Fishermen from Norfolk, England, wearing gansey.

These knitted woollen jumpers are one of our favourite products because they’re not just clothes, they are a system.

Gansey is about durability and identity.

The jumper has no front or back, so the fishermen could simply turn it around when signs of wear appeared on the elbows.

The upper part of each jumper was knitted in an intricate pattern unique to the village, both to increase durability and – rather tragically – to allow for drowned fishermen to be identified and brought home.
The bottom half was done in a more straightforward way and could easily be unraveled and reknitted.

Gansey is where identity, inventiveness and durability coincide.