The Nith is more than 70 miles (110km) long from source to sea and touches some of the UNESCO Biosphere’s loveliest villages and towns including Sanquhar, which grew in wealth as a centre of weaving and handknitting industries and still celebrates the black and white ‘Sanquhar pattern’ both at the Tolbooth Museum and the knitters who work upstairs at A’ the Airts community hub. Through 2024 these knitters tested Merrick’s unique Scottish Blackface yarn both in handknitting and on domestic machines and produced some gorgeous, one-off designs for scarves, gloves, and cushions, some of which are pictured here. Sanquhar was also the location of the Merrick Scottish Blackface Knitwear shoot for our feature on The One Show which screened at the end of January 2025; filmed on a sunny afternoon the previous summer, The One Show’s crew were fully immersed in the UNESCO Biosphere’s woolly heritage having come to Sanquhar directly after filming the Colleys’ beautiful Scottish Blackface flock at their farm near Thornill. Fun fact: Thornhill also sits along the Nith and until the late 18th century travellers heading west had to undertake a rather precarious river crossing by ferry. A stone bridge was finally erected in 1777 – we imagine to quite some collective relief.
Our Nith Zip Vest was also one of the first designs to adorn a mannequin on public display. At the invitation of British Wool we joined their Scottish showcase at the Royal Highland Show 2023, and were part of the inaugural Flock to Fashion Show, where all the models were farmers or working in rural jobs. The show takes place annually in June at Ingliston, just outside Edinburgh, and is the country’s flagship agricultural show. We devised perhaps the cutest little questionnaire (if we do say so ourselves) for attendees coming to the Merrick Scottish Blackface Knitwear stand, inviting them to identify as ‘Yowe or Tup’ and ‘Mutton or Lamb’, and – more seriously – to share their thoughts on our prototype clothing range. This was a fantastic and hugely important opportunity to gather feedback that could inform the next iterations of our designs, as well as business planning, costings and pricings, and all the other critical ‘stuff’ without which a social enterprise would never get underway. Pictured here is the Nith Zip Vest in pride of place at RHS – what an immense national stage on which to launch!
Also in Edinburgh, on another day, we were delighted to find none other than Robert Burns wearing a pretty darn close predecessor of the Nith Zip Vest. Obviously without the zip, but doubtless also made from 100% local wool! We bumped into our national bard on the staircase at the National Library of Scotland. It felt very synergistic (not a word we use every day): Edinburgh is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; we were visiting the city for a model shoot; and Burns lived, travelled, and wrote alongside the vest’s namesake, the River Nith. Pausing between professional shots taken around Edinburgh we grabbed some snaps of Robert and our model Beau comparing vests.
One of Burns’ most famous works, Sweet Afton, was inspired by the Afton Water, a tributary of the Nith in Ayrshire. We quote here the second verse:
How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighbouring hills,
Far mark’d with the courses of clear winding rills;
There daily I wander as noon rises high,
My flocks and my Mary’s sweet cot in my eye.
A ‘rill’ is a small stream, and Mary – though it’s not known beyond doubt – was probably either Mary Campbell or Mary Murdoch, both dairymaids on Ayrshire farms. At least one Mary caught Burns’ eye as he daundered along the waterside.
We are incredibly proud of the stories behind the Nith Zip Vest, and there are many more to discover for anyone inclined to take a deeper dive into the history of the river and its catchment, and the folklore surrounding it. We’re also delighted with the response to this item from customers, as per below:
“I have worn my Merrick Blackface wool bodywarmer almost every day this winter. What a difference it makes! Warm, breathable, gorgeous! I am so pleased with it.” Ruth, January 2025
We love that Ruth has called it a “bodywarmer” because that’s exactly what it is intended to do. Fully fashioned and created from 100% finest grade Scottish Blackface wool, the Nith Zip Vest is ideal for layering – it fits over shirts, sweaters and cardigans, and under jackets. It’s also supremely versatile; whether you’re looking for cosy casual wear for keeping the body warm at home or hiking the hills, or seeking a distinctive item for a special event (we think it would look perfect paired with a kilt). Like all the Merrick Scottish Blackface Knitwear range, the Nith Zip Vest is designed to last a lifetime – that’s plenty of riverside walks.
Merrick Scottish Blackface Knitwear is committed to supporting our local communities and rural heritage through our own platforms and in partnership with the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere. Some useful links for those who wish to discover more about the River Nith and its place in history and modern life:
Sanquhar: a Biosphere Community – read more about this special designation for villages and towns that wish to protect nature, live sustainably, and generate opportunities for local people
Nith Life – read more about this volunteer-led group exploring cultural heritage and undertaking nature restoration projects in the catchment of the River Nith
Cumnock History Group – read more about the social and industrial history of East Ayrshire