Hand-knit sweater by Jennifer Koch in natural-coloured Sheepsoft yarn from Laxtons 
The knit is detailed on the front and back
Yorkshire yarn spinner Laxtons has teamed up with an exciting new fashion design talent to produce a special one-off knitwear piece marking Wool Week 2020.
Knitwear designer and model Jennifer Koch graduated from her MA Fashion Menswear Knitwear at the Royal College of Art in 2017. Working with the Sheepsoft Aran range of natural-colour yarns, she has opted for a textural-patterned, undyed ecru, chunky hand-knit sweater.
The pattern is available to download from the byLaxtons website, allowing keen knitters to recreate the luxurious hand-knit at home.
byLaxtons Sheepsoft is a fully traceable British wool yarn. Bluefaced Leicester and Masham wools travel less than 50 miles from fleece to finished yarn. The worsted spinning and finishing all takes place at the Laxtons mill in Baildon, West Yorkshire.
The collaboration is part of an innovative project for Wool Week led by Future Fashion Factory, bringing together exciting new design talent from the Royal College of Art with Yorkshire mills from Future Fashion Factory’s community of over 250 manufacturers, fashion designers, brands and more.
Along with the other garments from the collection, Jennifer’s sweater can be found in Future Fashion Factory’s virtual Wool Week showroom online, created in partnership with BrandLab Fashion.
Jennifer Koch said: “Sustainability has always been at the core of my designs to create timeless and lasting pieces. I want people to knit, wear and treasure unique clothes which will be worn now and passed on to future generations, being refreshed and reimagined by the next owners’ distinctive style.”
James Laxton, Managing Director of Laxtons, said: “We are delighted to be working with Jennifer for this year’s Wool Week and the garment she has produced looks amazing.
“As a way to support emerging designers we will be selling the pattern at www.bylaxtons.co.uk, so you too can recreate her design, with 100% of the pattern sale proceeds going to Jennifer, so please check it out.”
Suzy Shepherd, Co-Director of Future Fashion Factory, said: “As a designer focusing on sustainable fabrics and design, Jennifer is the perfect match for byLaxtons, which has been at the forefront of developing sustainable, traceable, luxury British wool yarns.
“Sustainability is at the heart of Future Fashion Factory’s mission and we were proud to bring these very different innovators together. The exceptional craft and design of Jennifer’s knitwear will inspire many people to engage with her ethos of creating heirloom pieces.”
