Hawick, Scotland

Two hours away from Edinburgh, near the Scottish Borders, is cashmere knitting town Hawick. Knitting is the process of making yarn into sweaters; there are twenty-nine steps altogether. One step sets Hawick apart: washing. The soft, alkaline waters that run through River Teviot sets Hawick far ahead from the other knitting regions. This is why knitters Pringle of Scotland and Chanel’s Barrie call Hawick home.

When you hear a cashmere sweater is "Made in Scotland," or uses "Scottish Cashmere," it is likely that it is knitted in Scotland. There is only a very small handful of Scottish knitters left, such as Barrie, Johnston's of Elgin, William Lockie, Begg&Co, and Hawico. Pringle of Scotland and Ballantyne are currently owned by foreign companies. There are even less Scottish spinners left. Todd & Duncan and JC Rennie come to mind.

Knit panels used to be made on hand machines by punch cards (Bottom, Right). Now, they are knit on digital machines by needles (Bottom, Left). The largest needle head makes thickest sweaters; the smallest head makes the finest.