Charl Knitwear

Ethical & Sustainable Knitwear

Frankie

A spotlight on stripes

by

As so many of you enjoy wearing my nautical stripes, I thought you might like to take a closer look at their history and what they mean.

Striped clothing first evolved in the Middle Ages when it came as a big shock visually because up until then, only solid-coloured clothing had been worn.
The first wearers of striped clothing tended to be social outcasts such as criminals and lepers easily identifiable from a distance in their striped uniforms.

During the Renaissance, some stripe combinations took on a more jovial meaning when they were used for celebratory clothing which conjured up a sense of exoticism or freedom.

Thankfully, over the centuries, stripes have taken on more varied meanings. They gradually became accepted into the mainstream during the 19th century when they were commonly used in cotton sheeting, table linens and underwear. This is when stripes became synonymous with hygiene, sportswear and children’s clothing.

At around the same time, stripes evolved as a popular pattern on army uniforms and flags, probably because of their high visibility. In 1858 they became an official part of the French Navy’s uniform; one theory is that they made it easier to spot a man “overboard”. Rumour also has it though, that the 21 stripes found on a true “Breton” jersey commemorate the 21 naval battles won by Napoleon. 

Pablo Picasso
Linocut “Cleaning a Sail” by Lill Tschudi, 1934

In the early 20th century, the French Avant Garde adopted the nautical stripe as their unofficial “uniform”, most notably Pablo Picasso. They were drawn to its contrasting connotations of rebelliousness (convicts and sailors) and its youthfulness (athletes).

Brigette Bardot and Coco Chanel in their nautical stripes


The appeal of the nautical stripe continued throughout the 20th century in the designs of Coco Chanel who enabled it to become the wardrobe staple of chic Mediterranean sunseekers and its allure shows no signs of fading to this day.

There has been a nautical stripe in the Charl collection since I first designed the Chibbles back in 2019. Now the stripe collection has grown to 4 pieces: 2 in traceable certified British wool and 2 in 100% Pima cotton, with a new addition arriving any day!

Shop the collection here
The Louisa knit (pictured bottom left) can be bought exclusively at Wardrobe Icons 

If you’d like to see the collection in person, I’ll be showing it at a brand-new event called Park Fair, The Great Tew Estate from 18th – 21st August. To find out more, or to buy tickets in advance go to https://parkfair.uk/

Park Fair, The classic country fair – reimagined

Hope to see you there!
Frankie x

A quick guide to handwashing your knitwear

by

With the heatwave in the UK set to continue for a few more days, this is the best time to give your knitwear a wash so it’s fresh for the autumn…

I’d love to be able to offer you a personal washing service, but here’s the next best thing, my eight easy steps guide:

Clothes Doctor Natural Fragrance Bags

I am always ready to answer any of your questions regarding caring for your knitwear so please do drop me a line if you have any questions or if you need some advice atfrankie@charlknitwear.co.uk

In other news…

 Codling cardigan in natural undyed Mid Grey Melange 

The Codling cardigan was featured in Anna Berkeley’s column “Ask a Stylist” in the Financial Times last weekend. She chose to partner it with semi formal dresses when managing summer air-con in the office.

How Charl Knits are being worn in the heat…

In Style by Helen/Codling. A History of Architecture/ Sally. Zoe next the sea/West.

In praise of the herring – the West fisherman’s Gansey

by

West the new spring weight Gansey

 
The stitches knitted into the Norfolk fishermen’s Gansey jumpers tell all kinds of stories from the fishermen’s lives…
The tradition of knitting these jumpers stretches around the North Sea coast from Shetland and the Outer Hebrides, along the Norfolk coast and down to Cornwall and may have originated as far back as the early 19th Century.
Herrings figure heavily in this iconography, whether they are swimming or once they have been caught, in the herring bone motif.

Herrings swimming on the Hardingham scarf 
the Herringbone stitch Navy swatch

In In Norfolk, most of the fishermen went out in their “small” boats to catch crabs, whelks and the odd lobster, but back in the first half of the 20th century the industry was dominated by the “big” steamboats which went far out, off-shore fishing for herrings for weeks on end. 

