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

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

1. To bring together skilled people engaged in craft, art, trade, profession or vocation in order to safeguard the interests of craftsmen and the public.
2. To ensure that the minimum qualifications for membership preserve the high standards of The Guild by excluding the unskilled.
3. 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
4. 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.
5. To provide clear identification and recognition for members to enable the public to distinguish them from the unskilled who pass themselves off as craftsmen.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. To foster learning among apprentices and students in order to perpetuate the survival and success of their particular craft.
11. 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/