Winter Obsessions: Ethical Knitwear
Our favourite ethical knitwear brands to keep you cozy this winter.
Words: Sasha Wardrop
For winter this year we have been wearing nothing but trackies and sustainable knitwear from brands we love. These companies put their people over profit all whilst maintaining eco-conscious production practices. So look no further for a round-up of all the best sustainable knitwear brands.
Frisson Knitwear
Frisson Knits’ hand-knitted jumpers literally look like soft clouds of love, and when they say hand-knitted, they literally mean the only equipment used is some knitting needles. No sewing machines, just the loving team of hand knitters. The New Zealand based company only uses New Zealand Kid Mohair and unlike in other countries, their Angora goats are farmed in very small flocks, often by part-time lifestyle farmers, making for the utmost sustainable sweaters.
Paloma Wool
Cool girl favourite, Paloma Wool produces knitwear that hits the sweet spot between art and fashion. The owner Paloma Lanna often collaborates with international artists like Alejandra Smits and Romy Cole-Groth. Made in Barcelona, the brand values transparency when it comes to manufacturing and have sustainable production methods in place.
Kowtow
Kowtow is a label committed to creating positive change in the fashion industry. The NZ based brand makes their knitwear from 100% fair trade certified organic cotton and individually knits the pieces to eliminate yarn waste. Their pieces use simple naturally dyed colours that are designed to be versatile and last for years.
The Knitter
Softness you can feel through your screen. The Knitter, Nicole Leybourne, and her team make made-to-order knitwear from their homes in New Zealand and Peru. Nicole believes that supporting small communities, ethical labor and a sustainable way of life, is of utmost importance. Her team use mohair yarn from New Zealand and alpaca and sheep wool from the Peruvian Highlands to create magically woolly knits.
Auguste The Label
The dreamy Auguste the Label are constantly looking for ways to become as sustainable as possible. They are a 1% for the planet member and are consistently working with charities to help the community around them. Their neutral aesthetic knitwear is made from either natural or regenerated fibers.
Maggie Marilyn
Another New Zealand based brand, Maggie Marilyn is a force to be reckoned with in the sustainable fashion world. Their range of cool and playful knitwear is totally transparent, each piece comes with a note on where, how and who made it. They also just became carbon reduced certified.
Obus
Obus Clothing’s colourful knitwear is made from merino wool, alpaca and wool-cotton blends. In order to lessen their impact on the environment, Obus run a Swap Shop where they invite customers to exchange their pre-loved Obus items for store credit. They then take the preloved items and rework them into new pieces or donate them to charity.