John Craske “Herrings on a string”

 
But herring are an elusive fish, frequenting the North Sea waters for years and then vanishing completely, like they did from the coast around Great Yarmouth, leaving fishermen, herring girls and the entire industry without work.

There are countless songs, biblical references and superstitions surrounding these fish and the fishermen would use them to entice the fish into their nets. These tales make fascinating reading and many examples can be found in Donald S. Murray’s book “Herring Tales”.

Leonard West from “Fishermen Knitting” by Michael Harvey & Rae Compton

The “herringbone” design that I have chosen for my latest Gansey knit is borrowed firstly from the Scotch Fisher Girls’ patterns which tended to run horizontally across the yoke of the knits, but I was delighted to find this vintage image of Norfolk fisherman Leonard West wearing one of the Ganseys knitted for him by his wife in the 1970’s with the same design. 
 
As usual, I have taken the original patterns and reimagined them into contemporary shapes and proportions to create something completely new. The new West Gansey has been knitted from a carefully sourced GOTS certified Organic cotton and Merino wool yarn which has been plied up to create a chunky but light weight shape, this is my spring summer equivalent to the Craske Gansey (the fit is very similar). The West has a neat crew neck with wider sleeves that slim down to the cuff (like the original Ganseys) so that boxy T shirts or blouses with billowy sleeves can be comfortably worn underneath. This style is very soft and can be worn next to the skin. It works equally well over a dress or paired with shorts or trousers and comes in 2 sizes. The M/L can also be worn by men.
 
The Navy colour is available to buy now, and a Creamy colour knitted from GOTS certified organic cotton and 5% cashmere will be available from early June and can be pre-ordered.
 
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.

ORGANIC COTTON

by

Cotton is a wonderful fibre; it can be easily washed, takes colour beautifully, maintains its shape and can be knitted into a myriad of different stitches and weights. It feels fresh when worn next to the skin.

However, not all cotton is equal, as has become apparent in recent years. Traditionally, cotton is grown using a range of harmful chemicals, including pesticides and fertilizers, not to mention the chronic over farming of the land. Historically it has also been a product of slave labour and even today, the exploitation of a workforce in certain countries. This is why it is so important to check the cotton we buy is produced using organic and ethical practices all the way through the process.

During my career working as a knitwear designer, I have spent a lot of time sourcing the finest and best cotton from around the world. I have used this experience to find some cottons that are really high quality and wear extremely well to use in my collection. Cotton goes through many more processes than other fibres, which has historically made is very difficult to trace and be sure that it has been grown and produced organically. However, in recent years, largely due to consumer demand, more research has been undertaken in this fields of organic cotton farming and traceability from raw material to finished product. Today, 100% organic, traceable cotton can now be produced on a large scale.

So how do you know that your cotton really is organic?

The main certificates of accreditation are GOTS (The Global Organic Textile Standard) and Oekotex: . These accreditations guarantee that the cottons have not been genetically modified and have been tested to ensure that no pesticides or other harmful substances have been used in their production. Further more, these certificates offer verification from farm to finished fibre.

ICEA (Ethical and Environmental Certification Institute) this accreditation is used to verify the approval of chemicals that can be used in the textile ennobling of GOTS certified textile products. This ensures that the dyes used to colour my cotton knitwear comply with these stringent controls.

TRACEABILITY. The cotton yarns in my collection can be traced back 100% to the original fibre, because my mill only buys fibre which has an approved Mark of Origin or registered Trade Mark.

I have chosen 2 cotton yarns for my collection: one is 100% GOTS certified Peruvian Pima Cotton which is considered to be one of the finest cottons on the market because of its extra-long staple (ELS) which means each individual fibre is longer than regular cotton and so is less likely to pill, break or thin. It also means that the threads are very smooth and regular making the knits look very clean and the stitches very clear which is why I like to use it for knitting fisherman’s ribs, detailed stitches and stripes.

