Although California is having a mild winter (especially compared to our friends on the East Coast!), I still wear sweaters almost every day from November through March. So investing in high quality, sustainable sweaters is a priority for me. I’m at the stage in my life when I don’t care about trends- I care about buying thoughtfully and steering towards more sustainable products that will last for (hopefully!) decades to come. I’ve come across several (new to me) great British knitwear brands that are helping me with the perfect sweater selection.
The first thing to note is that these great British knitwear brands sell the opposite of fast fashion. When buying from these companies, expect to have a bit of sticker shock (unless you are buying on sale– which I highly recommend! The Matches Fashion end of season sale is, sadly, over for this year, but as of this writing, Net-a-Porter is still going…) But keep in mind that if you buy classic styles, in neutral colors, there is no reason why these sweaters shouldn’t be going strong in 5, 10, 15 years.
Begg x Co
Begg x Co is a company based in Scotland with really lovely sweaters. You can find their products scattered across other online stores, but their website has pretty much the full selection and is probably the best place to do your browsing. I defy you to watch their video below and not want to pop something in your shopping cart right away. I think it’s the combination of the sense of place (Scotland! Jamie Fraser! :)) and the craftsmanship behind their items that really stirs my heart.
Begg x Co from Nick Ballón on Vimeo.
In my book, Begg x Co is really best known for their cashmere scarves, in a sorts of sizes, types and colors. If I am looking for a specific color, Begg x Co is usually my first stop. Lots of solids, plaids (of course! it’s Scotland!) and neutrals. And yes, they are all about sustainability.
Johnston of Elgin
Johnston of Elgin is another Scottish knitwear brand. I stumbled across their products at the Matches Fashion sale- and I was quite tempted by this cashmere jogging set (which is apparently something people wear on long haul flights? Seems a bit expensive for that!) My one piece of advice is to measure the length of the sweaters you are considering buying. There are few things as annoying in this world than a sweater which is too short!
And yes, they also have a video- which seems eerily similar to the Begg x Co one?? I’m starting to think they are going for the same vibe…. and I am here for it!
&Daughter
Finally, there’s &Daughter. They branch out with great British knitwear from Scotland AND Ireland 🙂 They are definitely more fashion-forward and colorful than you’ll find at Johnstons or Begg x Co. Since I’m on a more “neutral and classic” kick, I find myself picking through the wildly colored items to find the plainer ones. In fact, this sweater is lovely, classic and 50% off. And there are a few sizes available. Might be worth a look?
Unlike some other knitwear brands, &Daughter doesn’t hit you too hard with its backstory. Hard to believe, but I could not find any videos of streams or Scottish pastures filled with sheep. They don’t even have an “About Us” page on their website!
But I did find this from Net-a-porter, and we’ll have to fill in the blanks in our imaginations… “&Daughter creates knitwear that will stand the test of time – each piece is spun from the finest yarns, which are locally sourced from expert spinners in Ireland and the UK. Made in Scotland, this thickly ribbed ‘Inver’ sweater is knitted from merino wool certified by the Responsible Wool Standard and blended with cashmere, so it feels soft and cozy.”
So if you are looking for a new sweater, pick one up from one of these great British knitwear brands. In September, when you see the full prices, you will be grateful to have scored a deal back in February!
