What William Lockie does

William Lockie is a privately-held, family-run luxury knitwear manufacturer founded in 1874 in Hawick, Scottish Borders, United Kingdom. The company produces handcrafted knitwear exclusively from natural fibres — cashmere, camelhair, merino wool, geelong and lambswool — sourced globally (cashmere from China and Mongolia, lambswool from South Australia, camelhair from Bactrian camels in the Gobi Desert) but transformed in Scotland, where the local soft water and centuries of accumulated expertise are claimed to enable premium fibre processing. The product portfolio spans men's and women's seasonal collections (Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer), a perpetual 'Stock Service' line for immediate dispatch of classic styles (notably the Oxton 1-ply cashmere range), and a complementary accessories line of socks, gloves, scarves, and hats. Skilled workers from multi-generational local Hawick families carry out production using traditional techniques passed down over time.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model through its own e-commerce storefront (williamlockie.com), supplemented by a separate authorised trade portal (newportal.williamlockie.com) for wholesale buyers. Pricing is unit-based with tiering by ply weight and fibre type; accessories start around £15 (cashmere-nylon blend socks) while core cashmere knitwear prices are partially disclosed only on request for premium items. Marketing is concentrated on the website, an Instagram presence (@williamlockiecoltd), and email newsletter signups, with seasonal collection drops acting as primary demand-generation events. The company is a limited company registered in Scotland (company number SC023788) and has 51-100 employees.

Revenue model is straightforward luxury apparel unit sales: cashmere and other natural-fibre garments priced at premium levels sold to individual consumers and trade buyers, with no subscription, licensing, or recurring revenue components disclosed. Customer segmentation is split between Men's and Women's luxury apparel personas — both described as seeking premium natural-fibre knitwear with traditional Scottish craftsmanship credentials. There is no disclosed revenue figure, no institutional or private-equity ownership, no M&A activity, and no AI/technology differentiation; strategic activity is limited to product launches (notably the AW2021 ladies collection) and ongoing DTC channel maintenance.

Name

William Lockie

Legal name

William Lockie and Company Limited

Website

https://williamlockie.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1874

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

William Lockie is a 150-year-old, family-run Scottish knitwear manufacturer producing handcrafted cashmere, camelhair, merino, geelong, and lambswool garments for men and women, sold direct-to-consumer online and through an authorised trade wholesale portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Knitwear Manufacturing

NAICS

Apparel Knitting Mills (3151), Apparel Knitting Mills (31512)

SIC

Knit Outerwear Mills (2253)

akta.pro primary industry

Knitted Fabric Mills (IMAOABAB)

Keywords

• Luxury knitwear manufacturing
• Cashmere knitwear
• Scottish cashmere garments
• Natural fibre knitwear
• Handcrafted wool sweaters

Headquarters

HQ city

Scottish Borders

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Luxury Knitwear Sales: Primary revenue from direct sales of luxury knitwear products including jumpers, cardigans, slipovers, waistcoats, and accessories. Products are sold directly to consumers through their e-commerce platform with prices ranging from approximately £15 for accessories to higher amounts for premium cashmere garments. The company operates a stock service model for classic items ready for immediate dispatch.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

William Lockie manufactures and retails luxury knitwear garments and accessories made from natural fibres (cashmere, camelhair, merino, geelong, lambswool), handcrafted in Hawick, Scottish Borders. The company sells directly to consumers through its own e-commerce website (williamlockie.com) and to trade customers via a separate authorized stock portal, offering seasonal collections alongside a Stock Service for immediate dispatch of classic pieces.