The second cotton yarn in my collection is a blend of (46%) Oekotex organic cotton and (54%) RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) extrafine mulesing free Merino wool . I have chosen this yarn because it offers the warmth, softness and natural stretch of Merino with the cleanness of stitch and freshness of cotton so that it is a perfect blend for year-round wear – perfect for a Gansey jumper with its intricate stitches which will be worn in all weather. It is also a great spring/summer alternative to the 100% British wool which has been designed with the cooler months.

Spring Refresh

by

Clothes Doctor Products

In all my years working in the fashion industry, I’ve always been on the hunt to find the best ways to look after my knitwear; from protecting it from moths, refreshing it after a night out, or just improving the handle and keeping it in shape from season to season. For this reason, I have been carefully researching a selection of products to sell directly on my website from the Clothes Doctor, a natural cleaning brand that helps people “extend the life of their clothes by cleaning, protecting, repairing and altering, the way our parents and grandparents did”.

I have chosen a very specific edit of products that aren’t easily found on the high street and personally tested them on my knitwear over the last few months to ensure their efficacy. I picked out as anti-moth fragrance bag, two clothes refresher sprays (which can be bought separately or as a duo) and a wool and cashmere comb, because I know these are the tools you absolutely need in order to preserve and lengthen the life of your knitwear.

In addition to these tools, I wanted to share some tips with you for caring for your knitwear more generally, as this is a frequent question. My honest advice is this; wash your knitwear as infrequently as possible! Clothes made from 100% wool, cashmere or alpaca fibres are naturally anti-bacterial, so they neutralize the sweat particles and lock them inside the fibres until they are washed. At a time when we all understand the need to reduce our water consumption this is welcome advice!

Kite Rix Photograph by Olive Edis courtesy of Norfolk Museums Service

Did you know that the original Norfolk fishermen scarcely – if ever, washed their treasured Ganseys. Some of the jumpers in the archives appear to have never been washed at all in spite of being worn for a lifetime! Rumour has it that the fishermen preferred to keep the natural lanolin in their knits as it increased the waterproof qualities of the wool. Handy when you’re out in a storm.

Rook

I would usually wash my jumpers once or twice a year and try to do this during the warmer months so that the jumpers can drip dry outside (laid flat on a clothes airer out of direct sunlight). The rest of the time, you can freshen them up by hanging them outside your wardrobe after use and spritzing with a naturally perfumed clothes refresher – even better if the refresher incorporates moth repellent fragrances like the Clothes Doctor’s Cedarwood and Vanilla knitwear mist.

Craske
Clothes Doctor Spray

For a slightly deeper clean, I recommend spot washing areas that tend to get dirty like the cuffs and neck, by dipping these areas into tepid water with a little eco wool and silk washing liquid (there are many available at the supermarket, so I would choose whichever you like the smell of) . Alternatively, you could have a go at making your own – there are some great recipes in Jen Chillingsworth’s “Clean Green” book. I’m a big fan of steaming my knitwear, just using the steam button on my iron and holding the iron just above the knit which has been laid flat on the ironing board. This is particularly good for steaming out elbow creases or the fold where you’ve turned the collar back.

Beechwood Comb
Fragrance Bags

Inevitably knitwear creates bobbles or “pilling” which is a result of the friction caused when you brush a surface. This tends to occur on the sleeves and body where they rub against each other, even more so if you wear a bag with a shoulder trap. The looser or more open the knit, the more space there is for pilling or bobbling to occur. I’ve tried A LOT of different gadgets to remove the pilling and am very happy with the Clothes Doctor Beechwood Comb.

In a month or so time, when you might be considering packing your heaviest knits away until the autumn, I’ve found the absolute best Natural Fragrance bags by the Clothes Doctor which are packed full of Yorkshire lavender, patchouli, lemongrass and eucalyptus. The perfume is so strong in these little bags that it makes your whole room smell amazing – also really good for protecting your carpets and rugs.

The Female Fisherman

by

In the fist of a series of insights into the stories which inspire my collection – Charl Knitwear, I’d like to share the conversation I had with The Female Fisherman – Ashley Mullenger with you.

