Nicci James
Knitwear brand
Nicci James is a knitwear designer challenging our perception of wool through an innovative lens. By harnessing wool's natural ability to felt through the knitting process, Nicci’s innovative method engineers strength directly into a garment, exactly where it's needed. Committed to making in 100% wool, Nicci James launched the UNUSUWUL Studio in 2023 to pursue designing for and with UK grown wool. Supported by Innovate UK in 2023, her goal is to showcase the value of individual sheep breed characteristics in making local, traceable, circular pieces which can safely return to the soil.
UNUSUWUL is a design and development company using an innovative process to turn low value wool into high value textiles and garments. Our innovation - the UNUSUWUL PROCESS is a design system: not a single product but a mechanism to design many. We have proven that we can harness wool’s natural properties to create circular, sustainable alternatives to blended and synthetic fibres. Key benefits include:
● 100% Wool: Renewable, fully compostable material.
● ZERO Synthetics/Oil-Derived Components: No threads, adhesives, or strengtheners.
● Versatile: Works with any wool fibre with felting potential.
● Economic Opportunities: Provides the UK wool industry with access to new revenue streams by utilising wasted, locally grown fibre.
● Natural Fleece Colours: Avoids soil contamination through chemical dyestuffs during composting.
● Circular Economy: Integrates with established wool recycling systems and can be recycled into new fibre output using mechanical processes.
● Efficiency: Streamlines existing manufacturing systems and reduces pre-consumer waste.
Heavily inspired by marrying tradition, innovation and tactility, Nicci’s creations have won awards for Circular Design from Fashion District and showcased by the Crafts Council in 2024. This year UNUSUWUL has been working on projects with South Eastern England Fibreshed & British Wool to champion the amazingly diverse properties of native UK wool fibre.
What is so amazing about working with British wool? With over 60 native sheep breeds within the UK alone - there is an exciting possibility to design for and with specific breed characteristics, in direct conversation with the sheep farmers. We have on our doorstep so much diversity, suited to endless different applications.
If any/ what have been your challenges with working with British wool and a local way of working? Challenging to find a range of british wool yarns suitable for machine knitting that are not a blend of breeds or that are farm specific. Finding it also challenging to source yarns suitable for finer gg work. Access to industrial machinery including power knitting machines and industry relevant wash facilities is expensive for me as a small scale business wanting to pursue innovation. One of the biggest barriers is the cost of R&D.
What gauge of Knitwear do you sell? i.e fine gauge 10-12gg or more chunky knits such as 7-5gg Current commercial pieces knitted on 7 / 3.5gg machines as well as on ~6gg. Currently sampling with British Wool yarns to embed them in my system. Some existing pieces are made with 100% recycled yarn waste from IINOUIIO.
Do you finish onsite? If not, is it convenient or what would be your ideal situation? Yes all finishing from UNUSUWUL process is completed either in studio for small orders or within micro factory - Knit Design Centre in Leicester.
Do you find a lot of push back in the industry in terms of working with British wool? Perception of British Wool being coarse is still prevalent. Knowledge of fashion brands I’m looking to work with is really only of merino wool and that being the benchmark. Perception that BW is not fine enough for fashion use and is only really for hand knit yarn.
Adoption of my tech by brands and manufacturers is hindered by the lack of metrics and datasets specific to UK wool that quantifies its impact and benefits it can provide - both environmentally in terms of a more localised supply chain, lower material impact and improving diversity in the UK - & also social impacts of creating market opportunities for UK wool growers.
Do you find that customers are becoming more interested in British wool? Customers I speak to are largely unaware of the diversity of british wool breeds within the UK and are excited to see the difference, especially when presented with physical samples. General sense of horror when they learn of it being wasted or burnt - surprised by its softness.
On the flip side, there is a joy and surprise and delight in direct stories and connection to farmers, which brings a glimmer of hope.
On a scale of 1- 10 (1 being the lowest and 10 excellent) how much do you think your business has improved in the below areas as a result of good working practices and environmental standards?
Waste Production - 8 (made to shape, made to size, made to order)
Plastic Pollution - 10 (no other materials used - only wool)
Water Wastage - 6 (no dyeing but wet finishing needed)
Energy Consumption - 8 (local supply chain)
Do you have any hero farmers or people in your supply chain you would like to highlight?
The Wool Library (BFL & Teeswater from Dodgson Wood’s Farm and their Neighbour)
Farmers worked with for breed specific wool via South Eastern England Fibreshed:
- Plaw Hatch Farm (Black Romney & Lleyn)
- Lauriston Farm (North Ronaldsay)
- Nant Clywd (Poll Dorset)