Here at Fernhill Fibre we love working with skilled people to create beautiful products with our wool. In a world of fast fashion and enormous, plastic-filled wardrobes, we like to partner up with others who reject the notion of clothes designed to be disposable.
This week we went to visit Rachel of Chiltern Wool in their amazing workspace. Chiltern Wool – run by Rachel and her partner Steve – combines the modern technology of cutting-edge knitting machines with use of traditional materials, namely – British wool. They work with breed-specific yarns from UK farms to create a variety of garments and accessories, using fibres that are appropriate to the item to be made.
We've been working with Chiltern Wool for a while behind the scenes, prototyping and sampling whilst keeping in contact via email. But meeting in person and seeing where everything is produced gives a new perspective, and helps us know that we're collaborating with a business that shares our values.
It was amazing to chat to Rachel about our wool and yarn, see the truly impressive equipment in the studio, and discuss new designs. We dropped off many cones of yarn all to be knitted up into lovely accessories. We’re developing a small range to start out with, and are excited to see where it takes us!
First on the list is a collection of oversized ribbed scarves in a variety of our natural colours. These will be amazingly warm but also breathable – perfect for the harsh winter we’re likely to have after this incredibly hot summer. They’ll also be unisex, focusing on quality, ethical production and classic design rather than fussy detail.
We’re expecting to have the first batch of scarves arriving soon ready for autumn. We also have some other items in the pipeline, but you’ll have to stay tuned to see them!
