Crafting with Nature: Ethical Gold from Local Rivers
Tyndrum sits atop a geological fault, offering a rich and diverse selection of natural materials—many of which we carefully incorporate into our pottery. Rather than exploiting the land, we work in harmony with it, sourcing these raw materials by hand in a way that is both sustainable and environmentally responsible. This approach not only helps protect our landscapes for future generations but also infuses our work with a deep, tangible connection to the Scottish Highlands. Every piece we create carries the story of the land it comes from, giving our pottery a true sense of place and provenance. Here we explore some of the natural treasures found in our region and how they shape our craft.
Alluvial Gold
Our Gold
The gold we use isn’t mined, imported, or bought in bulk. It’s gathered by hand from the rivers that wind through the mountains around our studio — found slowly, respectfully, using traditional, low-impact panning methods passed down through the ages.
This is alluvial Scottish gold:
• Incredibly rare
• Entirely traceable
• Collected with patience and precision
• Ethical & Sustainable
Scottish gold is one of the rarest naturally occurring precious metals in the world. Most people will never see it — fewer still will ever work with it. What we find is measured in grams, not kilos. Every fleck is the result of hours spent knee-deep in cold water, reading the river, understanding its moods, its movements, and where it’s chosen to hide its treasure.
This isn’t guesswork. It’s quiet expertise.
Unlike industrial mining, which scars landscapes and pollutes waterways, our method leaves no trace. There are no chemicals, no machines, no damage. Just a pan, a shovel, a pair of trained eyes, and the rhythm of the river.
As far as we know, we’re the only pottery in the world that collects and refines its own gold for use in ceramic work. It’s more than a material — it’s a statement of intent. Of care. Of place.
Each piece that carries this gold carries a story:
Of land, of craft, and of something truly rare — not just in form, but in spirit.