At Cushendale Woollen Mills, we’ve always taken immense pride in crafting high-quality, sustainable wool products, and our recent collaboration with renowned fashion designer Thom Browne is a moment of extraordinary celebration. Last year, Thom Browne’s team reached out to us with an exciting vision: to create a capsule knitwear collection using our very own Irish wool yarn. This partnership is a true testament to the value of native Irish wool and its place on the global fashion stage.
The collaboration began in early 2023 when Thom Browne’s design team, led by Graham Tabor, flew in from New York to visit our mill here in Kilkenny. They were eager to learn about our unique production processes and to see firsthand how we transform our wool into world-class yarns and textiles.
Galway Breed Sheep
But their journey started even before they arrived at our mill. Their first stop straight from the airport was to meet one of our longest-standing partner farmers, Gordon Hall, in Wexford. Gordon is one of our trusted farmers of the Galway sheep, Ireland’s only native breed. This rare and protected breed produces wool with unparalleled qualities, and seeing the source of the wool up close was a crucial part of the design process.
Together, we worked closely with Graham and his team as they selected the perfect colour palette and yarn weights for their exclusive collection. Every piece was crafted with care in Ireland, with a small number being hand-knit. It was truly a labour of love, and we are thrilled to see these beautifully designed garments come to life.
Carding 'Silver' Irish Wool for Thom Browne
This collaboration is not just about creating stunning knitwear—it’s about highlighting the value of Irish wool, a material with deep roots in our heritage, and showcasing its exceptional quality on an international stage. We are proud to have played a part in bringing Irish craftsmanship to the world of high fashion. This partnership with Thom Browne is a significant milestone for both Cushendale and the broader Irish wool industry, and we can’t wait to see where this journey takes us next.
A very big thank you to Graham and all his team and especially to Aimie Rigney who coordinated the project on behalf of Thom Browne here in Ireland.
Shop our Irish Wool Yarn here.
See the Thom Browne Irish Wool Knits, Silver and Navy.
