t’s no surprise that at Brooks Brothers we love all things Scottish. From tartan and tweed to single malt whiskey, so many of our favorites hail from the Highlands. Naturally, we welcomed the chance to visit and see just how our Scottish cashmere sweaters are fashioned.
A guided tour of our cashmere factory in
Scotland
It’s no
surprise that at Brooks Brothers we love all things Scottish. From tartan and
tweed to single malt whiskey, so many of our favorites hail from the Highlands.
Naturally, we welcomed the chance to visit and see just how our Scottish
cashmere sweaters are fashioned.
Our guide, Ian
McLeod, the manufacturing director at Hawick Knitwear gave us a
behind-the-scenes tour of the production process. We discovered handcraftsmanship
coexisting alongside modern manufacturing methods. What’s fascinating to note
is that these Scottish traditions are being passed on to a new generation of
makers.
A Hawick sweater
passes through no less than 20 pairs of hands before it is completed. The first
belonging to the facility’s Millman, who is responsible for “wet finishing”.
This part of the process is when water from the local river is used to wash the
garments, opening the cashmere fibers, which imparts their trademark softness.
The hand-sewing area
is where the sweater collars are closed with a needle and thread. This
meticulous attention to detail and finishing cannot be replicated by a machine
and is done only by professionals who train for over a year.
Garments are sent to a
team of menders who repair a multitude of irregularities. In preparation for
these scenarios, a mender uses contrasting colored thread to help track their
stitch structure and ensure consistency of the overall weave.
Last step, a Brooks
Brothers label is attached with our stamp of authenticity: “Makers and
Merchants. 100% Scottish Cashmere.”
A symbol that is synonymous with quality, luxury and care.
Brooks Brothers Vietnam:
– Ho Chi Minh: L1 – 19 & 20, Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, District 1 – ☎ (028) 3939 0477
– Hanoi: 31 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem District – ☎ (024) 3266 8206
