A jewellery design and manufacturing business based on Iona is on the verge of launching into international markets including the US and Canada, as it continues to build its online presence.
Aosdàna, founded by owner Mhairi Killin in 2003, designs and manufactures contemporary jewellery with a Celtic influence. Taxpayer-funded Business Gateway has advised Ms Killin on her ambition to reach a wider audience and generate global sales for a new range, The Kist o’Ritchies, based on the heritage of the original Iona silversmiths.
READ MORE: Brexit: Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s astounding take is beyond unsettling
Business Gateway said: “Having operated successfully for almost two decades, most of Aosdàna’s sales were generated from its gallery on the island, where some of the jewellery ranges are also designed and made. However, like many other small businesses, pandemic closures and subsequent travel restrictions meant the main source of income for Mhairi dwindled.”
READ MORE: Hotelier Paddy Crerar says ‘xenophobic’ Brexit has created ‘impossible’ situation
It added: “During this time, however, Mhairi, together with award-winning jewellery designer Maeve Gillies, won an Innovate UK award to develop a range of jewellery based on the heritage of original Iona silversmiths, the Ritchies. The Ritchies were a husband-and-wife team who founded the tradition of crafting Celtic jewellery and silversmithing on the island.”
Ms Killin said: “The Kist o’ Ritchies collection utilises the latest manufacturing technology to navigate the lack of metalworking skills on the island, featuring 3D scanning, CAD (computer-aided design) and 3D printed prototyping to help preserve the key historical designs from the 19th and 20th centuries. The modern jewellery range will launch in spring 2023 and is expected to attract international markets including the USA and Canada.”
Aosdàna received a small business development grant from Argyll and Bute Council. This has funded professional product photography which will feature online and on social media.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel