Dundee’s fading links with the jute trade have been strengthened by the growth in demand for “environmentally-friendly” coffins and designer handbags.
The two products are unlikely saviours of the jute industry in Dundee, which has resulted in the last two companies involved in the trade joining forces.
Helping keep the city’s links with India alive are Simon Pritchard of the Natural Bag Co Ltd and Sandra Thomson of McGregor Balfour (Textiles) Ltd. They have merged their companies and now plan to launch a range of shopping and designer bags this summer.
Both have a wealth of experience in the industry and work closely with their Kolkata suppliers, making frequent visits to the Indian city, thereby keeping alive the links which began in 1833.
Simon was company secretary with his great-grandfather’s firm, J. Mackenzie Stewart, which was founded in 1911.
“Our products were mainly jute yarns for carpets and it was a declining market,” he said. “I set up my company a few years ago and and then left J. McKenzie Stewart to concentrate on it full time.
“This is the big growth area for jute … and Sandra and I already knew each other.”
He continued, “We decided to join up together instead of being in competition it seemed the natural thing to do.”
Sandra said, “We are very excited. Simon will concentrate on the promotional bags and I want to do the designer bags and coffins.
“That’s growing very quickly with the green movement people are going green for their funerals as the carbon emissions are very low.”
Sandra has strong links with Kolkata she was born and spent the first 14 years of her life there.
“My father, James Davidson, worked in the jute industry there,” she said. “When I came back from India I went to Grove Academy and then was working for Perth Council’s education department, but I went to work for my father’s company, McGregor Balfour Sales, importing jute yarn.”
She said she started her own business when jute went into decline, adding, “but at the same time India went on strike so that was a disaster.
“I finally started doing designer bags and it’s been very good now we’ve joined forces I’ve got someone else to give an opinion and to bounce ideas off.
“We’re very busy with a lot of new ideas which we will launch in June.”
They are already working on the jute shopping bags and handbags, using the talents of local designers.