Eskimo loophole could save Scotland’s sporran industry
3rd October 2010
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.
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.”