Highland cow-themed products have become a major trend in homeware, with retailers from Next to Asda stocking everything from mugs and kettles to doormats and dog toys. The shaggy beast now appears across a vast range of items, and demand is rising sharply.
A booming market for shaggy decor
Next alone stocks so many highland-cow-themed products that it has created its own character, Hamish the Highland Cow, who is apparently “here to bring a smile to every season” and “make everyday moments special”. A search for “highland cow” on the clothes and homeware shop’s website yields 589 results, including Hamish pyjamas, toothbrush holders and wall art.
Next is not the only retailer to embrace the trend: Asda sells a highland cow in a pumpkin ornament, Wilko offers a highland cow-printed washing-up brush, and Pets at Home has a highland cow dog toy.
Why shoppers love highland cows
Customer enthusiasm is clear. “I love anything highland cow,” writes one reviewer of Next’s highland cow glass chopping board, thanking the retailer for introducing a wider range of products. Another fan on TikTok asks, “How gorgeous is this?” while showing off Next’s highland cow crockery.
The Range, which sells highland-cow-themed bedding, lamps and kitchenware, saw an 88% increase in searches for highland cow products in August. A spokesperson for the company says there is “a rise in the number of customers looking for decor that feels personal and the highland cow offers just that”. They add that it is “instantly recognisable” with “a strong connection to British heritage and countryside living, bringing a sense of warmth and calm into a space”.
Cosy, country style drives the trend
Kate Hewitt, DIY content creator and former contestant on Interior Design Masters, first noticed the highland cow trend last autumn and says it is now “appearing more and more”. She links its popularity to a wider shift towards a “cosy, country, vintage-style look”, with many people wanting “an antique-y, cosy cottage home”.
Hewitt believes the appeal of highland cattle is largely “because they are cute” and, unless you live in Scotland, something a bit unusual: “You don’t see them every day.” The brown and orange hues and the general “cosiness” of highland cattle decor fit the “autumnal” interior design that has become more popular in recent years.
While the aesthetic does not necessarily match Hewitt’s taste, she says: “Some of the prints I’ve seen are actually quite beautiful.” She could see herself incorporating the odd highland cow cushion into a space, though she “wouldn’t decorate a whole room in it”. Her mother, however, has bought “loads” of highland cow items. “She loves it and it makes her smile,” Hewitt says. “That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?”
The trend has become a common talking point, with many people saying they would not buy it themselves but know someone who loves it. As the Christmas shopping season approaches, highland cow nativity scenes are among the items available for those looking to embrace the craze.
