Inside M1R KNIT: The Artisanal Process Behind Our Luxury Hand-Knit Collections
Discover how designer Kim Exshaw creates M1R KNIT's luxury knitwear collections, combining traditional hand-knitting techniques with premium alpaca blend yarns for timeless, modern pieces.
Did you know that the average luxury sweater passes through at least 40 pairs of hands before reaching its owner? At M1R KNIT, we take pride in a more intimate approach. As founder and designer Kim Exshaw, I personally oversee every step of our production process, from initial sketching to final blocking. Each piece in our collection tells a story of craftsmanship, combining traditional hand-knitting techniques with modern, minimalist design. Our signature alpaca blend yarn - a luxurious combination of 45% Superfine Alpaca, 35% Peruvian Highland Wool, and 30% Polyamide - forms the foundation of our timeless pieces. Let me take you behind the scenes of our atelier!
The Design Philosophy Behind M1R KNIT
At the heart of M1R KNIT lies a design philosophy that marries the timeless with the contemporary. When I began my journey in knitwear design, I noticed a gap in the market: luxury knitwear that could transition seamlessly from one season to the next while maintaining its relevance and appeal. This observation became the cornerstone of our design ethos.
The Evolution of Our Minimalist Approach
My 40 years of knitting experience has taught me that true luxury lies in simplicity. We've moved away from the ornate, complicated patterns that often dominate traditional knitwear, instead embracing clean lines and subtle textural elements that let the quality of our alpaca blend yarn shine through. This minimalist approach isn't just about aesthetics – it's about creating pieces that feel as relevant today as they will a decade from now.
Classic Silhouettes, Modern Execution
Our collections feature timeless silhouettes that have proven their staying power – the perfect crew neck, the essential cardigan, the versatile turtleneck. However, we update these classics with modern proportions and contemporary details. A traditional cable-knit might be reimagined with an oversized fit, or a classic V-neck might feature an unexpected split hem. These subtle innovations make our pieces feel current while retaining their classic appeal.
Finding Inspiration
Nature serves as our primary muse, particularly the serene, desert landscapes of Mojave Desert. The muted, sophisticated color palette we use reflects these natural inspirations – think soft grays of morning mist, warm beiges of desert sand, and deep blues of mountain shadows. Beyond nature, we draw inspiration from architectural minimalism, contemporary art, and the practical needs of our clients' lifestyles.
The Capsule Wardrobe Mindset
Every piece we design asks the question: "How many different ways can this be styled?" We believe in creating knitwear that forms the foundation of a well-curated wardrobe. Each design undergoes rigorous consideration for its versatility – can it transition from day to evening? Will it pair well with both casual and formal pieces? This capsule wardrobe thinking ensures that our clients invest in pieces that offer maximum versatility and longevity.
Balancing Timeless and Trend
While we stay informed about current fashion trends, we're selective about which elements we incorporate into our designs. Rather than chasing fleeting fads, we carefully consider which contemporary influences align with our commitment to longevity. For instance, when oversized silhouettes became popular, we adapted this trend thoughtfully in our knitting patterns, ensuring our interpretation would remain wearable and elegant for years to come.
Each collection we create is a careful balance of these elements – minimalist design principles, classic silhouettes, natural inspiration, capsule wardrobe functionality, and contemporary relevance. The result? Pieces that feel both current and timeless, that work as hard as our clients do, and that become more cherished with each wear.
In the next section, I'll dive deeper into the premium materials that help bring this design philosophy to life, particularly our carefully chosen alpaca blend that provides the perfect foundation for these enduring pieces.
Our Premium Materials: The Perfect Alpaca Blend
At the heart of every M1R KNIT piece lies our premium yarn choice, a beautifully calibrated combination of 45% Superfine Alpaca, 35% Peruvian Highland Wool, and 20% Polyamide. Each component in this trinity plays an essential role in creating knitwear that embodies both luxury and longevity.
The star of our blend is Superfine Alpaca fiber, known as the "Fiber of the Gods" by the ancient Incas. With a diameter of just 18-23 microns (finer than cashmere! Read here why we don’t use cashmere), these hollow fibers create garments that are incredibly warm yet lightweight. Alpaca's unique structure means it's naturally hypoallergenic and contains no lanolin, making it perfect for those with sensitive skin. The fiber's smooth scales also result in significantly less pilling than pure wool garments.
Our Peruvian Highland Wool brings essential resilience and memory to each piece. This exceptional wool creates a stable fabric that holds its shape beautifully while maintaining impressive thermal properties. The natural crimp of Highland Wool also adds subtle volume and structure, essential for achieving our signature minimalist silhouettes.
