Magee 1866 Competitors

The Barbour story began in 1894 in South Shields in the North East of England. Founder John Barbour began supplying oilskins and other garments to protect the growing community of sailors, fishermen and dockers. These first weather resistant items quickly established Barbour’s reputation for innovation and quality. Today, Barbour remains a fifth generation family business. Under the leadership of Chairman Dame Margaret Barbour, Barbour has grown into a lifestyle brand sold in over 55 countries worldwide including Europe, the US and Asia offering a wardrobe of stylish functional clothing, footwear and accessories inspired by the unique values of the British countryside. The iconic Barbour Bedale and Barbour Beaufort wax jackets continue to be made by hand in the factory in South Shields. Barbour International, the collection for men and women inspired by Barbour’s motorcycle heritage established in 1936, is now a separate stand alone brand with its own identity. In 2020, Barbour launched Wax for Life, an overarching name for all of Barbour’s wax services designed to encourage customers to extend the life of their wax garments. Wax for Life includes re-waxing and repairs (first introduced in 1921) and Barbour Re-Loved an upcycling circularity initiative. Each year over 70,000 wax garments are sent back to Barbour globally to be repaired, rewaxed or altered.

Johnstons of Elgin has over two hundred years of tradition and experience in textile manufacturing. Since 1797 the company has produced the finest woven products from the finest of fibres. The original mill, on the banks of the river Lossie in the historic town of Elgin, remains the headquarters of our renowned brand. From luxurious cashmere scarves and throws, to historic Estate tweed, the experience and craftsmanship rooted in our history has been passed down the generations. Visitors to the mill see experienced craftsmen and women, producing luxury pieces using traditional methods. Our knitwear mill in Hawick, in the Borders, sits in the heart of the Scottish knitting industry. An important part of the local community for over thirty years, the long history of knitwear production in this part of Scotland, ensures our knitted garments are made with the utmost skill and expertise. A unique family business with tradition and heritage at its core, Johnstons of Elgin will continue to push the boundaries of textile and knitwear manufacturing, while always remaining true to its history. Over the years we have expanded our business and extended the mill, but we’ve also built a community, which, time and again, has proved to be our greatest asset. To date we employ 900 people in this country. Some of our staff have had more than 50 years’ service – specialist craftsmen and women of unerring drive and desire to develop; fine tuning their technique, mastering new machinery, prospering in our shared progress. Our commitment to our people is our pledge to the future. We offer Modern Apprenticeships to MA's to people as young as 16 to those over 60 which reflects our fundamental purpose; striving to nurture enthusiasm, redefine mastery and evolve Johnstons of Elgin for the greater good. At present, over 80 Apprentices are either qualified or in training.