Raw fleece is laden with natural oils that keep the sheep warm and dry through an English winter. To turn it into wool our fleeces are washed with organic detergent to draw out the oil, which is then sold on for use in lanolin balms and cosmetics. The soapy water is then recycled while the fluffy fleeces are blown through huge pipes to the carding machines where their fibres are aligned forming ‘slivers’ - coiled soft snakes of wool. The waste wool from these processes is called ‘noil’ and is sold on to be used to stuff teddy bears and cushions. Lastly the slivers are combed to align the fibres.

At a dye house fibre is then dyed in huge vats to the desired shade. Did you know that synthetic dyes are made from petrochemicals, which take hundreds of years to decompose? Fortunately sheep look great in cream, and occasionally different shades of brown and black - and so will you! Our Ecru, Mist, Loam and Peat shades are undyed. We are pionerering the development of plant dyes at scale, and work in collaboration with a plant expert and dye house to develop vibrant, colourfast shades including Shrimp, Moss and Peach. All HERD knitwear is natural and circular and will nourish the soil at the end of its long and useful life.

Combed wool is turned into yarn. It first goes through a gilling machine which blends the fibre to the exact right shade, sometimes up to eight times to get it just right. Roving thins out the yarn to the right weight. Then it’s spun and wound onto hank, or ball or cone.

In the knitwear world Nottingham is known for the skill of it’s finishers - the joiners who put sleeves to cardigans and cuffs and hems to jumpers. A really good finisher is hard to find so take a moment to look at the joins in your knitwear - it’s no mean feat to get it just right! 

We found a small boutique knitwear factory that makes luxury knitwear, and that’s where we make your Herd.