71 PROFILE BRINGING BACK BRITISH Determined to rebuild and revitalise British knitwear, supporting small family-run factories and artisans, Genevieve Sweeney has big plans for her knitwear business When did you start up, and why? My background has always been in knitwear; after studying Fashion Knitwear BA at Nottingham Trent, I worked for global brands in New York, Switzerland, and London. During my career, I’ve been fascinated by the artisan, the yarn spinner, and the knitter; I was fortunate to see these production methods across the globe and spend time in factories, understanding and learning each process. When I moved back to London in 2014, I started buying and restoring old knitting machines for my studio. I planned to knit at the weekends and one day start my own brand. I spent my days off and weekends travelling up and down the UK, meeting yarn spinners, small factories, and artisan knitters. Through these meetings, I realised the destruction of the British knitwear industry. We were losing our heritage craft and local communities, and there was little livelihood left for artisan makers across the UK due to manufacturing moving overseas. The knowledge and skills were no longer being transferred to the next generation; this heritage craft was going to disappear. I knew I had to do something to help change this. Genevieve Sweeney was launched in 2015 and is devoted to championing and celebrating Slow Fashion, British Manufacturing, and Sustainable Design. I am determined to rebuild and revitalise British knitwear, supporting small family-run factories and artisans. I am also looking to start apprenticeships in my studio in Hertfordshire. What prompted you to launch the business? I was buying old knitting machines on eBay and Gumtree for my studio. I’d travel up to Scotland to pick up the machine and would often end up having a cup of tea with the owner of the machine. I fell in love with their stories of the golden knitting ages, their undying passion, and the deep community who worked together, built families together and passed on their skilled knowledge. I always left our meetings heartbroken by their world that had crumbled away when
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