Tight Knit

Shopping local and supporting small is always a sustainable way to invest in your wardrobe. So, upon discovering that naïve knitwear was a South London-based brand, created by Cat, we had to find out more. Cat tells us hows she’s always been drawn to traditional craft techniques, which are by nature inherently sustainable. 

“I view naïve as a weird soup where different flavours of ideas can come together and make something new and tasty, but my overarching aim is to recontextualise traditional craft in contemporary spaces and have a lot of fun while doing it.”

Previously Cat has worked for a fashion company which she felt was very frustrating creatively and ethically. There was a need for a drastic change and a more sustainable approach. The values of the company were not aligning with that of Cat’s, leading to the start of a freelance career and the birth of naïve knitwear, where she could embody her ethics through creativity. “I guess naïve is inherently a reaction to the large-scale, mass-produced, polluting side of fashion that I experienced.” Cat likes to keep things small, fair, uncomplicated, hyper-creative, and focused on second-hand materials. 

“I still feel brand new and "naïve" in this industry and the best part of my job is that I'm learning every day. Sharing my confusion, struggles, and techniques is an important part of the brand because I want other people to feel empowered by craft in the same way that I do.” By documenting everything on Instagram @naive.knitwear and YouTube Cat can engage with her community. Seeing the craft happen in real-time helps people to understand the true value of their clothing. To find out more about Cat and naïve knitwear visit www.naiveknitwear.co.uk