With their large pointy ears, Roman nose – sometimes splattered with Rorschach-esqe blotches – and almost dreadlock-like fleece, the Bluefaced Leicester sheep is a rather unusual- looking creature. But it would be wrong to judge a book by its cover, because this particular breed is one of the country’s most expensive and sought-after – and is the source of Sunspel’s Luxury British Jumper.

This comfy signature knit was introduced late last year and marks a major milestone for Sunspel. It also represents a much deeper story for the heritage British brand.

This is the third (and first successful) attempt Sunspel has made to craft a truly British jumper: one made entirely in the UK from locally sourced material. We may all be familiar with British wool, but what’s perhaps less known is that it’s primarily a byproduct of sheep bred for meat, and therefore the quality is better suited to rugs and carpets rather than clothing.

‘It’s actually quite hard to make a luxury wool product from British wool,’ explains David Telfer, creative director at Sunspel. ‘I think that’s what makes [this jumper] unique for us: it’s a luxury homegrown product and we haven’t had to compromise on the locality.’

Which brings us back to the Bluefaced Leicester. The sheep hails from the north of the UK, in the rolling hills of Lancashire, Northumberland and Yorkshire. The wool has the finest micron count of any breed and a long staple, which produces a uniquely smooth yarn. It also handles beautifully, making it popular with traditional hand spinners.

Sunspel teamed up with Bluefaced Leicester specialist Upland Yarns to produce the raw material. Like Sunspel, it is a proudly British company that eschews toxic chemicals, so the result is a completely naturally processed wool.

While it’s been a labour of love to bring the Luxury British Jumper to life, it’s also been a learning curve for Telfer and the Sunspel team. ‘The only way you can confirm on quality is to know the source,’ he says. ‘We meet with the farmers and get to know them, so with each garment, we know where that cotton is coming from. We also really appreciate the fabric and we try to do the best we can with our suppliers. We only ever launch something we’re happy with. It has to perform and live up to our expectations.’

Anyone who knows Sunspel will know that those expectations are sky-high. The company was founded in 1860 and makes premium wardrobe essentials using only the finest materials. The clothing is timeless, fuss-free and built to last.

So making a 100 per cent British wool jumper was a natural progression. Not only is it a garment farmed, scoured, spun and knitted in England, but the entire farm-to-finished product process is one of less than 150 miles. Once the raw fleece is collected, it travels to Bradford to be made into fibres ready for knitting. Before carding and combing, the fleece is washed to draw out the natural protective oils, which are sold for balms and cosmetics. The spinning takes place in Laxtons mill, a partner of Upland Yarns, then the final stage takes place at Sunspel’s knit partners in Leicester.

This autumn/winter season, Sunspel will introduce a new collection of British wool jackets alongside the jumper and a “twisted” colourway made from combining undyed ecru and brown yarns. While not made from Bluefaced Leicester wool, the jackets are nevertheless ‘woven in such a way to maintain the same soft properties’.

‘It’s really nice to be able to celebrate what we still do really well in this country, which is weaving,’ says Telfer. ‘We use a bit of Harris Tweed and Abraham Moon [mill] in Yorkshire. I like that we can champion these kinds of people while celebrating the heritage of what we do well in Britain.’

sunspel.com