Laurence Di Sotto on Woolkind: ‘I’ve always been attracted to this idea of Scottish but not Scottish’
Woolkind founder Laurence Di Sotto talks ethics, sustainability and bold creations with Isy Santini
.jpg)
Ex-accountant Laurence Di Sotto has been a knitting enthusiast ever since his grandmother taught him as a child. But in the wake of covid, an idea began to crystallise: a sustainable knitwear brand where anyone could buy quality made-to-order garments. In 2023 Woolkind was born and has been steadily growing ever since, with its new studio opening in September last year.
Di Sotto was determined that Woolkind would be as sustainable as possible, no matter the cost. ‘The world’s so full of cheap crap,’ he says. ‘For me, it’s about creating a business that’s long term and doesn’t hurt things in the process.’ Though he originally wanted to source all of his materials locally, he couldn't find a lambswool spinner in the UK that didn't source their wool via China. ‘I just wasn’t comfortable with this. How do I know that people are being treated properly?’ After a year of searching, he found a sustainable wool supplier, the 350-year-old Italian family business, Lanecardate. Di Sotto is also proud to say that no plastic or polyester is found anywhere in Woolkind’s knitwear, not even the labels.
%20(8).jpg)
Woolkind also boasts two ready-to-wear collections. The signature collection is defined by colourful shapes of all sizes. ‘When we thought about our customer base, it was people who feel underrepresented by the rest of the fashion world, so our team came up with this idea of shapes and colours. It’s all about you being an individual.’
The Off Kilter collection, on the other hand, has a more personal origin. ‘I was born in Scotland but I’m third-generation Italian, so I’ve always been attracted to this idea of Scottish but not Scottish. Off Kilter is my play on that.’ The collection takes traditional Scottish designs and plays with them. ‘A lot of Scottish designers are very inspired by nature, but I live in Edinburgh so I like a bit of boldness. It’s a bit more modern, a bit more contemporary, a bit more fun.’
Woolkind, 4a Thirlestane Lane, Edinburgh.