Purls of wisdom: The faces behind the revival of Irish knitwear

For decades, Irish knitwear was more prominent in souvenir shops than runways. Now, everyone from Taylor Swift to Sarah Jessica Parker is embracing Irish wool. Holly Warren looks at how our ancient craft became cool

Sat, 08 Nov, 2025 - 01:00

Holly Warren

For decades, Irish knitwear was more prominent in a souvenir shop than on a fashion runway. Aran jumpers and heavy cardigans carried a reputation for being durable but dowdy, practical garments rather than style statements. That perception is shifting.

Irish knitwear is undergoing a renaissance. From Taylor Swift sporting Aran in her folklore album rollout, to Sarah Jessica Parker being spotted in Donegal’s Triona Design, it seems our knitwear is being freshly recognised for its craft, versatility, and contemporary appeal.

At the centre of this revival is IrelandsEye Knitwear, a family-run business based in Dublin that has been producing knitwear for over 40 years.

Today, under the direction of brothers Paul and Brendan O’Sullivan, the company is thriving both at home and abroad, with its pieces being worn by celebrities and featured in major television productions.

Despite its success, IrelandsEye remains deeply rooted in its Irish identity, blending heritage with innovation in a way that mirrors the wider resurgence of the textile.

Founded in 1988, IrelandsEye began as a small operation producing knitwear inspired by traditional Irish stitches.

Over time, the company expanded its reach while keeping production firmly in Dublin. This decision has set it apart: While many fashion businesses have moved manufacturing overseas, IrelandsEye has kept every stage of design and production under one roof.

That commitment has paid dividends. The brand’s knitwear has appeared on Sharon Horgan in Bad Sisters, where her character Eva Garvey wore several of the brand’s signature cardigans.

Amy Huberman’s favourite cardigan from the brand proved so popular that, after being discontinued, it had to be brought back into production.

While those celebrity moments have helped put the brand in the spotlight, its growing profile rests on something deeper: A renewed appreciation for quality, sustainability, and Irish-made design.

A visit to the factory on the outskirts of Dublin reveals the scale of the operation.

The steady hum of knitting machines fills the space as panels of soft wool appear in colours ranging from natural oat to coral and moss green.

Designers adjust patterns on screens while skilled finishers link seams by hand and check every stitch. There is a quiet pride in the process, and every tag that reads “Made in Ireland” carries that story.

DÉANTA IN ÉIRINN

“At IrelandsEye, we want to hold on to enough of the heritage, but then make knitwear relevant for modern life,” says managing director Paul O’Sullivan.

“For authenticity, and as part of our DNA, it’s important our brand is made here in Ireland.

“Then we marry that with contemporary elements — modern design, modern shapes, soft yarns and, of course, colour.”

That balance between past and present defines the new era of Irish knitwear. While the brand’s name references a small island off the Dublin coast, its outlook is global.

Many of its yarns come from the southern hemisphere, where merino wool offers the softness customers expect.

“In Ireland, historically, sheep have been bred for meat rather than fibre,” O’Sullivan explains.

“Our climate produces a coarser fleece. In places like New Zealand, they’ve spent generations breeding for fine merino wool. Here, that’s starting to happen too, but it will take time. It would be lovely to think that someday the Irish clip could be fine enough for us to use.”

Despite this, the brand’s Irishness is unmistakable. Traditional stitches such as honeycomb, diamond, and cable remain central but are now reimagined in modern silhouettes and updated palettes.

“It’s about keeping the character of the fabric but modernising the shape and colour,” says O’Sullivan.

“Up until maybe 20 years ago, it was all lumber cardigans and traditional Arans. Now, Irish knitwear is really quite cool. We want people to look at a piece and think, that looks Irish, the same way you’d recognise something Italian.”

Sustainability is another crucial aspect of the business. Excess yarn is donated to schools and community groups so nothing goes to waste, and they continue to invest in greener production methods.

“We try to bring a considered approach to everything we do, from employment practices to production values,” remarks O’Sullivan. “We want to leave a better, lighter footprint.”

For today’s consumers, that mindset resonates. People are buying less and buying better — choosing garments that last.

“People aren’t buying our sweaters because they’re cold,” O’Sullivan reveals.

“They buy them because they want them. We hear from customers who’ve had a jumper for 10 years, who ring us looking for a bit of wool to mend it. They love it, they’ve worn it in, it’s part of their life. That’s the best thing.”

How to Gael x IrelandsEye. Picture: Bríd O'Donovan

STILL HERITAGE, STILL ALIVE

While IrelandsEye represents tradition and continuity, a new generation of Irish designers is pushing wool into unexpected places.

At SÉ Studios, knitwear takes sculptural, minimalist forms that border on art. Designer Caoimhe Dowling, under her label Seeking Judy, uses colour and texture with playful abandon, while Lydia Eakin reimagines pattern and proportion with humour and warmth. Together, they are redefining what Irish wool can be: Sharp, expressive, and experimental.

This revival is visible across Ireland’s fashion calendar. Following the success of Dublin Independent Fashion Week, Ireland Fashion Week this month put knitwear firmly in the spotlight, with IrelandsEye among the participants.

