where was it made?

I'm going to sound like a broken record now but people still knit for other people for a fee. I know my local wool shop knits to your specification and know others who will too

M0nica

I bought sweaters from Woolovers for several years and was/still am very happy with what I bought. However I haven't purchased anything from them since because as everything I got was good quality, I haven't needed to replace anything. My only beef with them that until the sweater arrived it was difficult to assess how thin or thick it was.

In winter I am very much a thin sweater, thick sweater over person and recently I have been buying sweaters, other clothes and home good from Culture Vulture. It is a Fair Trade company, but its style is 'ethnic', so it won't suit everyone. I bought a lovely sweater, hand knitted in Nepal, not cheap but I expect to get a good few years wear out of it. I tend buy many clothes, but wear them a lot and expect them to last.

Pleased to read that Culture Vulture is the name under which Museum Selections now trades.
I used to like their shops and catalogues, so will revisit.
Thank you!

I hope the jumpers I buy from Scotland aren't manufactured elsewhere. I wonder how much the jumpers from Woolovers would be if they were all made here? a dress I bought from them was awful quality, and why is it the two old synthetic jumpers I bought from Primark have been more admired than the pure wool ones?

My DH is still wearing an Aran jumper that my granny knitted for him 50 years ago.
My neighbour is knitting the last one of 3 jumpers knitted with good quality wool form the U.K. to send to her DD & family in NZ. (Don’t think they have sheep there?)
Note to self: start knitting ?

I think that Seasalt has only recently moved manufacturing to China and, I believe, not everything is made in China. I love Seasalt stuff so am really sad about it.

Turtle doves isn't a sweatshop, but the cashmere they repurpose may well have come from one. They cut up old jumpers and make, for example, writstwarmers from the sleeves and cowls from the bodies. Anyone with a sewing machine could do the same, and if you don't have old cashmere sweaters lying about you might pick one up in a charity shop. There is no knitting involved.

For those who do knit, it is easy to source knitting yarn that is ethically sourced, particularly if you avoid acrylic, which tends to be mass produced and outsourced from abroad. Hand-knitted items last much longer than shop-bought ones, and can be unravelled and knitted up again as something else when they no longer fit (a child or a covid-expanding adult), or if times get hard, as it looks as though they might. It is also easy to buy British, as there is still a wool industry in the UK.

I have been looking at raincoats from Seasalt, only to discover that they all appear to be made in China. Another company that promotes its local roots, Cornwall, to sell its merchandise,but doesn't consider using Cornish labour.

It may well be yet another company that started off locally, then sold out to a foreign buyer, which profits the family, but not the employees.

Another word of support for Turtle Doves from me. I have cold hands and wear their fingerless mitts constantly. They have been washed numerous times over the years and still look like new. Well worth the price and I will continue to support Turtle Doves.
I returned an order of tops from Woolovers recently as the quality was so poor.

I bought sweaters from Woolovers for several years and was/still am very happy with what I bought. However I haven't purchased anything from them since because as everything I got was good quality, I haven't needed to replace anything. My only beef with them that until the sweater arrived it was difficult to assess how thin or thick it was.

In winter I am very much a thin sweater, thick sweater over person and recently I have been buying sweaters, other clothes and home good from Culture Vulture. It is a Fair Trade company, but its style is 'ethnic', so it won't suit everyone. I bought a lovely sweater, hand knitted in Nepal, not cheap but I expect to get a good few years wear out of it. I tend buy many clothes, but wear them a lot and expect them to last.

Sadly they don’t cater much for women yet, but for menswear proudly made in this country I’d recommend Yorkshire based hebtro.co/. I treated DH to some jeans for his birthday and the quality’s fantastic. He might just get a jumper next year. No sweatshops were involved in the manufacture of this product either!

