Princess Anne discovered the weaving industry is alive and well in Paisley, centuries after it emerged as a cottage industry.
The Princess Royal was a special guest of town kiltmaker Macnaughton and met staff as well as getting an insight into the weaving process.
She slipped into the Blacklaw Lane mill without fanfare last week.
In recent years Macnaughton switched to kilt production in Paisley and is one of Scotland biggest weavers of tartan fabric and finishing kilts.
Managing director James Dracup said the vist of HRH was “fantstic” and he said: “It was a great privilege to welcome The Princess Royal to Macnaughton Holdings Ltd, and to be able to present many members of our team to HRH.
“This provided an opportunity for us to say thank you to all of our staff for their hard work, support and loyalty both before, during and after the pandemic.”
The Princess, who enjoys wearing the finest of Scottish fabrics, visited in her capacity as President of the UK Fashion and Textile Association.
Macnaughton was founded in 1835 and in the 1990s bought the Paisley business from Whitehill & Wilsons, which specialised in making neckerchiefs from the Scout and Guide movements.
The company employs more than 70 people across three sites and is Perth based with brands including The House of Edgar and Isle Mill.
It is still owned today by the seventh generation of the family, Blair Macnaughton.
The company currently exports over 40 per cent of its turnover to markets across the world.
James Dracup added: “Textile manufacturing in Scotland today is regionally diverse, it employs 8200 people, in 562 companies and contributes £844 million to the Scottish economy.
"“Like many other companies our business strategy is based on quality, luxury, contemporary design , heritage, performance , innovation and increasingly sustainability.”
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