Royal Speyside Cable-Knit Sweater

The diffusion line of a renowned Scotland-based mill, Royal Speyside employs traditional methods and machinery to produce knitwear reminiscent of the Scottish Borders area. Which makes sense: The mill has been producing textiles here, on the banks of the River Teviot, for more than 140 years, with a focus on cashmere and wool. This cable-knit sweater is made from a combination of 75 percent superfine wool and 25 percent angora wool, both of which are spun at Lanecardate SPA, in Cossato, Italy. Lighter and less chunky than many cable-knit sweaters, it’s great for fall and spring weather.

Few articles of clothing evoke a sense of place like the cable-knit sweater. Pulling one over your head, you can almost feel the fog and salty air of the Irish coast, where the cable-knit, or Aran, jumper was developed in the early 1900s. Originally designed to keep area fishermen warm and dry, the Aran is also wrapped in folklore. While some of the knitting patterns were said to produce good luck, others were representative of certain families. Today, of course, cable-knit has entered the mainstream, and not just in the British Isles.