The John Smedley brand was established over 225 years ago in 1784 founded by Peter Nightingale and John Smedley. The pair was inspired by Richard Arkwright who had pioneered the factory system 13 years earlier. Taking this inspiration, the Lea Mills were set up. Today, John Smedley is a world-renowned brand in knitwear.

John Smedley takes their long-standing values and applies them to a contemporary fashion industry. John Smedley makes all their garments at their mill in Derbyshire, which keeps them true to their roots, but equally important, it means they manage their traceability. They’re in control of what they create.

While manufacturing in England is important to John Smedley, so is the provenance of the high quality luxury fibres. There are no short cuts. No searching for lower priced alternatives which mean lower quality. They only buy the very best and they’re in control of the production process from start to finish.

British
We are the world’s oldest manufacturing company and we make garments from the heart of Britain.

Aspirations
We aspire to create effortless style and believe that every one of our garments should be excellent in every way.

Quality
We are founded on the principle of quality and aim to make the finest quality knitwear in the world, from the best natural materials.

Craftsmanship
We respect the skill and dedication of each generation of our people and continue to develop our craft.

Community
We reach out to our worldwide customers and partners to generate new stories and build a community of trust for our knitwear.