The Knotty Ones
The Knotty Ones is a female-founded Lithuanian DTC sustainable knitwear brand that designs and sells handcrafted sweaters, cardigans, dresses, and accessories made from certified natural fibers by a network of ~70 home-based artisans in rural Lithuania, shipping worldwide via Shopify e-commerce.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersVilnius, Lithuania
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Knotty Ones does
The Knotty Ones is a direct-to-consumer sustainable knitwear brand founded in 2011 in Vilnius, Lithuania by three co-founders — Akvilė, Danutė, and Sandra — who met at graduate school. The company's core business is the design, production, and sale of handcrafted and hand-finished knitwear including sweaters, cardigans, dresses, tops, bottoms, and accessories made from 100% natural, certified fibers (organic cotton, Merino and alpaca wool, silk-mohair, and linen) sourced under OEKO-TEX, GOTS, RWS, RMS, OCS, and ICEA certifications. Production is executed by a network of approximately 70 home-based female artisans across rural Lithuania supervised by a Head of Production and complemented by two audited, female-founded partner factories, using both fully hand-knitted pieces and zero-waste 'fully fashioned' individually shaped knitting techniques. The brand sells globally via its Shopify-powered storefront (theknottyones.com) with worldwide DHL shipping, multiple currency support (EUR, USD, AUD, GBP), and Splitit installment payments; pricing spans roughly $63-$930 across categories.
Revenue is generated almost entirely through direct product sales, supplemented by wholesale inquiries to boutiques and a 'Made by Our Friends' cross-sell of partner accessories (Miglė Editions silver jewelry, Soulty candles, Steamery knit care). The company operates a Knitter's Dream Fund connecting customer donations directly to artisan goals and a Knotty Atelier repair service in partnership with The Seam. Marketing relies on organic social (Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, LinkedIn), a newsletter, content marketing via The Knotty Journal, and earned media/celebrity endorsements including wear by January Jones, Amanda Seyfried, Nicola Peltz Beckham, Susie Cave, and Kelly Rutherford. Capital raised to date comprises a €250,000 seed round in September 2023 from women investors and a €62,400 EU Regional Development Fund-backed eCommerce project in 2021; the company is currently running a 'Farewell Sale' with discounts up to 70% across the catalog, signaling an exit or wind-down posture under which future operations are uncertain.
The Knotty Ones firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Knotty Ones
- Legal name
- UAB 'Mezgimo Akademija'
- Website
- https://theknottyones.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Knotty Ones is a female-founded Lithuanian DTC sustainable knitwear brand that designs and sells handcrafted sweaters, cardigans, dresses, and accessories made from certified natural fibers by a network of ~70 home-based artisans in rural Lithuania, shipping worldwide via Shopify e-commerce.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Knotty Ones industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Knitwear
- NAICS
- Apparel Knitting Mills (3151), Apparel Knitting Mills (31512), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)
- SIC
- Knit Outerwear Mills (2253), Knitting Mills (2250), Women's, Misses', And Juniors Outerwear (2330), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Knitwear & Sweaters Manufacturers (CRAAAAAJ)
Keywords
Where The Knotty Ones is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vilnius
- HQ country
- Lithuania
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
The Knotty Ones business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct Product Sales: The Knotty Ones generates revenue through direct-to-consumer sales of handmade and hand-finished knitwear products including sweaters, cardigans, dresses, tops, bottoms, and accessories. Products range from approximately $63 to $930 USD. They operate on a pre-order and made-to-order model for handmade pieces, with in-stock items dispatched within 5 working days. The company also offers a Knitter's Dream Fund donation option at checkout, allowing customers to contribute to artisan dreams.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Handmade luxury knitwear with price points ranging from $63 to $930 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Knotty Ones product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Knotty Ones designs, produces, and sells handcrafted and hand-finished sustainable knitwear made from 100% natural, certified yarns (cotton, merino wool, silk-mohair, alpaca, linen, cashmere). Products are manufactured in Lithuania by approximately 70 home-based female artisans and two audited partner factories, and sold primarily direct-to-consumer via the company's e-commerce website with worldwide DHL shipping. The assortment spans sweaters, cardigans, dresses, tops, bottoms, and accessories, complemented by a knit care product line, curated partner accessories, and a repair/alteration service (Knotty Atelier).
Product overview
The Knotty Ones is a sustainable luxury knitwear brand offering a portfolio of handcrafted and hand-finished knitwear products made from 100% natural, certified yarns (cotton, wool, mohair, silk, alpaca, cashmere). The core offering spans sweaters, cardigans, dresses, tops, bottoms, and accessories, organized into product lines by fiber type (Organic Cotton, Wool, Mohair, Luxury Fibres) and production method (Handmade Pieces). The brand supplements its knitwear with a repair and alteration service (Knotty Atelier, powered by The Seam), a knitwear care product line (Steamery Stockholm fabric shavers and sprays), and curated partner accessories (Amber Orb jewelry, Soulty candles). The Knitter's Dream Fund enables customer donations directly to artisans. All products are produced in Lithuania by a network of approximately 70 home-based female artisans and two audited partner factories.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Knit Sweaters
Quantifiable outcome
- All garments are 100% biodegradable with no microplastics
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Knotty Ones
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Knotty Ones technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature4 records
The Knotty Ones partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- The SeamminorPartnership for Knotty Atelier repair and alteration service. The Seam connects customers with local vetted Makers who can repair and alter The Knotty Ones pieces. Service includes in-person fittings (available in London and select cities) and postal service UK-wide.