If you’ve been receiving my newsletters or reading my Journal entries for a while now, you will know that I’m fascinated by stories; whether this be the stories of the original Ganseys in museum archives or piecing together the lives of the fishermen who wore them, mine is not a collection that pays lip service.

One of the founding intentions behind my collection was to share the craftsmanship that was born out of these extremely proud fishing communities along the Norfolk coast, because theirs is a heritage that deserves to be cherished and preserved for future generations. It is the identity of a people that will be lost if there’s nobody to share it with.

Last month the Harbour Master at Well-Next-the-Sea, Robert Smith MBE invited me to photograph the Charl collection (including new additions) in situ – where the original Gansey jumpers were knitted and worn. This was an absolute privilege and gave me the opportunity to experience how it might have felt to be a fisherman off the Norfolk Coast at the mercy of the infamous tides. We filmed on various craft including vintage Life Boats and traditional fishing boats with the Norfolk “ribbed” hulls – one of which, the “Lucy Lavers” a beautiful wooden boat, answered the call to Dunkirk and rescued soldiers off the beach during the II World War.

Robert also took us onboard a working fishing boat – the “Fair Lass” owned by real life female fisherman Ashley Mullenger (@thefemalefisherman). I was so excited to hear that female fishermen exist and that fishing is not just the realm of men as it has been in the past. When I returned home, I arranged to talk to her her to find out what it is really like to be one of the few fisherwomen in the British Isles and what drew her to such a demanding profession in the first place.

To me, as I imagine for most people, fishing as a career is an elusive, slightly daunting occupation. How could you ever fully grasp the pattern of the tides, know exactly where to set the crab pots, or how to handle the boat in stormy weather, not to mention being prepared to go out at all times of day and night and in all weather conditions.
What Ashley described, reminded me of the words Julia Blackburn wrote when re-imagining the thoughts and life of John Craske (a Norfolk fisherman and artist) in her book “Threads – The Delicate Life of John Craske”. Ashley explained that the feeling of freedom and tranquillity that she experiences when out at sea is so strong, that it draws her back time and again:

“The minute I chuck my pots out I think – right I’m there now… it doesn’t matter what’s going on dry land, you leave it behind and live in the moment, just you, your boat and the sea.” I imagine that not much has changed in this respect from when my fishermen were out at sea a century ago.

I wondered why it was so unusual for a woman to go out sea fishing. Ashley told me that initially she had been worried that hauling in the pots might be too physical, but that in practice with a crew of two (herself and her skipper Nigel) this is not the case. She also reminded me that traditionally women were considered bad luck on board fishing boats. Since starting her social media page @thefemalefisherman, Ashley said that at least least 95% of the comments she gets are extremely positive and encouraging.


      Ella wearing the Middleton knit onboard “The Fair Lass”

Ashley’s boat “The Fair Lass” is a beauty – a gritty, oily functional fishing boat that began its life in the Outer Hebrides, when Ashley first brought it back to Wells, it was not easy navigating the choppy North Sea waters. She explained to me that there is a partnership between a fisherman and his or her boat – “it needs you and you need it”. She admitted that on occasion, she even talks to it, especially when it’s not behaving!

“Boats like these aren’t pressed out of a mould, they’re built by hand, and you have an emotional connection with them. A fisherman can never leave their boat – they always need to go back and check on them, see if they’re OK, you can’t survive without each other.”

Not surprisingly, Ashley is also passionate about supporting the British seafood industry and she told me that shamefully 80% of all British seafood is exported. The truth is that the British public are so used to buying pre-prepared, easy to cook, cod and haddock that we are reluctant to try our native catches. Norfolk fishermen fish for whelks, crabs, lobsters and sometimes mackerel which are cheap, healthy and have a low carbon footprint.