While luxury often focuses solely on natural fibers, we've made the conscious choice to include 20% Polyamide in our blend. This technical choice elevates our knitwear's performance. Polyamide ensures even stitch distribution and enhances the yarn's color absorption, allowing us to achieve the rich, lasting hues that define our modern aesthetic. More importantly it also adds crucial durability without compromising the luxurious hand-feel of our garments. In fact, when we compared this blend to another that excluded polyamide, we found this blend to be silkier and softer to the touch.
The exceptional quality of M1R KNIT pieces begins with our manufacturing partner's commitment to responsible sourcing and sustainable practices. Through this partnership, our knitwear benefits from wool sourced from South American producers who practice regenerative agriculture, where rotational grazing techniques improve soil health and biodiversity. What's remarkable is that these farming practices help sequester carbon - each acre of well-managed grazing land can sequester up to 1 ton of carbon annually, equivalent to taking a car off the road for two months.
Our manufacturing partner's dedication to ethical sourcing means they exclusively select wool from regions where mulesing is not practiced (Australia is known for mulesing), ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare. Each component of our signature blend – from the South American wool to the Italian and German polyamide – meets the rigorous OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certification, guaranteeing that every fiber is free from harmful substances. (Read more about OEKO-TEX here).
The innovation in our blend comes from our partner's proprietary finishing process, which maintains the natural characteristics of the fibers while enhancing their performance. This approach achieves superior durability and shape retention without compromising the biodegradable nature of the primary materials.
For complete transparency, our manufacturing partner provides detailed origin information for all materials used in our products, from the South American highlands where the wool is sourced to the European facilities where the final blending and treatment processes take place. Every step in their production chain meets or exceeds REACH regulations for chemical substance control, demonstrating a shared commitment to both environmental and human health. (Read more about REACH here.)
Through this carefully cultivated partnership, M1R KNIT delivers knitwear that not only performs at its peak but also contributes to a more sustainable future for luxury fashion. When you choose M1R KNIT, you're choosing pieces made from materials that have been thoughtfully selected and responsibly processed by partners who share our vision for excellence and environmental stewardship.
Furthermore, each batch of yarn undergoes rigorous testing for consistency in weight, twist, and strength before being approved for production. This attention to detail might seem excessive, but it's what allows us to create pieces that don't just feel luxurious on day one – they maintain their beauty through years of wear.
Would you like to learn more about how we transform these premium materials into finished garments? Keep reading to discover our meticulous creation process.
The Manual Knitting Machine Process: Crafting Each Piece with Precision
At M1R KNIT, our manual knitting machine is both the heart of our production process and a bridge between traditional hand knitting and modern craftsmanship. Unlike automated industrial machines that prioritize speed over detail, our hand-operated, manual machinery allows me to maintain complete control over every stitch, much like traditional hand knitting but with enhanced precision and consistency.
The magic happens on what's known as a domestic knitting machine – a sophisticated tool that's worlds apart from industrial equipment. Picture a long metal bed of needles, each one waiting to be engaged by hand as I carefully guide our premium alpaca blend yarn across the carriage. This process requires the same attention to detail as hand knitting, but with the added complexity of managing multiple technical elements simultaneously.
What makes this method special? For starters, I can adjust the tension of each row with meticulous precision, ensuring that every garment maintains its intended drape and fit. This level of control is crucial when working with our luxury alpaca blend, as different stitch patterns require subtle adjustments to achieve the perfect texture and feel. I can instantly respond to the yarn's behaviour, making micro-adjustments that would be impossible in an industrial setting.
Each garment requires several hours of focused work at the machine. A simple pullover might take 6-8 hours of machine knitting time alone, not including the essential preparation and finishing work. More complex designs with detailed stitch patterns or sophisticated shaping can require up to 12 hours of machine time. But this investment of time is what allows us to create pieces with unparalleled quality and attention to detail.
Quality control happens in real-time as I work. Unlike industrial production where flaws might not be caught until final inspection, I can immediately identify and address any inconsistencies in stitch formation, tension, or patterning. This immediate feedback loop ensures that every piece meets our exacting standards before moving on to the blocking and finishing stages.
The manual knitting machine process also allows for spontaneous creativity within structured design parameters. While following our carefully planned patterns, I can make subtle adjustments based on how the yarn is behaving that day or incorporate design elements that might be lost in automated production. This flexibility results in garments that, while consistent in their overall design, retain the unique character of handcrafted pieces.
This hands-on approach to machine knitting represents the perfect marriage of traditional craftsmanship and modern technique – allowing us to create luxury knitwear that honors both the heritage of hand knitting and the precision of contemporary design.
From Sketch to Finished Piece
The journey of creating a luxury knitwear piece begins long before the first stitch is cast on. Each design starts in my sketchbook, where I explore silhouettes that blend classic elements with modern sensibilities. I consider how the garment will drape, move, and integrate into a capsule wardrobe. These initial sketches evolve through multiple iterations as I refine proportions and details, always keeping in mind the technical constraints and possibilities of our manual knitting machines.
