Eskimo loophole could save Scotland's sporran industry

Eskimos could save the traditional sporran industry thanks to a legal loophole that allows them to export sealskin, it has emerged. An EU-wide ban on the use of sealskin was introduced last month following a long-running campaign from animal welfare groups. High-quality dress sporrans, an essential part of kilt couture, are made of sealskin and kiltmakers all over Scotland objected to the new law.

They have been turning instead to pony hide, cow hide and rabbit skin, but hope they may be able to continue using sealskin if it has been hunted as part of an indigenous culture. EU law allows the Yupik and Inuit people to sell and export items made from sealskin. Ian Chisholm, a founding member of the Scottish Kiltmakers' Association, said: "There's a possibility that we may be able to still use the sealskins if they have been hunted as part of traditional culture."



He and other kiltmakers are now in talks to see if the Eskimos can save the traditional sporran. Mr Chisholm, who runs Chisholm Highland Dress in Inverness, said that if a deal was approved it would be a "lifesaver" for the industry, adding: “Nothing beats sealskin. It has a quality of its own. It has a beautiful lustre against the tartans of the kilts. You can dye the other skins but you can still tell the difference. They do not have the same texture and are not as soft to feel."

Supplying sealskin to sporran makers in Scotland would also be a welcome boost to the indigenous people of the Arctic. A spokesman for Canada’s Eskimo tribes said they were keen to supply the Highland dress industry and that sales would help pay for gas, food and snowmobiles. He added: "Our communities have a lot in common and we feel a connection with the people of Scotland who also rely on traditional trades."