Forgive us for we have sinned - today’s installment of Proper People takes us away from Lancashire (audible gasp) and to our close neighbours in Cumbria. Specifically to Ulverston, home of the Laurel & Hardy museum, an impressive monument on a hill (great views, FYI) and OUBAS Knitwear.
OUBAS & LANX have been brand pals for a while now, so we were due a trip up the M6 to visit Kate and the team. Founded in 2012, OUBAS are slightly older than LANX with 12 years to our 7. They’re a small but growing business of all women, making for a very different vibe to LANX HQ where we’re still persuading Marco to add a few plants to the office.
Once upon a time, clothing manufacturing was a huge industry in North West England. Fast fashion and changing consumer attitudes have all but killed the industry, however young brands like OUBAS are on a mission to bring it back better than ever. Almost all stock is made to order, meaning there is no need for a huge warehouse, nor any wasted stock to go on a sale rail. It’s the antithesis of fast fashion, but fear not, their system is slick enough that your knitwear will arrive pretty quickly regardless.
Often modern knitwear is made from huge swathes of synthetic fabric that are cut into pieces and sewn together, producing rather a lot of scraps that are neither use nor ornament. OUBAS use the more traditional method of creating ‘fully fashioned’ pieces that are produced in the correct shape with minimal waste, and use natural, sustainable fibres such as wool, cashmere, and organic cotton.
Designing, programming, grading, machine operating, and linking are just a few of the steps involved in making a jumper, and everybody in the office has a solid understanding of garment construction and chips in with a bit of everything. LANX 365 boots come in handy for busy days at the machines - they’re a favourite style for ultimate comfort.
SHOP LANX 365
The beady-eyed amongst you may have noticed a LANX boot on the OUBAS website, or a beachy sweater in our latest SS24 campaign. We’re always up for a little back scratching with local brands and OUBAS fit the brief perfectly for a seaside vibe on a less than sunny day. Sure you’ll agree that Lytham boat shoes pair perfectly with a stripy cotton sweater, and the cabled tabard looks super cute with the chunky Colne. A match made in heaven / North West England.
SHOP SS24 CASUAL COLLECTION
