Who Made Your Clothes, Part 11, Top-Knit

This article series by Varusteleka is part of the global Fashion Revolution Week, a campaign that aims at making the sourcing, manufacture, and sales of clothes more ethical and transparent. We believe that this is a damn good thing and thus we were very happy to participate in it for the second time now in 2021.

During this campaign week, we continue the series that introduces our partners and their fantastic gang that makes your clothes and accessories. In this eleventh part, you will meet Top-Knit Oy from Finland.

Top-Knit makes your Särmä Merino Woold Sweaters

Top-Knit has made knitwear in Siikainen, southwestern Finland since 1974. Ever since the beginning, the company has utilized state-of-the-art technology and the latest know-how of the knitwear industry. The collaboration between Varusteleka and Top-Knit began in 2020 when they offered us some surplus Finnish army sweaters. However, quite quickly we started to develop a Merino wool sweater with them for our Särmä brand, which came to our selection this winter.

Staying up to date and at the forefront of the industry is essential for success, and it hasn’t always been that easy in the demanding Finnish business environment. Thanks to their versatile machinery, Top-Knit can manufacture a wide array of knitwear, both thinner and thicker, as well as patterned knitwear. And with a reasonable price. It is also possible to knit the product automatically into shape without any seams.

Specialized in knitwear

Top-Knit loves wool because it has loads of very good characteristics. It is soft and flexible, which gives knitwear its pleasant look and feel. The foundation of high-quality wool knitwear is laid with the selection of raw wool and continues with spinning, dyeing, knitting, finishing, and sewing.

The company uses various types of wool, such as thin merino wool, lambswool, and thick combing wool yarn. The yarn suppliers are distinguished Italian and Austrian spinning mills, with which Top-Knit has cooperated for decades. Good relations with the suppliers are essential for manufacturing knitwear successfully.

Svetlana

How long have you worked at Top-Knit?

I have worked for this company for 26 years.

What do you do there?

I work with steaming and finishing.

How did you get into this business?

I moved to Siikainen from Estonia, got a job here at Top-Knit, and it went from there.

How do you like your job?

I like my job very much.

Anne

How long have you worked at Top-Knit?

I have been here for 42 years.

What do you do there?

I work as a seamstress.

How did you get into this business?

I got a job here right after my studies.

How do you like your job?

This is an OK job.

Jari

How long have you worked at Top-Knit?

I have worked at Top-Knit for a little over a year.

What do you do there?

I work with finishing the products.

How did you get into this business?

When other work was drastically reduced because of the Covid, I applied for a job here and got it.

How do you like your job?

It is a nice and versatile job.

Helena

How long have you worked at Top-Knit?

I have worked at Top-Knit for 42 years.

What do you do there?

I sew garments.

How did you get into this business?

I studied in this field and got a job here right after I finished my studies.

How do you like your job?

I do like my job quite a bit.