After our chat, I was keen to ask Ashley how to prepare some of her catch. She recommended her recipe for crab dip which is on the Great British Food Awards website.
https://www.greatbritishfoodawards.com/recipes/easy-crab-dip
 
From my research and talking to Ashley, I now understand that being a fisherman or woman is more of a way of life than a job. Those who choose it, do so because they love being out at sea in the fresh air and the sense of space and tranquillity that this provides. Fishing is not an easy way of life, but the rewards are immeasurable – a completely different life to working in an office from 9 to 5.

I admire Ashley and her fellow fishermen and women, for following their intuition and choosing a profession that fulfils their need for fresh air and freedom (words often used by Robert Smith to describe this way of life) . I am also glad to see that Ashley is proudly lighting the way for other female fishermen to follow in her steps and that she has encountered such support from within and outside the industry.
If you’d like to find out more about Ashley and her day-to-day experiences as a fisherman, you can follower her on Instagram @thefemalefisherman.

If you’d like to find out more about Wells, the location of our photoshoot, its history and stories, I recommend reading “Crossing the Bar” by Robert Smith MBE Harbour Master;
https://seabreezes.co.im/shop/crossing-the-bar/    

The Chibbles knit in the new Navy stripe colourway available to buy now

June – New Nautical knits by the sea…

by

Hello and welcome to our June newsletter!

It feels like after months of waiting, summer has finally arrived and somehow taken us by surprise!
I’ve been working on some new styles for some time now, and I’m really excited to tell you that they are almost ready!

Here are some peaks at what’s to come; chunky organic cotton and loosely knitted summer wool (British of-course!), some new playful interpretations of the nautical stripe and a new version of my favourite Norfolk fishermen’s Gansey jumpers.

I’ll be in-touch again later this month, just before I launch them on the website so that you can get early bird access!

Other news: I am expecting a new delivery of the sell-out Chibbles knit late July/ early August, just in time for the summer holidays, and we’ll be doing out first live event of the year on Sunday August 1st here in Warwickshire at the uber cool, newly renovated Castle Pavillion, Kenilworth so please save the date!

Bye for now! Frankie x

A springtime refresh

by

Washing and caring for your knitwear

As the sun is getting increasingly warmer and the days longer, it’s so nice to be able to dry washing outside again. Nothing beats the smell of naturally dried laundry!

Although if I’m honest I don’t love housework, I do really enjoy doing the washing, especially hanging it out as this gives me a moment of peace and reflection in the fresh air; a break in a busy day.

Washing knitwear can be confusing and off putting as some garments might have “machine washable” labels; this is because some specially treated or synthetic yarns might not shrink or become misshapen in the washing machine. I would honestly say though – after many years of experience and quite a few mishaps, that it is far safer to wash by hand as you can see if the wool is beginning to felt and you can quickly change the temperature of the water or dilute the soap accordingly.

This doesn’t mean hours of washing and drying by hand, and it can also be a pleasurable experience, thanks to artisan cleaning brands like Norfolk Natural Living https://www.norfolknaturalliving.com/ who make their beautifully perfumed wool and silk wash, fabric softener, hand creams and perfumes locally from 100% natural ingredients! My favourites are their Norfolk Lavender Wool and Silk Wash, their Costal Walks Fabric Conditioner and their Wild Fig Hand Cream (to nourish your hands after the washing!)

  • “Norfolk Natural Living” Conditioner and Cleaner
    Softener and Wash from “Norfolk Natural Living”

If you have time, you could also make your own wool wash and fabric softeners by following the 100% natural recipes in Jen Chillingsworth’s book “Clean Green” which puts to excellent use the gorgeous herbs and flowers that you might be growing from seed this year. (If you’re anything like me you’ll be having a go!)

  • Clean Green by Jan Chillingsworth
    Clean Green by Jan Chillingsworth

So, I would suggest giving your woollen hats, scarves or jumpers a freshen up this weekend so that you can either put them away to store or keep fresh for al fresco socializing over the coming weeks after all: “Cast not a clout until May is Out;” an old English saying that my mother and grandmother used to swear by reminding you to keep your warm clothes handy until the end of May!

