Behind the Brand: Oubas Knitwear

 
"At the inception of OUBAS, when that first kernel of an idea began to form, was a concept and vision to bring knitted clothing production back into the community, creating pieces that are beautiful, timeless and valued."


"We are fully in support of regenerative agriculture, and welcome a return to working in harmony with the land, managing the health of soils and biodiversity within the landscapes. We are very mindful of our impact and design with end of use in mind; how our clothing can return to the earth naturally is something intrinsic to our design and production process."

"By striving to create pieces that are beautiful and valued, we are helping to ensure that something gets worn time after time and year after year. Thereby we are ensuring that all of the time and resources that go into each garment are really worth it."

"We choose to use natural fibres and knit to order production, which has multiple benefits, including the almost elimination of waste garments and material. The process of knitting means just the right amount of yarn goes into each piece, with none of the usual offcuts associated with cut and sew clothing. The use of natural fibres also means that when a garment reaches the end of its usable life, it will quickly biodegrade, unlike synthetic based materials."

YARNS AND MATERIALS

OUBAS styles are very linked to the tones and shades found in the local Cumbrian landscape. The connection to natural beauty seen in the landscapes and using these shades in their knitwear means that they are always harmonious and the palette has a timeless quality to it. There are shades of mosses, lichens, stones, the brackens on the fell sides and the deep greens found in the local forests that come into the collections. That connection and sense of place gives us a connection to the landscape and nature that we seem to have lost.



On a human level, using natural fibres breathe with wear, and are therefore much more comfortable. There is a natural drape and loftiness to using pure wools, and its natural characteristics are both antibacterial and insulating. It is a diverse fibre and using different breeds of sheep means we can achieve different textures and structures within a knit.

Environmentally, OUBAS use a natural resource which can be replenished and doesn’t use harsh chemicals or finite resources such as oil to be produced. The brand source their organic cotton from the Better Cotton Initiative ensuring that the cotton that is used has been grown sustainably, the landscape managed regeneratively, and the farmers treated fairly. 

Yarns are sourced from both UK and Italian yarn mills, known for the quality of the raw fibres they use, and also their environmental credentials.

All designs are made in the OUBAS studio situated in Ulverston, Cumbria. The team combine heritage with modern knitting technology to produce traditional ‘fully fashioned’ knitwear, meaning each piece is shaped to fit with very little to no waste.




DESIGN PROCESS


Unlike with cut and sew clothing where there is fabric waste, with knitting you only use exactly the amount of yarn needed to produce the item; it is already very low waste. OUBAS only use pure natural fibres such as wool, linen, cotton and cashmere which are all known for their soft hand feel and longevity. 

The team don't work with complex patterns but instead with the simplicity of yarn drape and the way that natural fibres take colour and dye. Using natural fibres means items can easily return to the land after we use them, or be recycled into new yarns or items. The team select yarns that will last, making sure our finishing and overall construction of garments is robust and designed in a way where we eliminate weak seams and stretch where damage may occur through regular wear.


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