Product overview

William Lockie is a luxury knitwear manufacturer founded in 1874, based in Hawick, Scottish Borders. The company produces high-end knitwear exclusively from natural fibers including Cashmere, Camelhair, Lambswool, Geelong, and Merino wool. Their product portfolio consists of two main divisions—Men's and Ladies' knitwear collections—offered through seasonal collections (Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer) and a Stock Service for immediate dispatch. The core Cashmere collection includes the Oxton, Melrose, Chirnside, and Windsor lines, while Lambswool is represented by the Leven and Rob ranges. They also produce a complementary accessories line featuring socks, gloves, hats, and scarves in cashmere. All products are handcrafted in Scotland using traditional techniques passed down through generations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stock Service Ready-to-ship collection of classic cashmere, camelhair, geelong, and lambswool garments available for immediate dispatch, serving individual consumers and trade stockists.
• Cashmere Collection Premium luxury knitwear made from cashmere fibre sourced from mountain goats in China and Mongolia, marketed as the 'Fibre of Kings'. Includes Oxton, Melrose, Chirnside, and Windsor ranges in 1-ply, 2-ply, and 4-ply constructions spanning crew necks, vee necks, roll collars, slipovers, waistcoats, sportshirts, and shawl-collar cardigans.
• Camelhair Collection 100% natural, undyed breathable camelhair knitwear from Bactrian camels of the Gobi Desert, including the Windsor Shawl Collar Cardigan and Datchet Crew and Cardigan in 2-ply and 4-ply weights.
• Lambswool Collection Fine quality lambswool knitwear made from wool from pedigree sheep reared in South Australia, knitted at tight tension on special frames. Includes the Leven range (cardigan, crew, slipover, vee) and the Rob range (cardigan, crew, vee).
• Geelong Collection Lightweight 100% wool knitwear made from fine micron fibres from the first clip of Australian lambs, for men seeking softer next-to-skin knitwear.
• Merino Collection Fine and soft worsted-spun merino wool knitwear from Australian sheep, processed by Italian spinners such as Loro Piana.
• Cashmere Accessories Cashmere-blend accessories including men's and ladies' socks (85% Cashmere, 15% Nylon, from £15), cable bedsocks (3-ply cashmere), plain and cable gloves (2-ply and 3-ply cashmere), ribbed and cable scarves (2-ply and 3-ply cashmere), and ribbed and cable hats (3-ply cashmere).
• Ladies 2021 Collection Autumn/Winter 2021 ladies knitwear collection featuring more than 20 named 100% cashmere styles including Calamity, Cattleya, Gabriel, Gwen, Wellesley, Cross, Calliope, Litzy, Wilma, Wakely, Chelsy, Weronica, Chidera, Csilla, Citali, Waylen, Wallis, Weslee, Iris, Chasity, Harper, and Aubrey Lurex.
• Mens 2021 Collection Autumn/Winter 2021 mens knitwear collection featuring styles such as Birseye, Charles, Chuck, Ciaro, Donegal Hoody, Jax, Marsten, Taylor, Trent Troyer, Jake, Gene, Matta Full Zip, Alain Troyer, Garick, Lucas, Warner, and Lincoln.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Johnstons of Elgin: Heritage Scottish cashmere and fine knitwear manufacturer based in Elgin, founded 1797. Most direct comparable to William Lockie in terms of Scottish-based manufacturing, natural-fibre specialisation, and DTC plus wholesale model.
• Hawick Knitwear: Knitwear manufacturer based in Hawick, Scottish Borders — the same town as William Lockie — producing cashmere, lambswool and other natural-fibre knitwear. Direct competitor for skilled artisans and same regional cluster.
• N.Peal: British luxury cashmere knitwear brand with strong DTC and concession/wholesale presence. Comparable in cashmere specialisation, premium positioning, and core product range (jumpers, cardigans, accessories).
• Brora: Scottish-origin cashmere and fine knitwear brand selling seasonal collections and core cashmere pieces direct to consumer. Comparable in fibre sourcing, classic styling, and DTC luxury positioning.
• Pringle of Scotland: Long-established Scottish knitwear heritage brand with cashmere and lambswool ranges and a strong seasonal collection cadence. Comparable on heritage positioning, Scottish manufacturing heritage, and knitwear product mix.
• Eric Bompard: French premium cashmere knitwear specialist with broad DTC and wholesale distribution across Europe. Comparable in cashmere specialisation, classic-to-contemporary styling, and seasonal collection model.

Broad incumbents

• Loro Piana: Italian luxury cashmere and merino powerhouse. William Lockie explicitly names Loro Piana as the spinner of its merino worsted yarn, indicating both a supplier relationship and direct competitive overlap at the high end of the cashmere/merino knitwear market.
• Brunello Cucinelli: Italian ultra-luxury cashmere and knitwear brand with global flagship and wholesale presence. Comparable on cashmere-led luxury knitwear and premium price positioning, but at materially larger scale and brand reach.
• Barbour: British heritage apparel brand with strong international wholesale and DTC, including knitwear ranges. Comparable on British heritage DNA, premium positioning, and classic seasonal knitwear, though Barbour is far broader in product mix.
• Burberry: Iconic British luxury fashion house offering cashmere knitwear alongside a full ready-to-wear portfolio. Comparable on British heritage positioning and cashmere knitwear category, but at vastly larger scale and global brand reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/williamlockiecoltd/?hl=en
• Xx.com/williamlockieco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about William Lockie