Merrick – Where it all began

Merrick – Where it all began…

Merrick Scottish Blackface Knitwear is unique in many ways: it is (as far as we know) the only brand in the world creating high-end outerwear using 100% Scottish Blackface wool, and the only luxury knitwear company run as a social enterprise directing all profits into grassroots climate and sustainable development initiatives.

Having launched research and development in late 2021, by autumn 2023 our designs and business plan were fully formed. Thus far we had been supported by funding from the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership, a charitable body, and a generous donation from the Blackface Sheep Breeders’ Association. Finance is as critical for a social enterprise as any other style of company, perhaps more so with no stakeholders, investors, or stocks or shares to sell. Where would we go to secure the critical funding that would get manufacture underway and our first edition designs on sale?

After much brainstorming among the Merrick team we turned to Crowdfunder. The platform’s tagline summed up everything we were about: Connecting projects that matter with people who care. Crowdfunder offers passionate supporters of new ideas the opportunity to back projects small and large with whatever donation they can afford. Our headline was simple: From rural industry to luxury clothing design, we’re creating a sustainable knitwear brand using 100% Scottish Blackface wool.

None of our team had used Crowdfunder before so this was real learning on the hoof. We recorded an introductory video filmed in the Galloway Hills and at one of our design development sessions. We mailed out to the people who had followed our wool project since its inception, members of our Facebook group and the couple of hundred folk we had met when we were part of British Wool’s Scottish showcase at the Royal Highland Show in 2022. We had just 28 days to reach our target: £12,000 was what it would cost for our first full production run, web development, and a suite of sustainably produced labels and packaging.

‘Nerves’ does not capture our sentiment during that month. Crowdfunder can be make-or-break for any entity; followers read your pitch and decide whether it has merit – and it really must, for an ordinary person to donate from their own pocket!

It’s not a spoiler to say now that we met and exceeded our fundraising goal, or you wouldn’t be reading this now. In 28 days we reached £13,292, a figure that represents donations from 131 supporters. People backing Crowdfunder projects choose a level at which to donate and each of these has a ‘Reward’ attached. Our backers were rewarded with products from the very first, limited edition production run of Merrick garments, with just twelve each of four designs available. We were also able to offer 25g skeins of our bespoke Scottish Blackface yarn, which were incredibly popular among hand knitters, so many of whom are passionate about using wool from heritage breeds here in Scotland and around the world. Our list of Rewards was topped off by a range of unique ‘Biosphere Experiences’ including a guided hike up Merrick, South Scotland’s highest peak, after which our clothing brand is named.

Crowdfunder was a pivotal moment in the story of Merrick Scottish Blackface Knitwear and it’s true to say this was where it all began. Without that amazing level of public support – from people who knew the project already and many others who were coming in cold – our social enterprise would have stalled at the point of being ‘a very nice idea’. The commitment of our backers was (and remains) a source of inspiration to the Merrick team as we continue to evolve and iterate and ensure this social enterprise continues to encapsulate a passion for people, place, tradition and industry.

Our Crowdfunder page, though now closed for donations, is still available to view for anyone who would like to take a closer look at what Merrick looked like then. For more information please do get in touch with us via hello@merrickscotland.com.