Essence of Harris founders Jamie and Deenie McGowan are to showcase their candles and homeware to buyers in the US for the first time this weekend.
The husband and wife will exhibit in the wellness section of NY NOW, one of the largest home, lifestyle and gift trade shows in the US.
They will show off creations including soy wax candles, reed-diffusers and home fragrance products, all as local, sustainable and natural as possible. The business has created 26 staff on the Isle of Harris.
Jamie will model a kilt in the company’s tartan that was designed using the GPS location of the firm’s base in Tarbert. It has inspired a range of Harris tartan lifestyle products that will be launched at the show at the Javits Centre from Saturday 1 February to Wednesday 5 February.
He said: “Five years after founding the business, the launch of our products in the USA marks another key milestone in its development, enabling us not only to take our hand-crafted candles and home fragrances to a new market, but also to tell the story of our island home to buyers in New York.
“Knowing how Americans love the Scottish isles, we expect them to relate to the provenance and quality of the Essence of Harris range. The NY NOW trade show is an epicenter for innovative, design-led brands and we are proud that carefully crafted products from the Outer Hebrides will play a part in the winter show.”
Stewart Roxburgh from Scottish Enterprise said: “With the global wellness market now exceeding $4.5 trillion, it is always pleasing to see a company prepare and launch new products that look to serve that market.
“Utilising the purest elements, and subtle, herbal scents to craft a stunning collection of products that truly celebrates Scotland’s natural heritage and offers a glimpse into life on the remote and rugged Western Isles.”