“Historically, Irish knitwear was seen as something for tourists,” O’Sullivan admits. “That was 20 years ago. Showing at events like Irish Fashion Week or Create in Brown Thomas helps people see it in a contemporary way. It puts knitwear in the fashion space, not the souvenir space.”

The company has also embraced collaboration, teaming up with designer Aoife McNamara and working on a new project with podcasters How To Gael.

“That’s another part of our culture,” O’Sullivan says. “It’s still heritage, but it’s alive.”

Looking ahead, the O’Sullivans hope this revival will go beyond fashion and help spark a wider revaluing of local manufacturing.

“It would be great to see the industry thriving — making knitwear here so that if it’s ours, it really is ours,” says O’Sullivan. “And I’d love to see people recognise the value of working in production, of making something. Once people come into our factory, they tend to stay. There’s a real buzz in creating something tangible.”

His hope for the future is simple: “Just as the French are renowned for their wine, I’d love for the Irish to be recognised for our knitwear.”

Irish wool may once have been seen as scratchy and old-fashioned, destined for souvenir shelves. Today, it is at the heart of something much more exciting.

From the hum of machines in a Dublin factory to the catwalks of Irish Fashion Week, Irish knitwear has found its rhythm again — woven from heritage, creativity, and a renewed sense of pride.

Five labels stitching the future of knitwear

Pearl Reddington

From her studio in Raheny, Co. Dublin, Pearl Reddington is building a brand that is both intimate and instinctive.

Her knits subvert Irish knitwear norms, with her neon-imbued garments that encapsulate city life.

Collaborating with artisans in Donegal, Reddington uses locally spun merino wool, giving her pieces a soft, fluid texture that feels unmistakably Irish.

Colour is her language. Reddington’s signature palette includes themes of navy, grey and pops of neon, with combinations that are both natural and striking.

Each bespoke piece is designed for movement and comfort, yet they always possess a deliberate edge that sets them apart.

Pearl Reddington’s upcoming collection is set to launch in November 2025, which marks another step forward for a designer whose work continues to grow in confidence and clarity.

Linda Wilson Knitwear

Based in Limerick City, Linda Wilson has built a reputation for knitwear that combines structure, precision, and a compelling colour palette.

A graduate of the Limerick School of Art and Design, Wilson brings both technical skill and creative control to her collections.

Each piece is designed and crafted in her studio using a blend of merino lambswool, silk, and cashmere, which gives her knits a smooth finish.

Wilson works the yarn with distinctive stitch structures, creating textiles that are grounded in Ireland’s knitting heritage while staying firmly fashion-forward.

Her lines feature geometric rhythm and textural depth. Colour is a strategic tool: grounded bases such as dark brown or mouse are accented by coral, chartreuse, kingfisher blue or sunflower yellow.

The result is a collection of pieces that coordinate with ease yet carry personality. Every design reflects a balance of practicality and design ambition.

Linda Wilson Knitwear offers garments that are intentional in design yet effortless in wear.

Pellador

Pellador introduces a contemporary edge to Irish knitwear. The Dublin-based label boasts the crossover of sport and style, blending references to football heritage with contemporary tailoring and knit techniques.

Their jumpers play with structure and proportion, blending the familiarity of a classic crew-neck with the detail of tailored knitwear.

There is a sense of movement in everything Pellador makes. The cuts are neat, the knits are lightweight yet warm, and the colours shift between forest green, deep wine and glimpses of yellow or cobalt.

The collections reflect the idea of football jerseys without ever feeling literal, materialising the spirit of a community and identity that connects with younger wearers.

They sit as comfortably in a pub as they do at an event, bridging sport and style in a way that feels natural.

Hope Macaulay

Few designers have reshaped perceptions of Irish knitwear quite like Hope Macaulay.

From her studio in Coleraine, she has built a distinct visual world defined by oversized shapes, rich colour and hand-knitted texture.

Each piece is crafted by a network of local knitters across Northern Ireland, giving the brand a unique blend of scale and intimacy.

Macaulay’s designs are both bold and creative; her signature chunky cardigans and jumpers, often in swirls of pink, lilac, blue and citrus, have become statement pieces for a new generation of wearers.

They are tactile and joyful, sitting somewhere between fashion and art, yet still grounded in the skill of traditional hand knitting.

Macaulay’s knitwear has featured on global platforms and in major fashion shoots, yet remains firmly rooted in community and slow production.

Kittenish Knits

Kittenish Knits is one of the brightest new names in Irish knitwear, bringing fun and individuality back into the craft.

Featured in the Irish Independent’s Ones to Watch 2024, and recently sold at Dublin Independent Fashion Week, the label has found a following for its hand-knitted pieces that mix colour, texture, and attitude.

Stocked in Om Diva in Dublin, Kittenish Knits has become a favourite among a younger demographic that appreciates originality and small-scale production.

The brand’s cropped shapes, ribbon and fur details, and colour pairings feel spontaneous and expressive – the kind of knitwear that stands out on the street as easily as it does in a boutique.

Kittenish Knits embodies a lighter, more experimental side of Irish fashion, defined by independence, innovation and confidence.

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