For us at Oubas, wool has always felt closely connected to place.
We live and make in Cumbria, surrounded by sheep farming and landscapes that have been shaped, cared for and worked by generations of farmers. The stone walls, open fells and fields dotted with sheep are not simply the scenery around us, they are part of the story behind the clothes we make.
British wool is important to us because of this connection. We are proud to be a licensed British Wool company, a mark that gives our customers confidence that the wool we use comes from Britain and is part of a recognised supply chain. But for us, the significance goes beyond a label.
Wool creates a very tangible relationship between clothing and farming. Every fleece begins with a sheep, cared for by a farmer, living within a particular landscape. Using British wool allows us to acknowledge that journey and the people and animals behind the material.
There is something quite special about knowing that a natural fibre can connect a garment back to the land it came from.
Sheep farming has shaped the British landscape for centuries. In Cumbria and across Yorkshire, the presence of sheep is woven into the character of the countryside. Farming and landscape are deeply intertwined here, each influencing the other over generations.
We think that connection is worth preserving.
As a small British clothing company, making close to home matters to us. So does understanding where our materials come from and recognising the work that goes into producing them. Choosing British wool is one small way of keeping that relationship alive: between farmer and fibre, landscape and clothing, and the people who make and wear our clothes.
For us, British wool is a connection to where we live, to the people who care for the land, and to a way of working that has been part of the British landscape for generations.
It is a material with a story that begins long before it reaches us.
Warm wishes,
Kate