To be serious- if we as consumers continue to want “cheap” it can only be on the back of low wages and mass production.
I do get cross at expensive brands sourcing their products in China or sweatshops elsewhere (and trousering huge profits) but if we want quality goods manufactured in the U.K. and for those employed to make these items to receive a decent wage we have to be prepared to pay for it.
I was brought up in the Scottish Borders where the bulk of the population in the local towns were employed in the tweed and/or knitwear industry.
Those mills are all silent and in many cases derelict as they could not compete with cheap imports.

I have a fine stripy merino jumper from M&S which has never bobbled. I think it’s chunkier ones which bobble of whichever wool yarn or whatever you pay.
I have bought a couple of eye wateringly expensive thick jumpers from Toast. One bobbled initially but after de fuzzing has been fine. In fact I’ve just about worn it out now and had to repair under the arms.
Most other jumpers hit the bin because of bobbling after a few months. I haven’t worn second Toast jumper so we will see.

My Woolovers jumper from last season, worn twice, not washed. It's not just bobbles, it's chunks. Off to the charity shop now.

netflixfan

An aside - does anybody know a knitwear brand that doesnt bobble within weeks of wearing? Spent a fortune (for me) on a Boden sweater for husband, and its now in the bin. Didnt last five minutes berfore bobbling. Thanks all.

it is about the yarn and staple length, merino has short staples and will bobble, lambswool has very short staples and will bobble. Long staples like bfl will hold the spun yarn together and will likely not bobble.

An aside - does anybody know a knitwear brand that doesnt bobble within weeks of wearing? Spent a fortune (for me) on a Boden sweater for husband, and its now in the bin. Didnt last five minutes berfore bobbling. Thanks all.

I bought my first Woolovers jumper a couple of years ago after a recommendation on here. It was an expensive mistake.

Excellent Maw, one for my good guys list

I am in process of making all the clothes that I wear, all the jumpers are made from wool from a small mill in devon, they source from the local sheep. I did get stuff from lands end in the past, I didn`t know that they sourced their items from china. I will wear what I have but they will never get my custom again. It is very difficult to go far enough in sourcing provenance, I use a lot of linen for sewing, Sourced from India and grown in Ukraine

Celtic sheepskin, all made in GB, expensive but their slippers are so comfy and long lasting

TD definitely not produced in any sweatshop!

Oh dear! rather upsetting to find that out. I've been trying to buy only wool and cotton clothes to avoid contributing to the micro plastics in the oceans so I switched to buying from Woolovers. I assumed, with their rather expensive prices, that they were made in the UK. But don't the majority of our clothes come from abroad, e.g Bangladesh and have been for years. Even if you can buy affordable UK made clothing, it's probably come from a sweatshop somewhere ? Is it at all possible to buy affordable, ethical, environmentally kind clothing produced in Europe at all? I have two sweaters that fit the bill and they were very expensive and not every day wear!

Can I put in a good word for Turtle Doves here- no I have no financial interest in them, although my bank manager might think otherwise!
Based in Shrewsbury their products are all made in Shropshire from recycled cashmere -so although not cheap, perfect for those who want and can afford to buy English-made products

Charleygirl5

OMG I learn something every day. I have some beautiful cardigans bought a few years ago at Woolovers.

I think yours might have been before they changed charley.

Has anyone had any cashmere from Rise and Fall. They advertise massive discounts but good quality. I can't confirm the quality of the knitwear or where it is from.

I did buy a fitted sheet from them. I was really pleased with it so I bought two more.

They tried to make it members only club and were trying to charge £60 membership. They must have realised it was a stupid idea as they abandoned the membership a couple of months later.

OMG I learn something every day. I have some beautiful cardigans bought a few years ago at Woolovers.

Woolovers used to be brilliant quality and last for ages. Not now.

What annoys me about Woolovers is that their catalogues create an image that is quintessentially British .... styles perfect for walking the dogs, strolling along the beach, taking time out with friends and family, relaxing in the garden or lounging at home ..... and yet the items are shipped in from China with a delay of several weeks. That seems incongruous.
And the quality is poor too. I got caught out last year.