Best of British

Wool craft in Yorkshire

ROSS BARR’S GRANDMOTHER taught him to knit when he was about four. ‘It was very sweet,’ he says. ‘That was my knitting introduction.’ And it stuck. He went on to launch his eponymous men’s knitwear label in 2015 at the age of 26, basing many of his designs on heritage patterns, such as a knitted tailcoat worn by the second Earl Spencer in the 1790s.

Having grown up in Wakefield and watched his father struggle to keep his haulage company in Yorkshire during the 1990s, local industry is close to Barr’s heart, so every stage – from shearing the fleece to sewing on the buttons – is carried out within a 50-mile radius of the farm in Yorkshire where the sheep live. The nearby spinning factory – over 100 years old, and home to 1930s machines – turns the wool into yarn, while the designs all begin at Barr’s studio in Wake- field, which is scattered with draft creations, knit samples and coloured yarns.

Barr, who completed an enterprise programme with The Prince’s Trust, begins each piece by selecting the sheep. His unique wool combines two British breeds, Bluefaced Leicesters – the UK equivalent of soft merino – and Mashams – strong, but not itchy. ‘Choosing the sheep is about the qualities of their wool. I look for strength without scratchiness,’ he says.

The raw wool fleece is weighed, then graded by the British Wool Board, and scoured – an intense process that removes grease, dirt and other impurities using multiple washing bowls containing water, detergents and rinses, and finally industrial dryers.

Next the wool is carded using combs known as slivers, to untangle the fibres, which are then rolled into a continuous rope (or roving), ready for spinning. ‘This is where the magic happens,’ says Barr. ‘I always think of Rumpelstiltskin at his spinning wheel.’ The spinners draw the roving through small rollers, which extend the wool fibres, and then twist them into skeins of yarn for dying.

Each part of the sweater is knitted individually on a machine. To assemble the garment, the pieces are ‘linked’; first the body, followed by the sleeves, collars and hems. Finally buttons, made from English pine, are stitched on.

Male model David Gandy has worn Barr’s designs and his label’s profile has grown exponentially over the past three years. During its launch year, the team created 150 pieces, but this year, they expect to make 3,000. ‘It’s been terrifying and incredible,’ says Barr. ‘But ultimately it’s a labour of love.’

Ross Barr won the regional Natwest Enterprise Award at The Prince’s Trust Awards; princes-trust.org.uk. ross-barr.com

From top Ross Barr, wearing his Spencer jacket, at Scaife Hall Farm in north Yorkshire; thread is sent away to be dyed; carded wool ready to be spun. Interview by Georgina Lucas. Photographs by Lisa Stonehouse