The Isle of Wight Knit Factory

BRAND DEVELOPER, RETAIL MENTOR, BUSINESS CONSULTANT By Marnie Janaway For me, this time of year is all about fabulous walks out and about and cosy evenings in. Lately, I’ve been working on a fabulous new project which embodies two of my favourite Autumnal activities.

Many of you may be familiar with Gail Middleton as the owner of The Rabbit Hole Patisserie (best chocolates on the Isle of Wight: fact) and her award-winning Mrs. Middleton’s Bookshop in

Freshwater. Now, working in collaboration with fellow Freshwater entrepreneur Marianne Su Yin – owner of the popular West Wight independent lifestyle store and gallery Whistle & Hound – Gail is about to launch her exciting new venture: The

Isle of Wight Knit Factory.

The pair are no strangers to the knitwear game: back in 2019, Gail and Marianne first joined forces to create the Isle of Wight’s very first

Gansey (a special type of hand-knitted woollen fisherman’s jumper) design, raising funds for the

Freshwater Independent Lifeboat in the process.

Drawing on her background in fashion design (Gail was a knitwear designer for John Galliano in the 1980s) and encouraged by eager clientsin-waiting and an ex-colleague urging her to “get your knitting needles tapping”, she decided the time was now.

The Isle of Wight Knit Factory has been conceived with community and co-creation at its core: Gail’s designs will be developed by a collaborative team of local knitters. So, if you’re handy with a knitting needle – or even if you’re just starting out – we’d love to hear from you.

Inspired by sustainable sourcing and the circular economy, the knitwear will be made using a high proportion of recycled yarns. And, from early next year, it is hoped that items will be sold in high-end

London stores, putting artisan Island knitwear on the map.

My role – as part of a pilot scheme funded by the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce and Isle of Wight Council Regeneration Team – is to ground Gail’s very capable ideas and help build a framework to ensure this fabulous community business has real longevity.

Image credit: Marianne Su Yin Marnie and Gail discuss launch plans

Image credit: Marianne Su Yin

“Marnie is such a practical and creative person – she really ‘gets’ business and the needs and the reality of SMEs. Sound and logical advice that is easy to follow is a Godsend! Reach out and get her help – you won’t look back!” – Gail Middleton, The Isle of Wight Knit Factory

Whatever stage your business is at, I am here to spark ideas and make your journey forward as smooth as possible. To book a free initial consultation email marnie.janaway@iwchamber.co.uk or call 07770 796524. www.marniejanaway.com