Harris Tweed helps build Resilient Communities

A new report from BiGGAR Economics examines the socio-economic impact of the Harris Tweed® sector. Born of domestic necessity, the production of Harris Tweed® evolved into a successful commercial enterprise in the early 1900s. It delivers substantial economic value while helping to sustain cultural identity and resilient populations in the Outer Hebrides.

Impact

In 2024, Harris Tweed® generated £16.8 million GVA and supported 520 jobs across Scotland. The jobs supported throughout the production process of Harris Tweed® alongside the brand’s contribution to tourism expenditure, make an important contribution to the Outer Hebrides economy. Scenery, landscape, history and culture were drivers of between £45.6 million and £69.3 million of the annual visitor expenditure in the Outer Hebrides in 2024. Harris Tweed® embodies these key drivers of tourism and is an important contributor to the tourism economy. It enriches the offering of the Outer Hebrides as a tourism destination and appeals to visitors across the world.

However the figures represent more than financial returns.

Population Retention

Figure 1 below shows that since the turn of the century, the overall population of the Outer Hebrides has fallen by 2.9%. However this masks rapidly increasing growth of those over 65 (+37%) and a considerable fall in the number of children (-26%). This trend is expected to continue, with the Outer Hebrides projected to lose almost a quarter of its working age population (-24%) between 2022 and 2043.

Figure 1: Change in the Outer Hebrides Population Structure (2000 – 2024)

The total direct workforce of Harris Tweed® in the Outer Hebrides collectively represents 2% of the total employment in the Outer Hebrides. Against a backdrop of an ageing and declining population, these jobs, although small in number, are important in sustaining the population in some of the most remote communities in Scotland.

By generating economic activity and supporting employment opportunities in the Outer Hebrides, Harris Tweed® makes an important contribution to population retention on the Islands.

Residency Requirement for Harris Tweed® and Crofting

The legislative requirement governing Harris Tweed® requires weavers to live on the Islands. This is similar to the legislative requirements governing crofting, which include a duty for crofters to be ordinarily resident on or within 32km of their croft.

The crofting duty of residency helps provide the stable, distributed workforce necessary for the Harris Tweed® industry to operate. Similarly, Harris Tweed® supports crofting by providing weavers with flexible hours and a supplementary income that contributes to household finances. This allows crofters to balance the duties of tending livestock and crops with the demands of commercial weaving. Working the croft alongside other occupations is not only practical, but the combination of activities enables a crofting lifestyle to be financially viable.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the intersection of these legislative requirements creates a unique socio-economic model that helps sustain communities in the Outer Hebrides.

Figure 2: Mutually Supportive Synergies between Harris Tweed® and Crofting

Having crofters and weavers securely embedded in the Outer Hebrides improves the overall resilience of the working population in the region. This helps to ensure the survival of what would otherwise be very fragile communities.

Further Information

For further information about socio-economic impact assessments, please contact us at info@biggareconomics.co.uk