Yorkshire Dales clothing brand Glencroft has launched a limited edition Thwaite Jumper for AW23, bringing traceable Clapdale wool pilot full circle.
Launched in 2021, the Clapdale Wool Project, funded by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s Sustainable Development Fund, saw Glencroft work with local farms in Clapham, paying them more for their wool, to create a sustainable and entirely traceable Yorkshire yarn.
Over three tonnes of fleece has been purchased by Glencroft from farms within a five-mile radius of them for the project over the past couple of years, which has been scoured, carded and spun in Yorkshire to create a fully traceable Yorkshire yarn named Clapdale Wool.
The Thwaite jumper has been made from this ‘farm to yarn’ Clapdale wool and boasts a distinctive zig-zag pattern designed in collaboration with KnitLab North.
Speaking about the Thwaite, Edward Sexton, Partner and Owner at Glencroft, said: “I am immensely proud to see the Clapdale Wool Project come full circle with the launch of the Thwaite. It is the next piece in what has been a fantastic woolly adventure for us so far, as we create sustainable, traceable Yorkshire woollen produce from the fields around us – all whilst giving back to local farmers.”
The project has also seen Glencroft launch both a hand-knit DK yarn which is sold in 100g hanks, as well as the two-ply yarn used to make this jumper, with a 10% share of the profits from all produce sold, going directly back to the farms whose fleece was used.
Edward added, “We have spent the last year designing the jumper specifically around the yarn it's made from and the local area it was born out of. The deep grooved pattern reflects the undulating hills and valleys around us, adding shadow and depth to the natural undyed yarn.
“We've used almost 1kg of wool in each jumper to make it thick, heavy and very warm. This is a jumper that you could wear on the hills and mountains that it came from.”
Each of the 50 limited edition jumpers comes in a branded gift box with a numbered and signed booklet which tells the unique story of the jumper and its journey from farm to yarn, a map with the two farms on, information about the sheep breeds used, and why it was called Thwaite.
“Thwaite is a Norse word meaning paddock. Thwaite Lane is a track that runs out of Clapham where we are based, off which some of the sheep whose wool was used in this project graze, so the name was very fitting,” explained Edward.
The box also contains a photo print of William Dawson of Bleak Bank Farm, one of the farms which took part in the project, taken by local photographer, Juliet Klottrup. In the picture (below), William is stood with the very sheep whose fleece was used, with Clapdale in the background to bring the process full circle.
The Thwaite contains the fleece from all the sheep breeds from Glencroft’s local farms, including Dalesbred, Teeswater, Blue Face Leicester (BFL), North of England Mule and Texel.
Glencroft brought together an expert team to advise on the blend and proportions of breeds to be used in the wool.
The Wool Library, founded by Maria Benjamin who runs a regenerative farm diversification business at Dodgson Wood Farm in the Lake District, and Dr Zoe Fletcher Co-Founder of The Woolist, who completed in a PhD in the characteristics of British wool, both provided expert advice throughout the process – from the best blend of the breeds and types of fleeces to use to create a high-end yarn, to the creation of a commercially viable and highly sustainable Yorkshire wool collection.
Zoe, who is also Co-Founder of The Woolist commented: “By coming together with Glencroft and KnitLab North as educators, designers, farming advocates and manufacturers, we have created farm-specific, traceable yarns using British breed fleeces at a commercial level, allowing us to elevate this wool above and beyond the greenwashing so prevalent in the fashion industry at the moment.”
Edward added: “Incorporating everyone into the into the value chain, from farmers through to production of the end garment, we ensure that farmers are treated fairly, building relationships based on trust, so there is no need to greenwash this product because that narrative comes through.
“The resulting wool is coarser than our other jumpers, providing that extra warmth. We’ve also included in the gift box a cedar ball to avoid moth damage in the future, some of the raw wool used to make the jumpers, a hank of the hand-knit Clapdale yarn and some darning needles from a local knitting shop, to ensure the jumper lasts for decades.”
Building on the success of their initial pilot, Glencroft is already working on Clapdale Wool 2.0, scaling up the project with the support of British Wool.
“We’ve already collected this year’s wool which is at the spinners at the moment, and we intend to make half into dyed hand-knit wool to complement the undyed wool, as well as taking another 1.5 tonnes to make into a Yorkshire tweed cloth.
“With such an amazing variety of sheep fleece characteristics to work with, the relationships we have with our local farmers, and the fact that we have some of the highest land management and livestock management practices in the world, there is no reason why, with projects like ours, we can’t be at the forefront of high-end wool production in the UK.”
“In the meantime, as we launch our Autumn / Winter 2023 collection, we hope that people enjoy the quality and traceability of our 100% British Wool Thwaite, made entirely here in Yorkshire,” Edward concluded.
The limited-edition Thwaite jumper retails at £300 and is available to buy online at glencroft.co.uk.
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