Merino hats, socks, and handcrafted wooden and bamboo sunglasses.
This review is part of our New Brands Gear Guide.
By Chris Townsend
K-nit began with some surplus wool that was knitted into hats for friends and family. That soon turned into a business based on “a solid set of values that we have held dear since our beginnings which include sustainable production methods, local manufacturing and upholding high quality”. The hats are made from merino wool spun in the Italian Alps using fleece from sheep flocks in Argentinian Patagonia and from lambswool spun in the UK using fleece from sheep flocks in Geelong, Australia. Handmade products are made at K-nit’s base in the East Midlands. Larger production runs are made at a facility in Portugal.
As well as hats in a myriad colours and patterns including beanies and balaclavas, K-nit makes socks from wool and alpaca. The socks are all made in the East Midlands. There are also T-shirts made from organic cotton and recycled polyester with prints using environmentally friendly inks.
Away from clothing, K-nit has recently introduced handcrafted wooden and bamboo sunglasses. These sound intriguing! The wooden ones have frames individually handcrafted from six layers of sustainably sourced wood (ebony, redwood, walnut or beech) with jacquard pattern arm engravings inspired by knitwear. The lenses are polarised and give 100% UV protection. The bamboo sunglasses have frames made from cellulose acetate and sustainably sourced bamboo for the temples. All the glasses come with knitted pouches made from offcuts.
shop.k-nit.co.uk