Two enterprising islanders have won government backing to help create an internationally recognised Orkney Tweed brand.
Orkney Tweed, founded by Deerness-based sheep farmer Nancy Fergus and craft producer Fiona Mitchell, has won a share of a £50,000 prize aimed at encouraging creative business collaboration.
The firm was one of five consortia that were successful after development agency Scottish Enterprise issued a call for entries for the Collaboration Prize in November.
Ms Fergus and Ms Mitchell’s partnership will act as a wool broker, aimed at making it easier and more economical for Orkney small holders to sell their fleeces.
It will also lead on product development, quality control and marketing, which will benefit its craft producing members through combined sales and the creation of an Orkney Tweed brand.
Ms Fergus said: “Currently, the process for collecting and processing raw wool can be difficult and uneconomic, particularly for small holders with just a few sheep.
“By joining forces, small holders and craft producers can achieve mutual benefit by creating a simple process for gathering fleeces, building a stock of quality cloth and shop-ready materials and marketing them together under a united brand.
“Our ultimate goal is to use the profit generated by the collaboration to develop processing and manufacturing facilities on the island, which will reduce costs and carbon emissions while giving members greater control over quality. Currently, the wool needs to be shipped to Shetland for processing, however, we’d like to bring this to the island and create a central hub for Orkney Tweed.
“Winning the Collaboration Prize has given us a unique opportunity to access professional help to develop our brand and make our organisation stronger. It will also enable us to create the ideal hub to support the producers and give all members a better return for their efforts. For our local community, it will aid the sustainability of Island living.”
Each prize-winning collaboration will receive £5,000 cash, up to £5,000 specialist support to set their idea in motion alongside support from Co-operative Development Scotland to form their consortium.
Four other groups have also won backing including one founded by drone and aerial imaging pilots. The project, Ecosse from Above, plans to create a central resource for stock aerial photography of Scotland.
One of the member firms, Sky View Video, also has an office in Fort William.
Other projects to win funding include Edinburgh’s Netherbow, an alliance of six cultural organisations that aims to create a literature hub on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile; Kettle of Fish which aims to create inspiring interactive storytelling apps for children; and ArchBlue, which will collaborate to offer 3D measuring and modelling services for site managers of historic buildings, structures, landscapes and archaeological sites.
Each prize-winning collaboration will receive £5,000 cash, up to £5,000 specialist support to set their idea in motion alongside support from Co-operative Development Scotland to form their consortium.
David Smith, Director of Creative Industries at Scottish Enterprise, said: “Across Scotland there is a growing appetite for increased collaboration, with the model shown to help businesses increase revenue and reach new markets. By encouraging companies to work together, we can help to grow the creative industries sector and in turn boost the wider economy.
“The Collaboration Prize is a fantastic initiative. I congratulate all five winners and we look forward to working with them as they look to make their collaborative ideas a reality.”
Launched by Scottish Enterprise, in partnership with Creative Scotland, Cultural Enterprise Office, Interactive Scotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the Collaboration Prize is delivered by Co-operative Development Scotland (CDS).
CDS is the arm of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise that supports company growth through collaborative and employee ownership business models.
