Elgin's Bespoke Fabrics awarded patent for Ava Innes sustainable luxury bedding
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AN ELGIN business is eyeing expansion after being awarded a patent for its innovative sustainable duvet fabric filled with a cashmere by-product.
The Ava Innes range of luxury duvet and pillow products, by Bespoke Fabrics Ltd (BFL), are UK-made using cashmere guard hair and Scottish wool.
Only 30 per cent of the fibre brushed annually from the cashmere goat is used in traditional knitting and weaving. Cashmere guard hair makes up the remaining fibre.
At the end of their life cycle the products can be returned to the ground instead of going to landfill.
Joan Johnston, BFL founder and managing director, said: "As a small business, securing the patent for the innovative fabric development was important for our business to grow and I am delighted that has now been achieved.
"We have plans to expand and build on our online presence and engage with more customers across the UK and internationally.
"I am proud of what has been achieved to date and am excited about future plans for expansion."
BFL secured £100,000 of investment from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in 2019.
Scott McKnockiter, business development account manager with HIE in Moray, added: "We have worked with BFL since the outset and delighted to see the firm secure the patent and plan further growth.
"The business forms part of Moray’s growing creative industries sector. As it develops, it will create the potential to employ more local people, which will benefit the local economy and contribute wider to efforts to attract and retain local talent.
"The type of innovation shown by BFL is increasingly important as we work towards an economy based on net zero emissions."
