The Guild of Master Craftsmen

A Brief Word About Our Leather

Proud to be members since 2019

Mackenzie Leather Edinburgh has been proudly a member of The Guild of Mastercraftsmen since 2019.

The Guild is the UKs leading trade association and always asks potential members for just that kind of recommendation. The Guild’s stringent entry criteria ensure that only those companies who meet the requirements are awarded membership, which is by no means automatic. Members are required to prove that they have earned the right to be called
Master Craftsmen – through the quality of their work, their commitment to customer care and the level of service they provide. Once accepted into membership they are required to maintain the Aims and Objectives of the Guild. Should they fail to do so their membership will be terminated.

Applicants for the Guild are required to submit confidential references from satisfied customers and one of the first questions asked of all referees is whether or not they would be prepared to recommend the applicant to a relative or close friend. The Guild’s council of management include a review of the references when considering the application for membership as well as ensuring all other criteria are met. Only when they are satisfied that the applicant really does deserve to be called a master craftsmen is the application approved. This is about as close as you can get to receiving a recommendation from one of your neighbours or friends.

The major objectives is to promote high standards of quality and service in all aspects of commercial life. For many years the Guild has been well known for representing quality, craftsmen and customer service. Extensive promotion, by the Guild and its members has enhanced this reputation and increased public awareness of the Guild as a symbol of quality and service.

Your membership of the Guild is recognised of your commitment to skill and integrity, and your determination to maintain high standards.

Members of The Guild of Master Craftsmen since 2019

The Guild Certificate-Mackenzie Leather Edinburgh

Origins of The Guild of Master Craftsmen

The Guild of Master Craftsmen continues a great tradition established by the guilds of medieval Europe. The earliest of these were ‘frith’ or ‘peace’ guilds – groups bonded together for mutual protection following the breakdown of the kins, which were groups related by blood ties. Merchant guilds – associations of international trades – were powerful in the 12th and 13th centuries, but lost their ascendancy with the rise of the craft guilds – associations of master craftsmen, journeymen, apprentices and the various trades connected with a particular craft.

Guilds were devoted largely to the regulation of their crafts and the endeavours to support their members’ interests against the competing ones of their suppliers or of related trades. Undoubtedly there is as much need today for a guild to represent skilled craftspeople as there has ever been.

Aims and Objectives of The Guild

To bring together skilled people engaged in craft, art, trade, profession or vocation in order to safeguard the interests of craftsmen and the public.
To ensure that the minimum qualifications for membership preserve the high standards of The Guild by excluding the unskilled.
To publicise these high standards through national and local media, thus creating public awareness of the ideals and aims of The Guild and its members
To promote to the public the trading assets of the member, their honour, professional expertise and integrity, their high standards and the value for money which they offer.
To provide clear identification and recognition for members to enable the public to distinguish them from the unskilled who pass themselves off as craftsmen.
To assist all members, and to protect them against the growing menace and the devaluing and damaging activities of the unskilled, against bureaucratic discrimination, against penal taxation and adverse legislation. Equally to protect the public by instilling among members a greater sense of responsibility, making members aware of the nation importance of the services they render, monitoring these standards to ensure that The Guild’s high standards are being maintained, and by encouraging members always to strive for excellence.
To encourage an interchange of views among members, to endeavour to unite these views and to bring them to the attention of the Government and local authorities in order to safeguard the livelihood and welfare of the members and their dependants.
To constitute a pressure group to seep the support of one or more Members or Parliament to make sure that someone speaks up for the interests of Guild members where it matters most.
To promote research within the craft, trade, art, profession or vocation in which members are engaged, for their own benefit and that of the public.
To foster learning among apprentices and students in order to perpetuate the survival and success of their particular craft.
To promote sponsorship of The Guild by persons, firms and organisations, whether by financial support, by endorsement of the activities of The Guild or by patronage.

We have been awarded a Certificate of Quality & Service through our commitment to maintaining high standards of customer care, product quality and presentation. Our management and staff have demonstrated our dedication to quality and service.

For more information visit http://www.guildmc.com/consumer/