Focus on Knitwear
Opening our annual look at the knitwear market is an insightful interview with Mike Carden of Rannerdale about what has changed within the market and what remains the same.
Knitwear’s past, present and future
Mike Carden first began working with knitwear towards the end of the 1980s, joining a partnership offering embroidered goods called Symbol Sweaters.
The partnership had a link to a Scottish knitwear manufacturer called Balmoral Knitwear, which did all the embroidery and the shipping. It soon became clear that there was a bigger opportunity in supplying knitwear than in embroidering bought-in sweatshirts and polo shirts. So, alongside Balmoral Knitwear, Mike within his partnership turned the business on its head and began supplying trade customers with corporate and school knitwear. At the time it was all made in Scotland. Mike said: “There was both a stock service of standard items and a bespoke manufacturing service. On a day when the London Underground contract was going through, the whole factory would turn navy blue, or for a certain other company, orange.”
Impact of importation With imported goods becoming more prevalent, however, things changed. Mike said that a deal was set up with a factory in Eastern Europe. He added: “They would use the same yarn and the same patterns as the Balmoral factory so that bulk could come from off-shore and smaller numbers from Scotland. “That worked for some time, but it became increasingly expensive manufacturing in the UK and skilled workers became harder for the factory to find.”
This led to the closure of Balmoral Knitwear; in 2018 Balmoral Knitwear went into liquidation. Mike said this left their company, Rannerdale, himself and Ian Pollard, with customers wanting stock and bespoke knitwear solutions. Mike said: “We approached Charles Kirk, who at the time had a factory on the south coast of England. We brought with us our knowledge from so many years working with both Balmoral Knitwear and the Eastern European factory they worked with.
“Charles Kirk put into stock the major corporate knitwear styles from Balmoral
| 64 | September 2024 Bespoke Round-neck Jumper
days – the 50% wool 50% acrylic WAVN for example, and the 100% acrylic SAVN. Those same garments are still available today and still very high quality. “I continue to work with Charles Kirk, though they are now based in their factory in Leicester. The staff at Leicester deal primarily with schoolwear (stock and bespoke) and with stock orders for corporate knitwear, while I mostly look after bespoke styles for corporatewear companies.”
Mike Carden of Rannerdale
WAME Cardigans from Charles Kirk in stock colours of charcoal, dark midnight and black
Knitwear’s evolution Furthermore, when asked what has changed in bespoke corporate knitwear styles and what has stayed the same, Mike said: “At one time, bespoke meant having a coloured stripe in the neckband. Now I am often sent styles that have been bought in high street retailers and asked to produce a version of them that will be more suitable for everyday corporate usage.
“I do still advocate for harder wearing yarns, such as 50% wool 50% acrylic, rather than softer yarns, although if a customer prefers something else, for example Pure New Merino Wool, that can also be done.”
Finally, when asked if large quantities of those bespoke styles are required, Mike answered: “Many styles can be made with a minimum of 100, sometimes less, but it’s always best to talk to me first!”
Life at present Bespoke Quarter-zip Merino Wool Ski Sweater
Mike ended speaking about what he’s up to at present. He said: “I operate Rannerdale from Dorset, though working closely with Charles Kirk for corporatewear and schoolwear and acting as a technical link to the Eastern European factory.
“I also supply specific other styles direct from Rannerdale, particularly bespoke cricket sweaters. And in my spare time I write. I believe Printwear & Promotion ran a small article on my first book (‘The Full English: Pedalling through England, Mid-Life Crisis and Truly Rampant Man-Flu’) way back in 2007! “These days, as well as the humorous cycling books, I write historical novels – ‘Alfred of Wessex.’ To my surprise, people seem to like them, and it all keeps me busy!”
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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