The world’s best knitwear brands, according to Wallpaper*

When the temperature drops and the days shorten, it can be easy to hide away inside until the sun returns. If, however, you are looking for some impetus to spur you out into the world this winter, the Wallpaper* guide to the world’s best knitwear brands has an array of designers, labels, makers and craftspeople creating covetable knits which span the colourful, the classic and the cosy, seeing you through autumn, winter and beyond.

From historic Scottish and Italian mills to fluoro cashmere and sustainably-minded sweaters made from leftover yarns, we’ve divided the list into three categories: ‘The Heritage Icons’ (brands with decades, if not centuries, in business, and rooted in traditional craft), ‘The Innovative Up-and-Comers’ (a roster of labels disrupting classic knitwear tropes with bold colour, unexpected silhouettes and artistic collaborations), and ‘The Luxury Powerhouses’ (blockbuster labels where sleek, contemporary design meets a focus on craft). In other words, there’s something for every taste.

THE HERITAGE ICONS

Johnstons of Elgin

In its 225 years of existence, Johnstons of Elgin has mastered the art of creating the perfect cashmere sweater. Not only does the Scottish heritage brand produce cashmere products that are made entirely in-house in their Elgin workshops on the River Lossie, they also provide cashmere and wool to some of the world’s biggest fashion brands. When it comes to knitwear, Johnstons takes craftsmanship to the extreme, as evidenced by the 33 people who are involved in creating something as seemingly simple as a scarf, with each step of the process – from dying and blending to spinning – carried out by specialised artisans. As such, purchasing an item from Johnstons is an investment: we recommend the brand’s classic cable-knit sweater to wear with jeans, underneath or blazer, or paired with one of the brand’s tweed coats, the most recent of which are made from the highest quality merino wool fibres to ensure the checkered or houndstooth patterns have a bold, textural finish.