Long before knitwear became fashion, it was a matter of survival. On the islands and coasts of the British Isles, where wind and salt spray are daily companions, generations of knitters developed techniques to keep fishermen, farmers and shepherds warm and dry. Each region produced its own style, and several of them now define the types of traditional knitwear we still wear today. This guide takes you through the great heritage knits, Aran, Fair Isle, Guernsey, Shetland and the fisherman rib, and shows how to recognise each one.
The Guernsey: the original fisherman's jumper
The Guernsey, sometimes called the gansey, comes from the Channel Island of the same name. It was knitted for fishermen in a tightly spun, densely worked wool that could resist wind and even repel light rain. Traditionally dark navy, it is recognisable by its close, almost smooth surface, its slightly boxy shape and its practical details: underarm gussets for freedom of movement, a split welt at the hem and patterned bands at the yoke. Guernseys spread along the coasts of Britain, where each fishing community developed its own motifs. It is the ancestor of almost every sailor's jumper we know.
The Aran: cables from the Atlantic
The Aran jumper takes its name from the Aran Islands, off the west coast of Ireland. It is the most sculptural of all the heritage knits: a cream or natural wool worked in deep, raised stitches, cables, diamonds, honeycomb and moss stitch, arranged in vertical panels. Its patterns create a thick, textured fabric with remarkable insulation. The Aran became internationally famous in the twentieth century and remains the image many people have of a traditional knit.
Fair Isle: the colourwork of Shetland
Fair Isle is a tiny island between Orkney and Shetland, and it gave its name to a very particular technique: stranded colourwork, in which two colours are knitted in each row, the unused yarn carried behind the work. The result is a band of small, repeating geometric motifs in many colours, on a fabric that is warm because it is doubled on the reverse. Fair Isle knitwear became fashionable in the 1920s, notably when the Prince of Wales wore it on the golf course, and it has been associated ever since with a certain idea of British country elegance.
Shetland: the wool and the lace
Shetland is both a place and a wool. The native Shetland sheep produce a fine, light and slightly springy fibre, one of the most distinctive in the British Isles. It is used for everyday jumpers with a soft, lightly brushed surface, and for the famous Shetland lace, knitted so finely on the island of Unst that shawls were said to pass through a wedding ring. A Shetland knit is often lighter than it looks, and becomes softer with every wear.
The fisherman rib: texture without pattern
The fisherman rib is less a regional tradition than a stitch shared by the knitters of the coasts. It creates a deep, springy, reversible rib, much thicker than a classic rib, with excellent warmth and elasticity. It is the stitch of chunky cardigans and heavy jumpers. The Catherine long cardigan is knitted in a substantial fisherman rib, with a sculpted funnel collar and a leather-knotted toggle: a heritage texture in a contemporary, oversized silhouette.
How heritage knits inspire the modern wardrobe
These traditions have left more than patterns. They have given the modern wardrobe a vocabulary of textures, heavy ribs, brushed surfaces, dense knits, and a certain idea of quality: garments made to last for decades and to be handed down. Today, designers reinterpret them rather than reproduce them. The chunky rib of the fisherman's jumper becomes a belted cardigan; the brushed surface of Shetland wool becomes a cropped cashmere jumper.
The chunky rib, belted
The Tucker shawl cardigan takes the chunky rib of coastal knitwear and turns it into a hip-length, belted cardigan in 100% merino wool, with a generous shawl collar.
The brushed surface, in cashmere
The Glasgow jumper, named after the Scottish city, is knitted in fine cashmere with a brushed mouliné finish that recalls the softly blurred surface of traditional wool, in a cropped, boxy cut.
The Highland turtleneck
The Arisaig turtleneck, named after a village on the west coast of the Highlands, is a cropped, boxy turtleneck in 100% cashmere with a ribbed funnel collar.
All these pieces are gathered in our knits and cashmere collection and in our AW26 collection, The Shepherd's Plaid.
How to recognise a well-made knit
Whatever the tradition, a few signs reveal quality. The fibre should be natural: wool, cashmere or a noble blend. The knit should be dense and even, with no loose or irregular stitches. The edges, cuffs, collar and hem, should recover their shape when stretched. And the garment should feel substantial for its size. A well-made knit is an investment: it softens over time and, cared for properly, lasts for decades. For a detailed look at wearing cashmere through the seasons, read our guide on how to style cashmere year-round.
How to wear heritage knitwear today
The key is contrast. Wear a chunky knit with clean, tailored pieces rather than with other heavy textures: a fisherman rib cardigan over a fine turtleneck and straight wool trousers, a brushed cashmere jumper over a crisp shirt. Keep colours natural, cream, grey, brown, navy, as the original knitters did. Our layering essentials are designed to be combined in exactly this way.
Layering heritage knits
Heritage knitwear was designed to be worn over other layers, and that remains the best way to wear it. Under a chunky rib or a cable knit, choose a fine, close-fitting layer that will not add bulk: a silk-cashmere turtleneck, a ribbed tank or a light cotton shirt. The fine knit keeps warmth close to the body, while the heavy knit does the rest. Our Second Skin collection was designed with exactly this role in mind.
Colour follows the same logic as texture. The original heritage knits were mostly made in undyed or naturally dyed wools: cream, oatmeal, grey, brown, and the deep navy of the Guernsey. Staying within these tones keeps a modern outfit connected to its roots and makes every piece easy to combine with the others. A cream knit over a cream base layer, for example, creates a tonal look that feels both traditional and entirely contemporary. Explore these tones in our cream and ivory edit.
In summary
The Guernsey is the dense, dark fisherman's jumper of the Channel Islands; the Aran is the cabled cream knit of the west of Ireland; Fair Isle is the stranded colourwork of Shetland; Shetland is a fine, light native wool and a tradition of lace; and the fisherman rib is the deep, springy stitch of coastal cardigans. Together, they shaped the modern knitwear wardrobe. To discover more about the heritage behind Scottish style, read our selection of Scottish heritage fashion brands, and the story of NAMI on our about page.