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An innovative upgrade at Shetland’s only commercial woollen mill is set to boost production and elevate the island's global textile reputation.

Family-run for five generations, Jamieson’s Spinning (Shetland) Ltd in Sandness has long been a cornerstone of Shetland’s wool industry. Now, thanks to a forward-thinking investment, the company is spinning the future into their long-established heritage skills.

With support of up to £32,643 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Jamieson’s has installed a cutting-edge vacuum fettling system to its carding machines - replacing the time-consuming manual cleaning process with an automated solution that cuts downtime by 75 percent. This will result in a significant boost in production efficiency, improved yarn quality and a better working environment for staff. The project is also expected to create 1.5 new jobs, further strengthening the local economy.

Katrina Wiseman, HIE’s area manager for Orkney and Shetland, said: “This is a great example of how innovation can support rural business growth. We’re proud to support a project that enhances productivity and international competitiveness and also helps sustain jobs and communities on Shetland’s west side.”

The mill, established in 1981, processes Shetland wool from fleece to finished yarn, offering more than 400 colours in five weights. With this latest investment, Jamieson’s is set to support an even stronger future for Shetland’s textile heritage.

Garry Jamieson from Jamieson’s Spinning (Shetland) Ltd, said, "This vacuum system is an amazing addition to our carding machines. Upgrades like this can extend the lifespan of this excellent old machinery. Manual fettling is hard graft and this should make a big difference to our great staff. We are now replacing card cloth to further improve our yarn quality as the new fettling system doesn’t damage the cloth whilst cleaning - another great bonus!”

Garry continued: ”Over the last 10-15 years we have been constantly looking for ways we can improve productivity here in the mill. We have done a number of projects but this is by far the biggest investment to date. We are absolutely delighted to have again received support from HIE."

HIE is encouraging other Shetland businesses with bold ideas to get in touch and explore support for their growth ambitions.

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