John Smedley launches sweater with Duchy of Cornwall Estate tenants

Family-run British knitwear maker John Smedley, which holds two Royal Warrants, has unveiled a limited-edition Cornwall sweater made exclusively in the UK using British wool.

The unisex jumper has been created in partnership with The Campaign for Wool and utilises wool sourced from farming tenants of the Duchy of Cornwall Estate and the sheep that graze its lands across three farms in Cornwall and Devon.

The Cornwall is a celebration of homegrown manufacturing and an ode to England’s age-old farming traditions that have been repurposed for the modern wardrobe, explains John Smedley and coincides with Wool Month.

The jumper has been created with longevity in mind, "as a keepsake, and designed to be handed down through the generations," explains Pip Jenkins, design director of John Smedley in the press release, and features a “timeless and contemporary" cosy fisherman-style silhouette with innovative rib detailing.

Available in a neutral ecru, the sweater utilises undyed yarns to “reflect the natural beauty of British-farmed wool fleeces,” sourced from Cheviot, Polled Dorset and Dorset Down breeds, known for their natural, chunky softness.

From farm to finished garment, the sweater, produced in a limited run of 150, has travelled just 300 miles, adds the knitwear brand, and the entire process, from shearing to carding and spinning has been done in the UK.

Ian Maclean, managing director of John Smedley, said in a statement: “As a result of climate change, every business everywhere is now having to think hard about products and processes they create.

“In our fashion industry we know that materials need to be developed that have a much lower negative impact on the planet. Radically shortening our supply chain, as we are doing for this project, is one way to experiment and develop new ways of thinking.”

The Duchy collection is an evolution of a partnership that John Smedley began in 2019 when the brand utilised British wool sourced from Yorkshire, Cornwall and Exmoor for the first time in its then 235-year history. The brand was awarded a Royal Warrant by His Majesty King Charles III, when he was Prince of Wales in 2021, and the Cornwall sweater continues the brand’s commitment to the preservation of the skills and craftsmanship of the British knitwear industry.