It’s also worth remembering that you don’t have to wash the WHOLE garment, you could spot wash certain areas like the neck if it has make-up marks on it, or the cuffs if they’re beginning to look grubby. Natural fibres like wool, cashmere and alpaca have natural anti-bacterial and odour absorbing qualities which mean that they don’t need to be washed as frequently as cotton or synthetic fibres. This is also great for the environment as it will reduce your water consumption. I would advise hanging your knitwear on a hanger to air after wearing and spot wash where necessary, then wash the whole garment when it’s warm enough outside to let it drip dry (laid flat on a clothes airer for heavier items to avoid misshaping) before you put them away for the summer.

So, to wash, run a sink of luke (hand) warm water and pour in a little wool wash, swirl the water to dilute the soap then add your woollens, or dip in the area that you want to clean. Leave to soak for 5 minutes (time for a cup of tea!) then gently rub the areas that are dirty. If you have a particularly stubborn stain you could squeeze a small amount of wool and silk wash onto the area, add water and rub a little more, then squeeze out loosely and change the water to clean water, swill the knits around and drain squeezing gently again to avoid misshaping or twisting the seams. You could rinse again using fabric softener if you’d like to soften your knits, I would do this by adding some of the softener to the sink of luke war water again and soaking the knits for another 5 minutes before rinsing in clean water and hanging out to drip dry on a clothes airer.( I tend to move the position of the knit once it is drying to avoid getting any lines on it from where it has been hanging over a rail.)

Once the garment is dry or almost dry you can turn it inside out and steam iron on a medium heat ensuring that you have positioned the garment so that the side seams are lying flat, then you can gently ease it back into shape.

Store all knitwear folded so that it doesn’t stretch on the hanger and if you are putting it away for the season, store in an airtight bag with some anti moth sachets – I particularly like a brand called “Colibri” which uses natural aromas to deter moths and they smell beautiful.

Esther Scarf
Esther

If you have any particular questions, please email me directly at frankie@charlknitwear.co.uk and I will do my best to help!

April Newsletter

by

Spring blossom

Well, it’s April and we’ve already had a mini heatwave! But today it looks like the traditional April showers that we’ve come to expect from this month are back!

It’s a funny in-between month – we are all so ready to pack away the dark winter clothes and dig out the lighter, airier spring versions, but it’s still a little bit early. It does pay to have an “in-between” rail of clothes for just now so that you can be ready for the sun, but not get caught out if the weather turns. A cardigan is essential, and our Codling and Rook versions are perfect to wear over pretty spring blouses – even those puffy sleeved ones that are usually so awkward to tuck inside sleeves.

Rook & Codling

Behind the scenes, I feel a bit like a gardener, busily sowing the seeds of new designs and waiting for them to pop up! I’m working on some new spring shapes and colours including some fun stripes that recall the Edwardian seaside era – more of this to come…

This month, here at Charl Knitwear we’re still happily collaborating with Wardrobe Icons on our Icons Exclusive Chibbles nautically striped knit (WardrobeIcons) which is the perfect piece for a British weekend getaway!
We are also joining the new all British Brand online department store which went live today! BritYard

Back to this weekend, I hope you’ve got something fun planned? – whatever the weather? Mine is bound to involve chocolate and egg hunts in our new (very wild) garden! I’m gradually building up to getting some chickens – we’ve inherited a hen house from the previous owner so there’s no excuses, and I love the idea of collecting up real eggs! It reminds me of one of my favourite childhood poems.

The Little Black Hen

“The Little Black Hen said,
“What will you pay,
If I lay you an egg
For Easter Day?…
I’ll show you the nettle-place
On my leg,
If you’ll lay me a great big
Eastery egg.”

A.A. Milne The Christopher Robin Verse Book.
Egg cosies are available to buy as a pair or as part of the “Breakfast in bed” tea set

Happy Easter! x

March: International Women’s Day

by

Welcome to our March journal entry!