- Miglė EditionsminorPartner brand featured in 'Made by our friends' collection section. Silver jewelry including earrings, rings, and hoops sold through The Knotty Ones website.
- SoultyminorPartner brand featured in 'Made by our friends' collection section. Handmade candles sold through The Knotty Ones website.
- Steamery StockholmminorPartner brand for knit care products. Pilo Fabric Shaver and Fabric Spray sold through The Knotty Ones website's Knit Care collection.
- Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS)coreCertification partnership ensuring ethical animal treatment and responsible land management for mohair sourcing. All mohair is RMS-certified.
- Responsible Wool Standard (RWS)coreCertification partnership for wool sourcing ensuring highest level of animal care and sustainable land management.
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100coreProduct certification ensuring textiles are free from harmful substances and safe from an ecological standpoint.
- GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)coreCertification for organic cotton ensuring responsible social and environmental production.
- European Mills (Italy and family-run farms)coreTrusted European yarn suppliers including mills in Italy. Wool sourced from local family-run farms around the globe. Mohair sourced from South African suppliers certified to sustainability guidelines.
- Black RoosterminorDeveloper partner for EU eCommerce project implementing website redesign and digitalization of commercial processes.
- Marina VezikominorDesigner partner for EU eCommerce project implementing website redesign with UX/CX optimization.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Knotty Ones competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Stella McCartney: Luxury sustainable fashion house with knitwear lines and similar no-leather/no-fur ethical positioning. Demonstrates the upper-bound of sustainable luxury pricing and global retail distribution.
- Eileen Fisher: Pioneering sustainable womenswear brand with circular take-back program (Renew) that aligns with Knotty Atelier. Comparable minimalist/quality-over-quantity ethos and female-founded heritage.
- Patagonia: Established incumbent in sustainable apparel with broader category mix (outerwear, fleeces, activewear) but overlapping customer base and supply-chain transparency positioning. Sets the benchmark for sustainable-brand scale.
- Reformation: Larger sustainable fashion brand with strong DTC presence, celebrity following, and comparable millennial/Gen-X conscious-consumer targeting. Provides scale benchmark for sustainable DTC apparel.
Direct peers
- Kotn: Direct-to-consumer sustainable basics brand using certified Egyptian cotton with supply-chain transparency and artisan-sourcing narrative. Comparable DTC model and conscious-consumer target.
- Nudie Jeans: European sustainable apparel brand offering free lifetime repairs — analogous to Knotty Atelier — with transparent supply chain and organic-material sourcing.
- BITE Studios: Sustainable luxury womenswear brand with knitwear as a core category, B Corp certified, DTC-led with curated wholesale. Targets the same conscious-fashion customer with comparable price architecture.
- Sheep Inc. Direct peer in DTC sustainable knitwear with carbon-negative merino sweaters and similar traceability/named-producer storytelling. Comparable price points ($300-$600) and target customer (conscious luxury consumers).
- Armedangels: European sustainable fashion brand with GOTS-certified knitwear and similar conscious-consumer positioning. Direct competitor for European DTC and wholesale channels.
Others
- The Seam (Repairs Platform): Existing partner operating the Knotty Atelier repair service. Functions as an ecosystem/infrastructure peer enabling the brand's circularity offering rather than a competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Knotty Ones social profiles
Digital presenceThe Knotty Ones compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
The Knotty Ones financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Knotty Ones leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Knotty Ones funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Knotty Ones M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Knotty Ones
What does The Knotty Ones do?
The Knotty Ones designs, produces, and sells handcrafted and hand-finished sustainable knitwear made from 100% natural, certified yarns (cotton, merino wool, silk-mohair, alpaca, linen, cashmere). Products are manufactured in Lithuania by approximately 70 home-based female artisans and two audited partner factories, and sold primarily direct-to-consumer via the company's e-commerce website with worldwide DHL shipping. The assortment spans sweaters, cardigans, dresses, tops, bottoms, and accessories, complemented by a knit care product line, curated partner accessories, and a repair/alteration service (Knotty Atelier).
Is The Knotty Ones a public or private company?
The Knotty Ones is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Knotty Ones founded?
The Knotty Ones was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Knotty Ones based?
The Knotty Ones is headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania, in the Europe region.
How does The Knotty Ones make money?
One revenue line is on record: direct Product Sales.
Who are The Knotty Ones's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Stella McCartney, Eileen Fisher, Patagonia and Reformation. Direct peers are Kotn, Nudie Jeans, BITE Studios, Sheep Inc. and Armedangels. The Seam (Repairs Platform) is listed as an others.
Does The Knotty Ones have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Knotty Ones.
What industry is The Knotty Ones in?
The Knotty Ones's product category is Sustainable Knitwear. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAAAJ, Knitwear & Sweaters Manufacturers. Its NAICS code is 3151 and its SIC code is 2253.