons of Elgin finished products.

Johnstons of Elgin is renowned for the quality of their garments lasting years and often passing from one generation to the next.  The care of cashmere is extremely easy, cold wash on a wool setting or by hand, roll in a towel to gently remove excess water, and then block, lay flat to dry.  One washing every 8 times is more than enough and hanging out on a dry, cold night will refresh the cashmere, but then it is recommended that most cashmere be folded when storing.

Reducing clothing consumption by buying better quality garments and wearing them for longer is the single biggest change we can make to reducing the environmental impact of our wardrobe. Using natural animal fibres with inbuilt antibacterial properties also means less washing and lower temperature washing.