Made in Scotland: Woolkind

Happy Made in Scotland Blog day to all who celebrate! We are so pleased to be chatting today with Laurence and Jane from Woolkind, an Edinburgh based Knitwear company that we are delighted to have been admiring and advising since they launched a few years ago. We love their ethos and their commitment to manufacturing in Scotland, on a small scale and with beautiful colours and natural fibres. Read on to find out about their made to order business and more about their ethical and fashionable principles. We love them and we’re sure you will too!

Can you tell us how your business got started?

We (Jane and Laurence) are old friends and colleagues and during the Covid pandemic, after losing our passion for the corporate world, hatched a plan to create beautifully soft, customisable knitwear that was made to order, with care for people, animals and the planet. We’re both proud descendants of Scottish hand knitters; craftsmanship and heritage is important to us, as is taking joy and pride in our work and the materials we use. We wanted to create a business that did good for everyone and everything involved, from the makers, to the workers in the supply chain – a business that was more than just about profit. And so Woolkind was born out of this mission, to not only re-discover our own joy, but to inspire our customers too.

Where do you look for inspiration when you are designing new products? 

Woolkind represents modern Scottish knitwear and we seek inspiration from heritage Scottish textile patterns and mix them with a contemporary twist. Each design has a story connecting colour to classic designs and patterns. Like Edinburgh, we blend the old and the new, to create fun knitwear full of personality and joy whilst reminding us of the textiles of the past.

Can you tell us a bit more about how you make your products?

We make all of our products in our Edinburgh Studio, just 2 miles from Edinburgh Castle. We design everything digitally and then knit our pieces on our knitting machine, before hand linking and finishing them. They are then washed and steamed to get the best results. All our products are customisable so every item is different depending on what a customer chooses which makes the making process constantly fun and refreshing as we see new colour combinations all the time. All of our knitwear is made with ethically sourced and traceable superfine merino wool. Sustainability runs through our whole business and we only use compostable packaging and zero-waste manufacturing processes to ensure that we do no harm to people, animals or the planet.

Woolkind’s bestselling Narrow Striped Scarf

What are your most popular products and which are your own favourites?

Our best seller is by far our Narrow Striped Scarf. They are so fun and can easily accessorise any outfit. Due to their versatility, they and can be used all year round no matter what the weather in Scotland throws at us! Like all our products, they can be customised so customers can pick their own colours to make a scarf that suits their own personal style.

Jane’s favourite item is our Merino Wool Wrap in Fire Red. She loves to wear this throughout the summer months when the evenings get cooler and you need something easy to throw on and keep you cosy.

Woolkind’s Merino Wool Wrap in Fire Red

Laurence’s favourite item is the Not an Argyle Scarf. This colour clash design is a signature piece from Woolkinds latest collection – Off Kilter. His favourite colour combination is Sunshine Yellow and Heather Lilac.

Woolkind’s Not an Argyle Scarf in Sunshine Yellow and Heather Lilac

If you had to pick one place in Scotland to recommend that people visit, where would it be?

Laurence’s favourite place to visit is the Isle of Harris on the Outer Hebrides. This stunning island is the place to go if you want to get away from the world and totally switch off. It’s like being on a tropical island and the beaches are the best in the world!

Which other Scottish Makers do you love to recommend?

There are so many amazing makers in Scotland so this is very hard! If we had to choose then we would pick:

Made in Scotland: Silver Sparrow Jewellery

• Silver Sparrow Jewellery – Michele creates beautiful Britannia Silver jewellery, inspired by the Scottish waters, in her Edinburgh studio.

Made In Scotland: Paper Street Dolls

• Paper Street Dolls – Claire and Julie have been creating, sustainable paper decorations from their Glasgow studio for over 10 years now. Each item is made to order and can be customised for any occasion.
• Stocky and Dee – Edinburgh based, made to order, luxury dog accessories made from wool! What more could you want for your pooch!

Thanks so much to Laurence and Jane for talking with us and do make sure to check out the fabulous Woolkind on their Website, Facebook or Instagram! We’re sure you will find the perfect colour combination to create yourself for a unique knitwear treat!