William Lockie has knitted in Hawick, on the River Teviot, since 1874, when it started out in hosiery. It remains family run and is described as the oldest family-owned luxury knitwear business in the Scottish Borders. It is best known among connoisseurs for tightly knitted 4-ply and 6-ply cashmere; at stockists, lambswool sweaters run about $180–265 and cashmere about $500.
Key facts
- Established 1874 in Hawick, Scottish Borders; still family owned and run
- Workers are drawn from the same local families over generations
- Works in cashmere, camelhair, merino, Geelong and lambswool
- Known for tightly knitted multi-ply constructions including 4-ply and 6-ply cashmere
Fibres and construction
William Lockie works principally in Cashmere, Merino wool, Wool, lambswool & Shetland, Baby camel hair. Construction and techniques associated with the house include fully-fashioned, multi-ply and hand-finished. It is based in Scotland, a country that is the historic centre of luxury cashmere knitting.
How to judge William Lockie quality
- For cashmere pieces, look for a stated micron count or grade, 2-ply yarn for sweaters, and a dense knit with no daylight through plain areas. See the cashmere grading guide.
- Merino quality depends on micron (extra-fine is under 18.5 µm) and on worsted spinning; fine-gauge pieces (21–30 gg) are a technical speciality worth paying for.
- Lambswool and Shetland are coarser than cashmere by design; judge them on density, recovery when stretched, and the mill's finishing rather than on softness in the shop.
- This house knits fully-fashioned: check for fashioning marks along the armhole and flat, linked seams inside — the signatures of shaped, stitch-by-stitch construction.
Similar houses
William Lockie: frequently asked questions
Where is William Lockie knitwear made?
William Lockie is based in Hawick, Scotland. Established 1874 in Hawick, Scottish Borders; still family owned and run.
What is William Lockie known for?
William Lockie is known for family-run Hawick knitter of dense multi-ply cashmere, Geelong lambswool and camelhair. Its principal fibres are Cashmere, Merino wool, Wool, lambswool & Shetland and Baby camel hair.
Is William Lockie a luxury brand?
William Lockie sits in the premium tier of this index (roughly $150–$400 for a sweater). Its construction methods include fully-fashioned, multi-ply and hand-finished. It is listed here on the basis of fibre quality, construction and provenance rather than price alone.
How much does William Lockie knitwear cost?
William Lockie is roughly $150–$400 for a sweater at the time of writing. Prices vary by fibre and style.
Sources
- https://williamlockie.com/
- https://williamlockie.com/about-william-lockie/
- https://nomanwalksalone.com/collections/william-lockie
Facts verified against the sources above on 16 September 2026. Prices are indicative and change; check the house's own site.