Behind the Label: Knotti

We couldn’t be more obsessed with Knotti knitwear these days and it’s not just because their hand-knit items are perfect for bundling up during these cold winter months. This Hong Kong-based brand trains local low-income women the art of knitting and employs them to create beautiful apparel and accessories out of their homes. Did I mention Knotti's knits are made entirely of biodegradable yarn from the most environmentally and ecologically responsible farms in Gostwyck, Australia?

Founder Denise Ho is the woman behind Knotti’s versatile and timeless yet socially responsible and environmentally sustainable creations. In Hong Kong, hand-knits are called "warm sweater brand" in Cantonese, as they are made with patience and love, keeping you extra warm. This absolutely rings true for Knotti and their beautiful knitwear.

How, when, and where did start Knotti?

I wanted to create a beautiful hand-knit line that also contributed back to my community in Hong Kong. Instead of working with factories in China, I wanted to produce my collection locally. So I spent most of 2016 training women from Hong Kong community centers how to knit. Like a lot of Chinese immigrants, these women moved to Hong Kong to provide a better life for their families. Since they are all housewives, knitting for them is ideal as it gives them the flexibility to work from home. We’ve now built a collective of 20 women and are in the process of training more. It has been an absolute joy witnessing their new-found confidence in their skill-set, & from the additional income they generate for their families.

Describe your brand.

Slow fashion. Everything we do at Knotti is slower than the norm, but I think that's what makes it special, as the industry needs to slow down a bit. I want to make clothes that are beautiful but also means something, that's why the way we produce is so important to us. 

Speak about your previous work experience and how it helped you to create your own brand.

After being in the fashion industry for more than 15 years, Knotti is a perfect consolidation of what I think a fashion brand should be about today - quality focused, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable

How does Hong Kong inspire your collection?

In Hong Kong, we call hand-knits "warm sweater brand" in Cantonese, as they are made with patience and love so they actually keep you extra warm, which I think is true about the items we make!

SHOP THE KNOTTI COLLECTION NOW >