Araminta Campbell, alpaca apostle: Fashion, Scotland on Sunday

Araminta Campbell in her Edinburgh studio Picture: © Sandy Young Photography

The homegrown yarn, as well as the handcrafted finish, set Araminta Campbell's textiles apart

Araminta Campbell, a young Scottish textile designer, specialises in handwoven alpaca accessories and bespoke tweed and tartan design.

From her studio in Leith, Edinburgh, Campbell was inspired to work in alpaca because her mother is allergic to wool. She now creates scarves, throws, accessories and tweeds. Raised in the North East, the 30-year-old is inspired by the Scottish landscape, passionate about celebrating traditional weaving techniques and craftsmanship, and delighted that alpacas come in 22 shades. She has just launched a Signature Collection of four handwoven designs, each of which can take up to ten days to produce on a heritage loom and is completely unique.

What do you do?

Pebble Narrow Scarf, £850, Minta Allium Blanket in grey and white, £680, Minta Herringbone cushion, £180 Pictures: Gerarardo Jaconelli

Our textiles studio specialises in one off-luxurious British alpaca accessories, handwoven here in our Edinburgh workshop. Our MINTA collection is a contemporary designer interiors range of cushions and throws. Signature is a curated collection of scarves, shawls and blanket wraps. Heritage is a bespoke tweed and tartan service, which allows our clients to create entirely unique designs for interiors, clothing, accessories and so on.

What is your training/background?

I trained as an embroidery artist and graduated with a degree in fine art textiles from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2011. I’d always had a passion for textiles, nature and the outdoors, I grew up in the countryside and that’s where the inspiration for my designs comes from.

I’m self-taught in weaving, although it didn’t grab me initially, it frustrated me. Ironically, it’s a craft that now drives me. I began learning in the final few weeks of my degree, but it wasn’t long before I was completely captivated.

Pebble Shawl, £1,400

I started out selling handwoven artworks to collectors. Alpaca fibre came into the frame when I began designing and weaving a scarf as a gift for my mother. She’s allergic to wool, so I decided to research alternatives. Alpaca fleece is completely hypo-allergenic. It’s beautifully soft, comes in 22 natural colours and is the only luxury fibre you can source from UK farms. Cashmere and silk have to be imported, which is why I work with alpaca – sustainability is extremely important to me.

This was a personal project but with the inevitable word of mouth, I ended up selling all of the scarves. However, I’m happy to say every time we produce a new collection, my mother’s always keen to have the first viewing.

Why did you decide to set up the company?

After finishing up an internship in a large corporate weaving company, I realised it really wasn’t for me. There just wasn’t enough of a connection between the design element and the weaving process. I really wanted more freedom, to push boundaries creatively and to create designs that were both technically challenging and imaginative.

Pine Cone Stole, £1,500

What is your aim?

I’m building our brand to be a destination luxury brand; to be acknowledged internationally for the artistry and quality of our designs.

We want to nurture and grow the weaving industry, encourage people to appreciate the artisan craftsmanship behind their investments, the passion and provenance behind the brand.

It’s important that we also create an environment where we can support and attract talent and employment opportunities in the Scottish woven textile industry. The industry has suffered from decline in the past but it’s on an upward trajectory, I believe there is a growing demand for Scottish produce and items. It’s important that traditional skills are passed on to the next generation in a forward-thinking and progressive way.

Staffa Blanket Wrap, £2,500

What’s different about your product?

Our Signature pieces are individual, completely exclusive and handmade. 
No two items are the same. Our story is also at the heart of everything, pieces of art that look and feel wonderful – whether it is a bespoke tweed that tells a story of the landscape or a handwoven scarf that has been woven from a single alpaca fleece from a farm in the Scottish Borders.

When did you start the company?  

I set up my weaving workshop in Aberdeenshire then moved to Edinburgh and founded Araminta Campbell Limited in 2014.

What challenges have you faced?

It has been a challenge being a young woman in male-dominated industry as well as the pressures of establishing and growing a business from scratch. There have been times where we’ve been put under pressure to change course, but we have remained true to our brand values.

Sycamore Blanket Wrap £2,500

What was the biggest surprise along the way?

Having worked for a number of years on my own, the biggest surprise was when I started to pull together a team – it showed me how much further we could grow. Bringing in other people with their own distinct skills and ideas will always help you build far more than you can do on your own.

What is the fun part of your business?

Creating new designs and speaking to clients and seeing them get really excited about something you have made. Fundamentally, that’s what drives me forward every day. I also love getting stuck into a new design challenge. It’s exciting to work with a client and help them create something very personal and unique for their families, businesses or personal use.

How has it evolved?