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LATEST PRESS RELEASES
04/05/19 - TURNOVER AT KNITWEAR FIRM IN BORDERS REACHES £1M
A knitwear company based in the Scottish Borders has seen turnover reach £1 million and sales this year show a year-on-year jump of 45 per cent.Eribe Knitwear bills itself as “eco-friendly”, championing natural yarns, and after being founded in 1986 is still expanding, with new premises in Melrose and a new showroom coming soon.It is led by chief executive and founder Rosemary Eribe and says it is enjoying its best trading year ever. Sales manager Shona Forrester said: “To date this year we’re 45 per cent up on sales compared to last year. Buying less, buying better quality is what counts.”
The firm is expanding into new markets such as Taiwan, with sales also coming from the likes of Australia, Europe and Japan. Around 20 countries stock Eribe’s Scottish designs, with more than 20,000 garments sold every year. Rosemary Eribe said: “It’s very exciting having a young and enthusiastic team led by 33 years of experience. By expanding slowly, it’s given us very strong roots. I've always seen it like building a house – starting from the bottom and working up. And we haven’t even started the garden yet.”
The firm highlighted challenges faced by the Scottish textiles industry, adding that Brexit uncertainty has been blamed for poor high street retail sales, but businesses such as Eribe are supporting independent boutiques.She continued: “There is so much doom and gloom on the high street, but our retailers are selling out of Eribe and coming back for repeat orders throughout the year. Our customers are looking to buy something different and new.”
Working closely with spinners from Yorkshire and Scotland, Eribe works with suppliers from the UK. Investment in Scotland includes new machines for in-house production and plans to grow the workforce. The company also works with a small, family-run manufacturer in Bulgaria. To avoid the negative effects of Brexit, it is setting up a European distribution centre, ensuring orders are processed efficiently for EU markets, and enabling a lower carbon footprint.
In light of its best trading year to date, a new showroom is planned in the Georgian house in the centre of Melrose where the firm is now based.
According to Scottish Development International (SDI), Scotland exports textiles to more than 150 countries. Additionally, the aim is for Scottish textiles exports – which encompass knitwear such as cashmere and lambswool; woven fabrics including tweed; leather for high-end use; and technical and industrial textiles – to reach £500m by 2020, backed by a targeted £3.5m spend on research and development.
SDI stated: “Huge global brands such as Chanel source textiles from Scotland and seek Scottish expertise.”
04/11/19 - ERIBÉ OPENS NEW KNITWEAR SHOWROOM IN MELROSE
From its beautiful home in the Scottish Borders, award-winning ERIBÉ creates luxury eco-friendly knitwear, mixing patterns, fabulous colours and using the finest natural yarns to bring you garments made to last, whatever the trend.Customers can buy its collections at over 200 prestigious stores in 20 countries and on its online shop – and starting this week, they are personally invited to visit the company in Melrose. The brand has announced its brand-new showroom, within a Georgian House in the centre of the historic village, which will enable visitors to view its iconic Scottish designs, as well as enjoy special exclusive offers before Christmas. The range includes sweaters, cardigans, hats, gloves and scarves.
“It’s been a very special year for Eribé. We’re delighted to have moved into our new home in Melrose, and our new factory premises in Tweedbank. Now we’d like to share our plans with you – it’s going to be an exciting journey,” commented founder Rosemary Eribé, a finalist in the 2019 Business Women Scotland awards.
Eribé supports the slow fashion ethos with a sustainable approach to making clothes. A cottage industry gone global, the brand champions Made in Scotland. Its intricate Fairisle patterns are rooted in Scottish tradition, using centuries-old knitting techniques for the modern day.
The Autumn/Winter 2019 collection, inspired by Scotland and its spectacular landscape, offers a selection of 18 colourways which ensure you are energised, rejuvenated and confident. Colours include:
- Turmeric: spice up your life with vibrant Indian colours of turmeric orange, piccalilli yellow and a veritable masala of browns, reds, greens and blues.
- Selkie range offers rich shades of blue spruce, dark chocolate, aubergine and gold feed the imagination and evoke timeless tales of mystery.
- Lugano pays tribute to the colours of Scotland’s natural beauty – Lugano reflects mountains, forests, bracken and rocks in our deep lochs, emerald fir greens with splashes of ochre, brick, rock greys and the turquoise sparkling seas.
- Mirage: more cautious fashion fans will delight in the easy shades of our Mirage collection – beachscapes where sea, driftwood, sand, shells and stones merge.
“I love to meet our customers, making sure they feel part of us. We design with them in mind. We listen to the people who wear our clothes; their feedback gives us joy – and it’s all about the joy of knitwear. Do visit us in Melrose – we are all looking forward to showing you our many colours and designs,” added Ms Eribé.
An invitation is extended to all to view the company’s showroom and join it for its special Christmas party night on Thursday, 28 November. The new knitwear showroom, on Dingleton Road, Melrose, opened on 2 November. It will be open in November and December, 9am-5pm Monday-Friday, and 10am-3pm on Saturdays.