Pringle of Scotland

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Pringle of Scotland (known generally simply as Pringle) is a leading Scottish knitware manufacturer. The company was formed in 1815 by Robert Pringle and his partners, and was initially known as Waldie, Pringle, Wilson & Co^[1]. Their first factory was in the town of Hawick in the Scottish Borders, an area with a strong textile industry.

In 1967 the company was bought by Dawson International. Its primary market was golf clothing, mostly in lambswool; the company sponsored golfer Nick Faldo for much of his career. In 2000 Pringle was acquired by Hong Kong company SC Fang & Sons (headed by textile magnate Kenneth Fang)^[2]. Fang reportedly paid only £6 million for the ailing firm, which was losing around $10 million per year. He installed his son Douglas Fang to run the company. The Fangs invested around £7 million and employed Stuart Stockdale as its head of design. Stockdale led the company's efforts to return to the high-fashion status it had formerly enjoyed, exhibiting at London Fashion Week with new designs based on the company's trademark Argyle pattern. Stockdale left the company in 2005.^[2]

The brand has been worn by celebrities including Princess Margaret, Grace Kelly, Noël Coward, Robbie Williams, Madonna, and David Beckham. The company holds a Royal Warrant from Queen Elizabeth II and formerly held one from the Queen Mother.

The company has stores in New Bond Street in London, New York City, Milan, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Pringle knitware has also enjoyed popularity in a number of subcultures, including preppies in the US and chav and football casual culture in the UK.

The company is the subject of the book Pringle of Scotland: And the Hawick Knitwear Story by Hugh Barty-King (ISBN 978-1-899163-83-0).