What a busy few weeks it’s been! Back at the end of February we launched an exciting new collaboration with uber stylish Wardrobe Icons  website where our Chibbles nautically striped knit became their very fist “exclusive” (if you haven’t done so already, you can pre-order your jumper there now) . Then almost two weeks ago, we packaged up our house and moved from our lovely Georgian town house in the centre of Kenilworth to an equally gorgeous converted barn in the Warwickshire countryside! Now all I can see are fields out of my window and soon, the sheep and lambs will be out in the fields again…

  • Charl Knitwear knitted egg warmers
Sparrow knit and Charlie scarf, hand knitted egg warmers, part of the “Breakfast in Bed” tea cosy gift set

March for me is when Springtime really arrives; lambing has begun, the primroses and daffodils are gradually coming into bloom and the joyful mimosa buds which hail the arrival of International Women’s Day are in season. I’m rather embarrassed to admit that I didn’t really know about International Women’s Day until I moved to Italy where it is fiercely celebrated and sprigs of mimosa are on sale at all the pavement flowers stalls.

I’m a second generation feminist, in the sense that feminist values were instilled in me by my mum, (I had an enviable reading list!) but I’ve never really had to fight the cause myself. However, I strongly believe that it is vital to celebrate the women who have managed to carve out successful careers, following their dreams, in an environment which must have been challenging, whilst encouraging and supporting those around them to grow with them.

Franca Patumi, linking in the knitwear factory

Franca Patumi, the owner and founder of the small knitting factory who knit half of my collection in Perugia, Italy, is one such person. Whenever I call or visit her factory I am warmly greeted by her personally, she has a very close knit team of women who work alongside her, including her daughter and sisters. There’s a real sense of camaraderie in her “maglificio” everyone is passionate about what they do and you can feel the pride they take in their work. They are a joy and inspiration to work with, which is why, for International Women’s Day 2021, I asked Franca to share her story with us, I hope you enjoy the interview:

Frankie: How did you begin working in the knitwear sector?

Franca: As a little girl, I was always inspired by my own mother who created the knitwear for Luisa Spagnoli who was one of the greatest Italian female icons of the fashion and textiles industries, she was famous the world over and had a huge influence on the city of Perugia. Around this time, I began working for a famous local knitwear factory. A few years later, I decided that the time had come to “fly with my own wings” and I opened the knitting factory that I still own and manage today.

Frankie: Has the factory always been family run?

Franca: Exactly. It’s an all female knitting factory and every one of us has their own role tom play in the continual growth of the business.

Frankie: Who was your role model – the person who inspired you the most in your career?

Franca: The person who inspired me the most was definitely Luisa Spagnoli, for her entrepreneurial talent, and my own mother for the level of commitment she dedicated to her work. In addition, both of these ladies felt passionately about the work that they produced. This for me has always provided a guide on how to carry out my daily work.

Frankie: How did you go about choosing your team?

Franca: The first requirement that I look for daily in each person I work with is their own sense of passion for and pride in their work…if above all else, this is seen as a pleasure, then the hours spent at work are never tiring.

Frankie: Where does the strength and determination to manage your own business come from?

Franca: In tracing the journey of the thread and in the knowledge needed to turn this into a finished garment; there is an immense sense of satisfaction in being able to do this, which drives and motivates me to try out new ideas, developments and technologies.

Frankie: What are the challenges, raising a family and a fashion business at the same time?

Franca: Organization is definitely the key to find the right balance between home life and work. But when your family perceives and understands the passion you have for your work, they will support you in your choices and spur you on to achieve your goals.

Frankie: What would you do differently if you had to choose your career again?

Franca: I honestly cannot imagine choosing a different career path… I like exterior design, being surrounded by nature, agriculture and cooking, I would probably choose one of these.

Frankie: How important is it to you to pass on your knowledge of knitwear manufacture to the next generation?

Franca: It’s extremely important to understand how to make something from scratch, for this very reason, I’m trying to pass this knowledge on in a school environment, in order to be able to give young people the chance to begin to undertake this career from a very young age, just as I did.

If you’d like to read the original transcript in Italian, please email me and I will send you a copy…

Franca and her team