Pattern development is where my 40 years of hand-knitting experience becomes invaluable. Understanding how different stitch patterns behave in our alpaca blend yarn is crucial – what looks perfect in a sketch must translate into a wearable, functional garment. I carefully calculate measurements for each size, ensuring our pieces maintain their intended silhouette across our size range. This often involves complex math and multiple revisions to achieve the perfect fit.
The sampling phase is where designs truly come to life. I personally create the first sample of each new design, working through any technical challenges and refining the pattern as needed. This hands-on approach allows me to fine-tune every detail, from the depth of a ribbing to the angle of a shoulder slope. Sometimes what seems perfect on paper needs adjustment when worked in our premium yarn – that's the beauty of the sampling process.
Tension control is absolutely critical in machine knitting. Unlike hand knitting, where tension naturally varies slightly, our manual knitting machines require precise calibration to maintain consistent gauge throughout each piece. I've developed a detailed system of tension measurements and regular checks throughout the knitting process. This attention to detail ensures that every M1R KNIT piece meets our exacting standards for quality and fit.
The final stage is where the magic happens. After knitting, each piece goes through our careful blocking process. Using our blocking equipment, we shape the garment to its exact specifications, allowing the alpaca blend yarn to bloom and settle into its final form. The transformation is remarkable – blocking reveals the true character of the yarn, enhancing both the drape and the stitch definition. Only after passing a thorough quality inspection does a piece receive the M1R KNIT label, ready to become part of someone's cherished wardrobe.
Throughout this entire process, there's one guiding principle: no compromise on quality. Whether it takes three attempts to achieve the perfect neckline or an extra day of sampling to nail down the right tension, we take the time needed to create pieces that live up to our standards of luxury and longevity.
Quality Assurance and Attention to Detail
At M1R KNIT, quality isn't just a checkpoint - it's woven into every step of our creation process. As a lifelong knitter with over four decades of experience, I've developed a meticulous eye for detail that influences every piece we produce.
Our quality assurance begins with a comprehensive multi-point inspection system. Each garment undergoes careful examination at critical stages: after initial knitting, during blocking, post-seaming, and before final packaging. We inspect every inch of fabric for consistency in stitch tension, checking that our premium alpaca blend maintains even distribution throughout the piece. Special attention is paid to areas prone to stress, such as underarms and shoulder seams.
Hand-finishing is where our expertise truly shines. Every seam is carefully machine stitched and/or mattress-stitched by hand - a technique that creates an almost invisible join while maintaining the garment's natural stretch. Button bands are reinforced for longevity, and necklines are stabilized with subtle hand-stitching to prevent stretching over time. These traditional finishing methods might take longer, but they ensure each piece ages beautifully with wear.
Durability testing is essential for luxury knitwear that's meant to last. We subject our designs to real-world wear testing before they enter production. This includes assessing how the fabric responds to repeated wear, washing, and blocking. Our signature alpaca blend (45% Superfine Alpaca, 35% Peruvian Highland Wool, 30% Polyamide/Nylon) undergoes extensive testing for pilling resistance and color fastness. Only pieces that maintain their shape and appearance after multiple wear cycles make it into our final collection.
The presentation of each M1R KNIT piece reflects its luxury status. Every garment is carefully folded with acid-free tissue paper to prevent creasing, then placed in our signature dust bag made from organic cotton. We include detailed care instructions that we've developed through extensive testing with our specific yarn blend. These instructions aren't just general guidelines - they're specifically tailored to maintain the unique properties of our alpaca-wool blend and preserve the garment's hand-crafted qualities. Read our care guide here.
Our care instructions go beyond basic washing guidance. We provide recommendations for storage between seasons, and guidance on how to address common issues like pilling or minor snags. This level of detail ensures that our clients can maintain their M1R KNIT pieces in pristine condition for years to come.
Remember, a luxury hand-knit piece is an investment in your wardrobe. Through our rigorous quality assurance process and detailed care guidance, we ensure that each M1R KNIT garment lives up to this investment, maintaining its beauty and functionality through years of wear. It's this attention to detail that transforms our knitwear from simple garments into cherished wardrobe pieces that stand the test of time.
Conclusion
Every M1R KNIT piece represents hours of dedicated craftsmanship and attention to detail. From our carefully selected alpaca blend yarn to the final blocking process, we maintain an unwavering commitment to quality. As we continue to grow, our focus remains on creating timeless, luxurious pieces that become cherished parts of your capsule wardrobe. Want to experience the M1R KNIT difference? Explore our current collection to discover how artisanal craftsmanship meets modern minimalist design.
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