For Sydney designer Shannyn Lorkin, a close-knit relationship with her grandmother sewed the seeds for a sustainable fashion label with a goal to preserve a legacy.

Shannyn’s label Revel Knitwear makes quality knitwear with a focus on sustainability from design to delivery. It is a commitment to preserving quality craftsmanship in knitting and creating sustainable options in fashion.

“I was inspired to start Revel Knitwear as both a creative outlet while I was studying a Diploma of Fashion Business in 2015 and more significantly after the passing of my grandmother Beverley, who taught me to knit for over 10 years,” Shannyn says.

“All my Nanna wanted was to pass on the art of traditional knitting, so I created this label as a legacy and celebration of those skills and of her life. ‘Revel’ comes from ‘Beverley’, so there’s a piece of her in everything I do.”

The Revel Knitwear garments are all hand-knitted in Australia by an intimate team of women that Shannyn has curated based on their love of knitting and shared vision for slow fashion. The women of different ages all enjoy knitting and have taken on knitting for the brand in their own homes.

The garments are made from locally sourced wool and cotton, to ensure there’s something for everyone. Shannyn says she specifically wanted to use Australian wool to support her local industry, and chose to use both pure wool and alpaca.

“I’m always looking out for new fibres to use and also look at ways to become increasingly sustainable,” she says.

“The brand is all about sustainability and reduction of waste so everything we do is focused on that.”

Revel Knitwear

Another way Revel Knitwear focuses on sustainability is through its made-to-order process. This allows the brand to reduce waste as they only make for demand and nothing more. The label also applies this model to  wholesale for retail stores, where they only produce garments for the exact demand of what is needed.

For their packaging, Shannyn says they use a light amount of tissue paper and opt for recyclable boxes. This ensures that all packaging can be either re-used or recycled by the customer.

The brand is also working towards becoming ‘circular’ by having a solution to the small amount of fibre waste they produce.

So far, Shannyn says the label’s been a hit with Australian women of all ages, but she hopes to expand globally.

“Our knitwear is for women who want quality, and who are conscious about what they purchase,” she says.

“Our customers are environmentally conscious, but also just lovers of clothes and fashion. They like to wear clothes that express who they are while also doing a positive thing for the world.”

Find out more about the beautiful Revel Knitwear here.