In nearly every souvenir store in Edinburgh, you’ll see Harris Tweed bags, Islander bags, and knock-offs. Rather than simply buying one, how about creating your own custom Islander tweed bag in the Islander Edinburgh Workshop?
I enrolled in the Islander Workshop Experience in Edinburgh and had an incredible time putting together my very own tweed backpack, complete with mismatched straps. Here’s a complete guide about the Islander Edinburgh Workshop, including everything you need to know before enrolling.
About the Islander Edinburgh Workshop
Islander was founded by a Chinese woman who moved to Scotland, married a Scottish man, and then started her own business. In 2010, she changed the name of her business to Islander and started selling Harris Tweed bags.
The Islander Edinburgh Workshop is fairly new, having started in 2022, but it’s caught on like wildfire and has become a popular thing to do while visiting Edinburgh.
Now that I’ve done the workshop, I can see why.
The format of the workshop makes it so fun to customize a unique bag with whatever colors you want! And most of the bag is already constructed, so all you have to do is screw on the straps and tweed. An easy but memorable task to do within an hour.
Quick Facts About the Islander Edinburgh Workshop
Locations: Two shops in Edinburgh (42 Candlemaker Row and 37 Marshall Street) and one shop in St. AndrewsTypes of Bags: Mini Satchel, Medium Satchel, Washbag, and Backpack
Colors of Bags: Varies
Cost: £60 for Mini Satchel, £60 for a Washbag, £70 for Medium Satchel, or £85 for Backpack
How to Sign Up: On the Islander website. Advanced booking is highly recommended.
What to Expect in the Islander Edinburgh Workshop
The Islander Edinburgh Workshop lasts an hour and the time goes by so fast.
We were only given 5 minutes to select all the elements of our bag. The rest of the hour was dedicated to construction.
Before you know it, you’ll be walking out into the streets of Edinburgh with your very own Harris Tweed Bag, a perfect souvenir for your time in Scotland.
Did you know that Islander bags are made from vegan leather and authentic Harris Tweed? Harris Tweed is handwoven, finished, dyed, and spun by islanders in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.
In the Islander Edinburgh Workshop you’ll gain a greater appreciation of Scottish tweed in addition to creating your custom Islander bag. So, let’s get into all you need to know before enrolling in this incredible workshop.
Structure of the Islander Edinburgh Workshop
Length: 1 Hour
1. Introduction (~5 minutes)
2. Select Your Bag Components (5 minutes)
3. Construct Your Bag (~45 minutes)
4. Wrap Up Completed Bag (~5 minutes)
1. Introduction to the Islander Edinburgh Workshop
Once the Islander workshop begins, your instructor will introduce themselves and tell you how the next hour will go.
Our workshop instructor, Jill, was absolutely phenomenal. I was seriously impressed by her patience and friendliness as she guided all of us in the workshop to create our bags. She helped anyone who was confused and even checked every bag to ensure the bolts were tight enough. Shout out to Jill. If you get her as an instructor, count yourself lucky!
During the Islander workshop you’ll learn about Islander, tweed in Scotland, and how bags like these are created. It’s a very hands-on workshop, so the brief 5-minute introduction in the beginning is the only time you will just be sitting on your hands. The rest of the time, you will be working on your bag.
2. Select Your Bag Components in the Islander Edinburgh Workshop
The best (and most stressful) part of the workshop is when you select your bag components.
And for this important step, you’re only given 5 minutes!
The workshop is well organized with each wall of shelves housing all the components for each bag type. For example, there’s a wall of backpack components, a wall of medium satchel components, a wall of mini satchel components, and a wall of washbag components.
Here are the components you’ll need to select:
- Bag base
- Tweed
- Straps for the front (they do not have to match!)
- Shoulder strap or top strap (depending on your bag type)
Specific colors aren’t guaranteed. There’s no guarantee what color tweed or bags will be available on the day of your workshop. I actually wanted a tan or beige backpack base but it wasn’t offered on the day of my workshop. So I settled for my second-best option: green.
You don’t have to match colors. You can match or mismatch your combination of components to your liking. Make it uniquely your own.
It gets crowded when picking components. For those creating a satchel, it will get crowded at your wall of shelves. It’s helpful if you know what colors you want before you get up. But, it’s okay if you don’t. In my workshop, I was the only one who opted to create a backpack. So that meant I had the backpack wall to myself and didn’t have to fight to get a certain color tweed.
