A PARTNERSHIP between a Galashiels cashmere company and secondary schools across the Borders has led to some eye-catching designs.

And, if you're lucky, you could be wearing one of them round your neck next winter.

In conjunction with Developing Young Workforce Borders and Heriot-Watt University, third-year pupils at four different schools took part in the Sinclair Duncan scarf design competition.

And the expert panel were blown away during the day of presentations.

Alistair McDade, business development director at Sinclair Duncan, told us: "The standard of all the designs was extremely high.

"Each team had approached the project in a different way and it made our job as panellists very difficult.

"It’s been fantastic to witness the students from Heriot Watt guide the pupils in creating a design concept and translating it into a woven product."

Since September teams from Berwickshire High, Galashiels Academy, Jedburgh Grammar and Earlston High, along with their Heriot-Watt University student mentors, have learned about market research and product marketing, taken part in design workshops, enjoyed mill tours and Computer-Aided Design experience, and honed their presentation skills.

And last week the design students from all four schools went head-to-head at the Sinclair Duncan studio.

The judging panel was tasked with choosing a design to be made into a cashmere scarf for sale at Abbotsford Visitor Centre.

And a second design also had to be selected to be turned into a sash for presentation to the Best Dressed at Kelso Races Ladies Day in May.

Following lengthy deliberation, Earlston High was announced the Abbotsford winner.

Tania Murray from the Abbotsford Trust said: "We are very much looking forward to seeing this beautiful design as a cashmere scarf.

"The inspiration, which was ‘Abbotsford at night’ is very fitting.

"The team will also be involved in creating a display for the scarf within the shop so they have to think about the full journey of designing, manufacturing and selling a product."

Jedburgh Grammar's 'Eildon@Ladies Day' design was selected for the Kelso Races winner's sash.

Further awards were presented to Galashiels Academy, who received the Sinclair Duncan Award for design Excellence, exhibiting the strongest skills in design research and application of technical knowledge.

And Berwickshire High School was awarded the Developing Young Workforce Award for work-skills excellence.

Sara Ward from Developing Young Workforce commented: "It was great to see this team embrace the project fully and demonstrate such strong links between their learning and skills required for the workplace."

Manufacturing starts straight away and the finished scarves will be on the shelves towards the end of May.

All of the teams will be presented with a limited edition scarf made from their winning designs.

They will also be on display at The Borders Textile Towerhouse in Hawick.