Selkirk-based mill by royal appointment to Commonwealth Games

On Wednesday, June 22, The Queen’s Baton for the games in Birmingham next month will visit Lochcarron of Scotland’s headquarters at Selkirk's Waverley Mill in Rogers Road, as part of its epic journey across the Commonwealth.

While being passed through the hands of the company’s skilled craftspeople, the baton will take a tour of the mill.

The visit recognises the company’s role in providing the tartans that designer Siobhan Mackenzie has used to create the formalwear to be worn by members of Team Scotland at the games opening ceremony.

A company spokesperson said: “We are incredibly proud to support and weave the new Team Scotland tartan of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

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“Scottish designer Siobhan MacKenzie worked with our skilled in-house design team to develop the tartan design into a woven fabric. Using our strome 100 per cent British wool kilt cloth as one of her fabrics highlights the importance and desire to make the garments as sustainable as possible.

“Siobhan will use the tartan and create traditional Scottish formalwear with a modern twist, ready to be worn by Team Scotland at the Birmingham 2022 opening ceremony on July 28.”

Lochcarron of Scotland has been manufacturing tartans in the Scottish Borders for over 70 years.

From kilt to catwalk, the company champions the making of traditional tartan cloth whilst continuing to innovate, through design and production.

The spokesperson added: “To cater to the different elements and garments worn, the tartan design has been woven in Lochcarron’s heavyweight strome British wool and lightweight Reiver qualities.

“We have loved seeing the vibrant colours of the Team Scotland Commonwealth Games 2022 tartan flow through our mill.

“We look forward to Team Scotland wearing Siobhan’s designs on our screens during the Birmingham opening ceremony.”