Knit Shop

One of my proudest achievements of the past year has been to set up my very own micro knit factory in Dundee, Scotland. It’s been a dream of mine for a long time now, but the doors of Knit Shop are now finally open for business. 

I’ve always been passionate about British manufacturing. Growing up in Aberdeenshire, I still remember the closure of our local knit factory. Not only did people lose their jobs, but so many skills were lost too. Setting up Knit Shop is my small bit to keep the tradition of knitwear and textile production in Scotland alive, so that these precious skills are not lost forever.  

Dundee is an exciting city that’s currently undergoing a process of regeneration. A once-thriving textile centre, famous for linen, sailcloth and jute, I’m happy to say that we’ve been able to find a team of enthusiastic, highly skilled local people to knit, sew and link our products. Many of them have recently graduated, and all of them have new ideas and skills which can push us – and the industry – into the future.  

Bridging the gap between design, industry and education we want our micro-factory to be accessible to all kinds of people – from students and independent designers, to architects, artists and big business alike. When you’re starting a business, it can be impossible to meet the high minimums for production, and we want to remove these kinds of barriers. 

We’re investing in the next generation of makers and designers and have already built strong working relationships with local art schools in Dundee, including support and awards for graduate students who are looking to establish themselves with the textile industry.

You can learn more at www.knitshopscotland.com and follow our progress @knitshopscotland on Instagram.