Made in Scotland Series by Bill Baber Knitwear
The Scottish knitwear company Bill Baber got in touch to ask me a few questions for their Made in Scotland series. It’s always lovely to hear from other brands making right here in Scotland. As always being asked questions about my practice brings up new thoughts and reminds me of where and why it all started too. If you read the last blog post you’ll know some of this but Yolanda from Bill Baber also asked me some new questions I had to have a good think about. Scroll down to see what…
Can you tell us how your business got started?
I originally started handweaving leather around eight years ago (where has the time gone?!) after being set a sustainability project by the Bridge of Weir Leather company while I was studying at the Glasgow School of Art. We were presented with this huge table of leather and while everyone was trying to grab the biggest pieces they could to make something with, I started wondering what might be possible if I just used the discarded slivers of leather left over. I wanted to make use of the entire hide, especially all the thin leather offcuts that had been rendered useless and destined for the landfill. By weaving together thin leather strands I ensure that the entire hide is used, and my aim is always to get as close to zero waste as possible.
Where do you look for inspiration when you are designing new products?
My work is really inspired by the traditional crafts that I grew up with, like basketry, thatched roofing and boatbuilding.
I grew up in the north west Highlands, in a remote village of just five houses. My dad bought the house I grew up in as a near ruin and built it up himself. Most of our furniture was built by him and I remember when I was wee helping out in his woodshed. I even had my own child-sized saw! I’ve always found so much joy in making. By the time I was in my last year at school I took a traditional boatbuilding course, which was probably inspired by family holidays to the islands, particularly Uist, where clinker boatbuilding is still seen. These are the deep-rooted things that have stayed with me and inspired my practice.
While the Highlands undoubtedly is my biggest inspiration, it is in an abstract way. While a painter might be directly inspired our landscapes, I’m more inspired by the way of life, the slower pace and the balance of it all. For me it’s about combining quality materials to create something beautiful and intricate, something that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Like the wooden planks that make a beautifully curved boat. Or the dried reeds that are woven in and out to create baskets. Like these things, my work is a celebration of what is possible within a material and it is the material first and foremost that dictates and develops my designs.
Can you tell us a bit more about how you make your products?
I handweave all my products in the Scottish Highlands using vegetable tanned leather. By weaving thin strips of leather I can make use of almost the entire hide. So long as a strip is 0.7cm I’ll find a use for it! Up until now I’ve been hand cutting each strip, which is a time-consuming process that I’ve become very adept to! However, I’ve just purchased my first ever piece of machinery that will help quicken this process and give me more time to weave.
Each bag has around 4-5 layers of different materials to ensure structural integrity, so the next stage is bonding and backing – carefully making sure each individual strip is secured. This takes a long time, but it is important because it creates the strength the weaves need to be used and loved for life. After this I send each panel down to another maker in the UK who I work with, who has the machinery and expertise to construct my panels into their glorious 3D forms. It has taken around four years to find the right people to work with, and to source materials that I’m proud to use. Each bag is made from start to finish in the UK and I have sourced all of my materials, right down to the backing fabrics, within Europe. While these have been expensive decisions to make, I wouldn’t do it any other way.
What are your most popular products and which are your own favourites?
My most popular product from my launch collection was my Swing Case. It’s a wee bag, designed just for the essentials (‘cause true happiness is when we find beauty and joy in the day to day). It holds just your phone and a few cards. Since I made the first prototype I’ve rarely been seen without it – even up mountains!
The bag I can’t wait to make for myself is my Barrel Bag. It’s cylindrical in shape with a soft Italian suede pouch and the weave that I designed especially for this bag is a two-toned diagonal pattern. It really wraps itself around the shape of the bag perfectly. I’m currently making some limited edition colourways in each bag and I’m having a hard time deciding my favourite!
If you had to pick one place in Scotland to recommend that people visit, where would it be?
This is a great question! I am of course biased, and would find it hard to say anywhere other than the West Coast Highlands! I do think though that it’s worth venturing off the beaten track. I spent six years working for a company on Skye and while it’s a truly magical place, it amazed me at how many tourists would just visit the island and forget about the rest of the Highlands. One of my favourite places in the world is Torridon, home to arguably Scotland’s most beautiful mountain range, and one of the finest hotels in the Highlands, simply named The Torridon. For those not getting married or celebrating something big, the hotel has a brilliant bar serving local food and drinks. Perfect after a day on the hills. I’d urge anyone visiting the Highlands to use WalkHighlands to plan their trips – it’s full of beautiful, short walks like the coastal routes around Loch Torridon, as well as the best routes up Scotland’s mountains.
