We are unashamedly reaching out to people who agree with our belief that clothing brands and consumers can both do better. Textiles are a critical part of our circular economy. We know that the carbon impacts of manufacture are problem that needs to be urgently resolved. We also know that as wardrobes go global, local skills and cottage industries start to slip away.
Merrick proposes a different course from worldwide patterns of manufacture, transport and sales. We want to reduce farm and industrial waste. We want to ensure Scotland’s heritage skills are kept alive and passed on. We don’t believe that good, warm, long-lasting knitwear is best made four thousand miles from home.
Merrick Knitwear production is ‘end-to-end’, from the moment we purchase each batch of Scottish Blackface fleece. This amazing raw material is all locally sourced, our yarn – an entirely original type was developed by the Merrick team with expert advice and is produced in the UK.
The garments themselves will last a lifetime – longer, in fact. Our fully fashioned design techniques mean that each item can be unravelled and the yarn repurposed into something new. Should a garment ever be discarded, the wool will biodegrade. The small details matter too. Our buttons are made from sustainably sourced horn, and casein, both of which will also naturally biodegrade.
Merrick Knitwear manufacture is entirely in the UK. All our packaging is plastic-free. This website, our online shop, and the logistics of distribution are all managed by a small team who live and work in the UNESCO Biosphere. And our story does not end at point of sale. Merrick is a social enterprise, which means that 100% of profits are ploughed back into our region to support conservation, education, and other sustainable businesses like ours. The goal is first to innovate, then to transform, in a region that is home to more than 100,000 people – and over 150,000 Scottish Blackface sheep.
Our processes are small scale, low impact, and as local as they can be. Merrick produces the highest quality knitted garments with a true commitment to sustainability.
