High-Quality Knitwear from British Royal Warrant Holder 'JOHN SMEDLEY'

Known worldwide as a pioneer of the UK knitwear industry, 'JOHN SMEDLEY' produces high-quality, comfortable clothing. Both then and now, the brand is renown for its high-gauge knitwear. For an in-depth look at JOHN SMEDLEY, we asked Motoaki Michihiro of the Lea Mills Agency, the company's Japanese representative, about the brand's history and the exceptional quality of its products.

JOHN SMEDLEY, born during the Industrial Revolution

"The company was founded in 1784, almost 240 years ago. JOHN SMEDLEY was born during the industrial revolution in the UK. Originally, they spun and wove cotton. However, by the first half of the 19th century, it is said they were producing clothes and socks, similar to what we see today.

"When we think of underwear in Japan, we usually think about cut-and-sew products. But for JOHN SMEDLEY, instead of cutting straight fabric and sewing it together, they relied on the same production methods used in knitting for their underwear, creating something akin to 'knit underwear'. Over time, JOHN SMEDLEY evolved into a high-gauge knitwear brand.'