Why it belongs in ORBIS
William Lockie makes knitwear in Hawick, drawing on the town's textile industry. Cashmere is a central material, with the company describing fibre sourced from China and Mongolia before manufacture in Scotland. Its collection can be explored through the brand's published range and retailers.
William Lockie has operated in Hawick, in the Scottish Borders, since 1874, when its founder bought manufacturing equipment from his former employer, a local hosiery firm, to start his own knitwear operation. Hawick built its reputation as a center of luxury knitwear in the 19th century after de-hairing and separation techniques made cashmere production viable at scale, and William Lockie's mill sits on the banks of the Slitrig Water. The company has remained under family ownership throughout its history: it is today run by the Thorburn family, direct descendants of founder William Lockie. The mill produces lambswool, cashmere, merino and camel-hair garments, sold both under its own name and as a manufacturing partner for other heritage clothing brands.