Makepiece
• High end ready to wear knitwear – women’s wear• Local UK manufacture
• Natural dye
• British wool, mohair, alpaca, angora
• Wool sourced from sheep on the Makepiece farm
• Yorkshire based farm & shop
The business
Knitwear designer Nicola Sherlock and business manager Beate Kubitz founded Makepiece in 2004; woven fabrics designer Manda Johnson-Holme joined the company in 2007. Beate doubles as business manager and farmer. Shetland sheep, particularly useful for their coloured wool, and goats, are kept on the Makepiece farm in Todmorden, Yorkshire. As well as using their own home produced yarn, Makepiece also source natural fibres from around the British Isles. The best wool is then spun and dyed with organic matter or natural dyes and specialist knitters create the garments.
Sourcing/manufacture
Makepiece use British wool, mohair, alpaca, and angora – spun in UK (mainly in mills within 20 miles of studio), some from their own sheep. In blending they allow small percentages of non-UK sourced fibre. For example silk is sometimes necessary to create the perfect yarn. Makepiece use non-UK eco-certified fabrics provided they are not cotton. In the past hemp blends (with tencel and silk) from Loop have been used, find out more on the Loop website.They are also exploring other low impact fibres e.g. bamboo, organic linen. Vintage bias bindings and Vintage buttons are used. Other appropriate fastenings, buttons and bindings would be considered, providing they are both environmentally low-impact and ethically sound. If at all possible Makepiece avoid sourcing in China.
Product/Market
Makepiece have created a collection of clothes for the future, inspired by the legacy of Pennine farmers, who for hundreds of years, have produced wool, spun it and created fabric pieces. Currently Makepiece produce women’s knitwear with supporting wovens. Innovative stitch construction and intelligent knitting create both form and function in the garment. A mixture of clean silhouettes, minimal seams, beautiful details all combine to create clothes to treasure. Aimed at the mid range designer market, example prices are listed below.
Knitted tops – c. £140
Knitted jackets – c. £195
Woven dress – c. £185
Trousers – c. £160
Skirts – c. £140
Scarves c. £50
Makepiece products are aimed at women who buy for good design and quality with an age range generally over 30. A high proportion of customers are women buying with and for their daughters. Each collection includes some stand out signature pieces, which draw attention and are generally worn by slimmer women, whilst around them the majority of the range looks good on a variety of figures whether old or young. Makepiece collections are sold in their own boutique in Todmorden, Yorkshire and in boutiques in London, Glasgow, and York.
Sustainability
HUMAN RIGHTS... Yarn is sourced from UK farmers and spun in local mills. High product and labour standards are guaranteed by manufacturing in the UK, where workers have a good legal framework to protect their rights.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY... Wool and mohair are sourced from Makepiece sheep and other British farms where the land is farmed without the use of chemicals and pesticides. Recycled components are used to reduce waste. Hemp, silk and tencel are used because they can easily be grown sustainably.
FEWER CHEMICALS... each collection contains un-dyed and naturally dyed clothes, along with some azo-free dye colourways, dyed to European environmental controls.
A SMALL CARBON FOOTPRINT... collections are manufactured in the UK and most within a 30 mile radius of the Makepiece studio and boutique, so clothes travel very few road miles before they’re worn.
NO LANDFILL... clothes are designed to last - but when they’ve finally been worn to shreds, they can be composted. Makepiece use as much recycled and recyclable packaging as possible; all promotional material is printing on recycled card with vegetable dyed inks.
What next?
Makepiece are looking to increase the number of retail outlets stocking their clothing and would like to expand their range to include menswear and a classics range.
For more information visit the Makepiece website.
Check out Makepiece in our gallery.
