Here at Bosie Knitwear, Sustainability is at the core of our ethos. Our goal is to respect both the natural world and the people wearing our garments, through our materials, ethics, knitting practices and singular origin.

 

Purity of Material

We only use pure, 100% natural fibres from ethically treated animals or in rare instances, plants. We never use artificial 'dead' yarns derived from petrochemicals.

Natural wool and cashmere are 'living' fibres which respond to their environment dynamically and harmoniously. They are completely biodegradable, non-toxic and don't require several chemical treatments to transform them into yarn. They are also kind and comfortable to the wearer, being moisture wicking, breathable and gentle to the skin. They are naturally inhospitable to bacteria, fungus and pathogens and therefore don't accumulate odour like synthetic or even plant derived yarns.

Wool is also naturally fire-resistant, wool ignites at a higher temperature than other fabrics, like cotton and polyester. It doesn't normally support flame and will instead smoulder and usually go out on its own. Wool also doesn't melt, drip, or stick to the skin if it melts and produces less smoke and toxic gas than synthetic fibers. 

 

Ethics

Here at Bosie Knitwear, animal welfare standards are our highest priority.  Sheep have been bred over the centuries to now have a physical need to be shorn, but we treat both them and their beautiful by-product with the great respect they deserve. 

All our yarns are mulesing free and from Scottish, British or Italian spinners either RWS certified or in the process of becoming so. We never ever use yarns or fibres that are painfully plucked from animals, or from countries without high animal welfare standards. We are fully committed to the humane wellbeing of the Sheep, Goats and Alpacas that supply the amazing ecological fibres we use to knit our garments.

Anyone involved in making a Bosie garment is obviously employed in Scotland and benefitting from strict employment laws. Being that we make all our own wares, you don't have to worry about your purchase being the result of unfair labour laws or exploitation in other countries.

We offer ethically made knitwear at an ethical price for the consumer, so that both us and our customers can sleep soundly.

 

Knitting Practices

Although Bosie is my brand project, all of our knitwear is knitted on site by my family's company, Harley of Scotland. Harley is very special in that it pioneered Scottish seam-free knitting, which it now has perfected with over 25 years of experience. Seam-free technology knits garments in a single piece, without seams and with supreme comfort that rivals that of a handknit. The best thing about this sustainability-wise, is that there is zero waste. With Harley's elegant seam-free technology, no cutting occurs and no precious natural fibre is wastefully discarded.

 

Singular Origin

All our knitting happens here in Peterhead on the North-East Coast of Scotland, on site. Apart from the raw materials, which we mostly source from Scotland too, there is no chain of goods supply, so when we say you are buying Scottish origin, we literally mean it - you are buying directly from where the knitwear is made. Because of this there is no transportation of finished goods via plane, train, lorry or even van. The knitwear we make goes straight from our talented knitters, to you. This way, as well as procuring quality for yourself, you are investing in ethical Western manufacturing with a small footprint and in turn, a healthier future.