A timeless staple of anyone’s winter wardrobe is knitwear, whether styled over a dress, layered under a trench coat or thrown over your WFH attire.
Its’s officially sweater weather. there’s a new wave of sustainable knitwear brands out there creating long-lasting pieces that you’ll want to keep in your wardrobe forever, made using natural and recycled yarns that are less harmful to the environment.
Below are some of the mentions of the 10 brands with their sustainable products which are claiming no cost to the environment
HERD
British brand Herd launched last autumn with a mission to make beautiful, sustainable knitwear to revive and re-energize the traditions of sheep farming for wool in England.
The label uses no toxic chemicals to dye or clean its wool and locally-sourced fleeces, meaning its knits come with a massively reduced carbon footprint too.
Ally Bee
is a luxury British knitwear brand dedicated to making beautiful collections in traceable, eco-certified and animal-friendly natural fiber yarns all in minimal packaging
Ally Bee takes its eco-credentials seriously, operating a ‘cradle to cradle’ commitment using yarns produced from farms that have high standards of land management and animal welfare. 100% British, from alpaca sourcing (an eco-friendly, natural yarn) to production. They minimalize their impact on the environment with their production methods and use only natural fibers.
Flock By Nature
British and eco-friendly knitwear brand creates each piece with style and wellbeing in mind.
Each piece is not only relaxed in design but also designed to relax in.
Think super soft, thoughtfully crafted, sweaters and cardigans made from 100% merino wool.
RIA Burns
an independent knitwear designer who focuses on using foraged botanicals to hand dye British wool and then works on ’60s and retro designs made on vintage knitting machines in Bristol.
It might sound pretty niche but this is true Ethical Fashion, made locally and with little impact on the planet.
22 Factor
Combating the price issue,22 Factor are a new ethical knitwear label based in Hong Kong.
They upcycle and repurpose yarn and fibre that would otherwise be wasted from luxury brands.
22 Factor turn those into bags, scarves, sweaters and even trousers that aim to bridge the eco-luxe and everyday style space.
& Daughter
Whether you’re in search of a work-appropriate turtleneck or an Aran jumper, British brand & daughter, the brainchild of former publicist Buffy Reid, has got you covered.
The epitome of slow fashion, its knits are all produced in the UK and Ireland in small batches, using 100 per cent natural and locally-sourced yarns.
Sheep Inc.
For knitwear basics, Sheep Inc is your go-to, with the London-based brand specialising in crewneck jumpers that don’t come at a cost to our planet.
In fact, the company says its products are naturally carbon negative (meaning more CO2 is removed from the atmosphere than is released), thanks to wool that’s sourced from regenerative farms in New Zealand.
Nadaam Cashmere
they’re direct to consumer, which means no middlemen and there are no traditional price markups because they work directly with herders.
They have a sustainable supply chain in place, with a for profit/non profit model that invests in the long-term health of the goats in Mongolia, and supports herders with higher wages.
London Cashmere & Co
Launched in 2018, London Cashmere Co is a small label pioneering luxury cashmere that makes beautiful jumpers, cardigans and accessories that nod to the seasonal trends, but are essentially contemporary classics
Everything is ethically and responsibly produced in Mongolia, with a fully traceable and direct supply chain.
Waste yarn project
Launched in October of 2020, Waste Yarn Project was born from Johansen’s fatigue with finding surplus leftover yarn being wasted during factory visits.
His brand now uses this once-forgotten fabric to craft one-of-a-kind jumpers, which are all made by hand.
Writer:
Abdullah Al Mamun
Business unit Manager,
Marks and spencer.