Once you make your selections, you’ll place them in the baskets they give you and sit back at your table, ready for further instruction.
3. Construct Your Bag in the Islander Edinburgh Workshop
Your instructor will walk you, step by step, in constructing your bag. You’ll be given little screwdrivers and bolts, and they’ll tell you where to fit them into which pieces.
The material you are working with is thick vegan leather, and so it was harder than it seemed to put together.
Thankfully, our instructor came around and helped everyone tighten their bags if they were having trouble. I know I did.
4. Wrap Up Your Bag in the Islander Edinburgh Workshop
Once your bag is finished, you’ll be given a dust cover and shopping bag to wrap up your masterpiece. You’ll also be given a small bag of bolts in case any of yours break loose in the future. Try not to doubt your construction abilities, but anything can happen, and it’s nice they plan for it.
Don’t forget to take a photo with your bag before you leave the workshop.
I wished we had wrapped up our bags after taking the photo outside, under the pretty floral doorway. But, whatever, at least now you can see what the dust covers look like in the photos below.
Tips about Enrolling in the Islander Edinburgh Workshop
Save space in your luggage. I signed up to create a backpack, which is quite large and can fit a laptop. I traveled with a larger, empty backpack as my personal item on the way to Scotland, so I could fit in my new backpack on the flight home. Consider leaving space in your suitcase or personal item for your new bag!
Get there early. The workshop room is small, and every chair will probably be taken. Arrive early to pick your seat and get a good look at all the tweed and strap colors before others arrive.
Note that the Candlemaker Row shop has stairs. The Edinburgh workshop on Candlemaker Row is upstairs, and no elevator is available. However, in April 2024, Islander opened a second shop in Edinburgh at 37 Marshall Street, which is accessible. There are no stairs at that shop on Marshall Street or in their St Andrews store either.
It’s okay to be indecisive. If you can’t decide on a tweed color, you can purchase extra components of the bag (i.e., a different tweed or strap color) to switch out later.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Islander Edinburgh Workshop
Is the Islander Edinburgh Workshop worth it?
Yes, the Islander Workshop Experience is definitely worth doing! If you like the look of the Harris Tweed bags, you’ll love creating your own. It’s not just a souvenir you’ll come home with but a memory.
How much does it cost to create your own Harris Tweed bag in the Islander Edinburgh Workshop?
Cost of the workshop ranges from £60 to £85.
- £60 for Mini Satchel
- £60 for Washbag
- £70 for Medium Satchel
- £85 for Backpack
The cost includes a seat in the workshop, the bag you create, as well as extra bolts in case any come loose.
Look Out for Deals
I scored a Black Friday deal and got 20% off my booking of the Islander Edinburgh Workshop.
How do you sign up for the Islander Edinburgh Workshop?
Sign up for the Islander Edinburgh Workshop on the Islander website. Advance bookings are highly recommended because these workshops do sell out!
There are a limited number of spots per workshop. In the Edinburgh workshop, there are only two tables, with about 6-8 people per table.
When you sign up, you’ll select the type of bag you’d like to create and pay at the time of your booking.
If you change your mind about your bag type, don’t worry. You can upgrade or downgrade to a smaller or larger bag at the workshop. If you downgrade, you won’t get a refund; instead, you’ll get a credit to use in the store. Perhaps you can find a matching tweed wallet or get an extra component for your bag?
Do men enroll in this workshop?
Yes! While my workshop consisted of all women, our instructor told us that she’s had several men take the workshop to create custom purses for their wife, girlfriend, mother, or other loved one.
Additionally, the backpack option was introduced specifically to draw in men. Create the backpack of your dreams, only at the Islander Edinburgh Workshop.
Are Islander bags made of real leather?
Islander bags are made from vegan leather that is both waterproof and sturdy.
Are Islander bags really made in Scotland?
Islander bags are made of authentic Harris Tweed. Did you know that Harris Tweed is inspected and checked before being stamped as authentic? Harris Tweed must meet the following requirements:
- It was hand woven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.
- It was finished in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.
- It was made from pure virgin wool, dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.
Most components of Islander bags are made in Scotland. However, our instructor told us that the linings in the bags are made in China, something they are up front about and don’t hide.
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Making this one of a kind purse was so fun and easy!! I would love to go back and make another