From Marylebone to Scotland's west coast - Mats Klingberg of Trunk Clothiers visits the mill at Begg & Co

Begg & Co have been building a strong relationship with Mats Klingberg, the Swedish-born founder of Trunk Clothiers since his independent store opened in 2010. Situated in Chiltern Street, London, it has grown to be one of the most dynamic and yet understated menswear retailers in the capital. Mats has an eye for pared-back masculine luxury, and works tirelessly to source the best quality, hard-to-find items from across the globe. With an in-depth knowledge of the industry, his brand has become the place to visit for a refreshing new approach to male dressing – and as a stockist of Begg & Co’s scarves, we were delighted when Mats travelled to our mill in Ayrshire to see how things are made here in Scotland.

The Trunk Clothiers customers have been buying Begg & Co scarves for a number of years now – after your tour of the mill, what were your impressions of the way we make our collections?

Before the visit, it was difficult to imagine all the manufacturing processes that took place, but after seeing 100-year old machinery sitting comfortably with cutting-edge technology, it suddenly became much clearer – it just made me love the brand even more! It was genuinely wonderful to see the love and time that goes into making every single scarf. There are no corners cut, everyone has real focus, and an attention to detail and quality.

We use so many different types of equipment, were there any in particular that you found memorable or surprising?

Where do I begin?! The milling machine with wooden stocks that ‘punches’ the fabric, then there’s the way you wash cashmere (for much longer than others in the industry), as well as the paper press, with copper infused sheets of card to give some of the styles that inimitable glossy sheen. I was also amazed by how quiet the mill was, it wasn’t the heavy industrial environment that I’d imagined.

You sell our product to an international audience – do you think there a way to work a scarf into your everyday look, regardless of location?

Absolutely. I spend most of my time working in London, where it’s primarily cold, but often there is no need to wear a heavy winter coat. On those days, I find myself wrapping up in a Begg & Co oversized scarf to take off the chill. I tend to opt for the standard wrap-around look, but when the occasion needs something more elegant I’ll just have the same style draping neatly at the sides of my jacket lapels. I spend a lot of time searching for the right product from far-flung corners of the world, but Ayr is most definitely where I find the best scarves for the discerning Trunk customer!