Menswear
Timeless British-Made Men's Knitwear — Voted by the Community
This directory lists 17 brands that make timeless men's knitwear in the UK. They are most often based in London and Derbyshire. Prices run from affordable to luxury. Ranked by community upvotes.
John Smedley
John Smedley is the world's oldest manufacturing factory, established in 1784. They produce high-quality knitwear with a "Made in England" tag on every garment.
- Classic
- Heritage
- Timeless
Factory shop- Classic
- Heritage
- Timeless
Johnstons Of Elgin
Johnstons of Elgin is a British family-owned luxury brand, Made in Scotland since 1797, renowned for exceptional craftsmanship and timeless design.
- Classic
- Heritage
- Timeless
Factory shop- Classic
- Heritage
- Timeless
See these brands on the map54 places from 16 brands, 39 of them shops you can visit.Open the map
Carnwear
SupporterCarnwear produce hand crafted and made to order knitwear, designed and made in their West Cornwall studio. Their collection features transeasonal knitted garments for men & women as well as a selection of hats, scarves and hand warmers.
Sims Wear
Sims Wear crafts timeless British menswear using top-quality natural fibres, made to last. Discover elevated wardrobe essentials, knitted-to-order in the UK.
- Classic
- Ethical
- Timeless
- Classic
- Ethical
- Timeless
WAWWA
WAWWA is a Manchester clothing brand making functional, gender-inclusive everyday wear in its own UK factory. They work to a pre-order model, use organic and recycled materials, and pay the real Living Wage.
- Casual
- Contemporary
- Ethical
Shop to visit- Casual
- Contemporary
- Ethical
Phoebe English
Clothing made in England attempting a variety of solutions towards less extractive fashion systems. Est 2011.
- Bridal
- Casual
- Classic
Shop to visit- Bridal
- Casual
- Classic
Glencroft
Glencroft, established in 1987, offers classic British countrywear made from natural fibres like British Wool and Harris Tweed, inspired by rural Yorkshire.
- Classic
- Country
- Ethical
Factory shop- Classic
- Country
- Ethical
Mars Knitwear
Mars Knitwear is a Leicester-based manufacturer producing high-quality knitwear since 1994. All pieces are designed, made, and inspected in-house by experts.
- Casual
- Timeless
- Casual
- Timeless
Campbell's of Beauly
Campbell's of Beauly, established in 1858, is a Scottish family-run country tailor and outfitter known for bespoke tweeds, traditional clothing, and fishing equipment reflecting Highland heritage.
- Country
- Heritage
- Highland
Shop to visit- Country
- Heritage
- Highland
S.E.H Kelly
S.E.H Kelly crafts enduring British garments since 2009, using quality cloth and skilled artisans from the British Isles.
- Classic
- Heritage
- Timeless
- Classic
- Heritage
- Timeless
Turnbull & Asser
Turnbull & Asser is a distinguished British shirtmaker founded in 1885, renowned for timeless style, exceptional quality, and sartorial elegance.
- Classic
- Formal
- Heritage
Shop to visit- Classic
- Formal
- Heritage
Oubas
Oubas is a British knitwear brand founded in 2012 by Kate Stalker, creating timeless pieces using ethically sourced materials and supporting UK artisans. They produce knitwear in Cumbria and work with traditional mills in England.
- Contemporary
- Ethical
- Timeless
Factory shop- Contemporary
- Ethical
- Timeless
Malloch’s
Malloch’s is a British knitwear brand crafting luxury sweaters using traditional techniques and sustainable practices with expert Scottish manufacturers.
- Classic
- Contemporary
- Heritage
- Classic
- Contemporary
- Heritage
- Genevieve Sweeney
Genevieve Sweeney
Genevieve Sweeney crafts luxury British made knitwear for women, and men.
- Timeless
Shop to visit- Timeless
Sunspel
Sunspel is a British clothing brand founded in 1860, known for luxury basics crafted with innovative fabrics and meticulous craftsmanship.
- Timeless
Factory shop- Timeless
Wear London
Wear London is a British menswear brand founded in 2020, offering high-quality classic clothing mostly made in England.
- Classic
- Timeless
Shop to visit- Classic
- Timeless
Oliver Spencer
Oliver Spencer is a men's fashion brand specialising in casual and contemporary clothing.
- Contemporary
- Timeless
Shop to visit- Contemporary
- Timeless
Shops run by brands that make timeless men's knitwear
13 of the 17 brands that make timeless men's knitwear have a shop you can visit: 7 in London, others in Edinburgh, Beauly, Brighton and 12 other towns.
John Smedley, Johnstons Of Elgin, Oliver Spencer, Phoebe English, Sunspel, Turnbull & Asser and 1 more
Beauly
Brighton
Clapham
Glencroftfactory shop
Dornoch
Show 10 more townsShow fewer towns
Elgin
Johnstons Of Elginfactory shop
Ellesmere Port
Flookburgh
Oubasfactory shop
Hawick
Johnstons Of Elginfactory shop
Long Eaton
Sunspelfactory shop
Matlock
John Smedleyfactory shop
Much Hadham
Penzance
Carnwearfactory shop
St Andrews
This independent directory lists UK-made clothing brands, and marks those that make only some items here.Why choose British-made?
A Brief History of British Made Knitwear
Knitting in Britain long predates the factory. Knitted woollen caps were made at Monmouth by the fifteenth century, and hand-knitted stockings were available during the sixteenth. Mechanisation came early. In 1589 William Lee, curate of Calverton in Nottinghamshire, invented the stocking frame, the first knitting machine. Framework knitting spread across the East Midlands, and by 1851 Leicester and Nottingham each had thousands of frames. The trade moved into factories in the second half of the nineteenth century. Lea Mills in Derbyshire was founded in 1784 by Peter Nightingale and John Smedley to spin cotton, and moved into knitting towards the end of the eighteenth century. John Smedley still makes knitwear there, and the company describes it as the world's longest-running factory. Regional styles added variety. The guernsey, or gansey, a fisherman's jumper named after the Channel Island, was knitted in fishing communities around the British coast. Fair Isle colourwork from Shetland became fashionable after the Prince of Wales wore it in public in 1921. British-made knitwear today draws on both these hand and machine traditions.