A tour of the fibres we knit your sweater with

Classic Scottish lambswool (often known as Shetland) has provided hard-wearing warmth for hundreds of years. Heavier than finer knits, but with more warmth, Scots found the many natural colour variations of this fibre enabled complex patterning within knits, resulting in the long-established and highly skilled tradition of Fair Isle knitting.

Today our most popular garments are made from this classic and globally beloved wool. Our Shetland is sourced from a trusted mill 11 miles from Peterhead, which has been spinning for the last 200 years. Supersoft Lambswool is not as soft as Cashmere or Superfine Merino, but for beauty it is head and shoulders above the rest, with a fibre that creates a prism of colour within the knit.

Harley of Scotland, the family company that knits our Shetlands, has been knitting them since 1929. Over the years this fibre has become an iconic staple of classic heritage wear for both men and women, with notable historical fans such as John F. Kennedy, Steve McQueen and Queen Elizabeth II. It also looks even lovelier when brushed, which Scottish Supersoft Lambswool tolerates beautifully.

The original Shetland breed is hardy, often navigating dangerous Voe cliffs to reach the shore and eat seaweed in the ebb tide. The distinctive wool they produce is world renowned and was worn by Sir Edmund Hillary when conquering Everest in 1953.

Our Everest Shetland is hands down one of our most popular garments, especially with those who enjoy the outdoors and know the many benefits of real wool. Exclusive and highly prized, our Voe True Shetland is pure, undyed virgin wool in the various natural colourways of the island’s sheep, hand graded and sorted by island experts to give you the finest quality and most authentic Shetland experience available.

Our Everest is 1-ply (super thin, just as Hillary wore it) and loved both by customers in warmer climates and by outdoor lovers who like to layer. Our Sherpa version is 2-ply for a standard weight.

Please note: this is authentic Shetland-breed yarn from Shetland, but it is not the knit to choose if you want what is known as a “Shetland” or “Shaggy”. For that, choose Supersoft Lambswool, above.

Our “Ecology” British Breed yarns are raw and rugged, and every colour has its own unique properties, handle and look. This is because each shade is named after the breed of British sheep it came from, e.g. Welsh Black, Hebridean, Wensleydale and many more. We also offer various twists combining two complementary shades of these yarns, which produce a beautiful dappled knit.

Like our Voe, they are undyed and as natural as their sheep grew them, giving multi-faceted colour and rich, deep hues. Ecology is a rougher-textured yarn, for those who prefer their wool as authentically rustic and sturdy as it comes.

The Cashmere goat is the source of the wool that becomes the highly prized Cashmere fibre for clothing and other textiles. Cashmere is characterised as almost indulgently soft, with high napability and loft, or “fluffiness”. It provides natural and luxurious lightweight insulation without bulk, and is extremely warm, protecting goats from freezing mountain temperatures.

The fibres are highly adaptable and easily made into fine or thick yarns, within a wide range of light- to heavyweight fabrics. Appropriate for all climates, its high moisture content allows its insulation to change with the humidity in the air. This makes cashmere the perfect knitwear for year-round wear.

Glenugie Nep is a rustic, characterful lambswool yarn. Its “neps” are tiny knots of contrasting coloured fibre, spun into the yarn as it is made.

Once knitted, the neps interweave through the fabric, flecking every sweater with multi-coloured tones against the base shade. The result is a beautifully textured, traditional knit with depth and warmth, where the closer you look, the more colour you find.

The Merino sheep is prized for the quality of its wool, and Superfine Merinos are regarded as having the finest and softest wool of any sheep. Merino distinguishes itself from cotton and polyester with superior breathability, temperature regulation and moisture control, plus natural anti-microbial properties.

Unlike “traditional” wool, Merino is much finer, softer and, best of all, itch-free for those with severe sensitivities or lanolin allergies.