Knitwear brand Glencroft launches T-shirt that aims to put the Yorkshire Dales on the international fashion map

The back reads: “Ingredients: Grass, dry stone walls, hard work, generations”, as Glencroft promotes a sense of Yorkshire pride and the message that it wants to put the Yorkshire Dales firmly on the international fashion map.

The country clothing brand, based close to Ingleborough, at Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales, trades increasingly on an international basis, with loyal customers now in the US, Japan and Canada, as well as other overseas locations. Last year the company exported more than £50,000 of its British Wool, sheepskin and tweed products abroad.

Known especially for its British Wool jumpers and accessories, Glencroft is branching out into all-seasonal wear with this T-shirt, which features illustrations of the local Dalesbred sheep used to create some of its latest fashion pieces.

Edward Sexton, who is partner and owner of Glencroft, alongside his parents who set up the business more than 30 years ago, says: “We launched this T-shirt because we are so proud of our area and what makes it what it is. For us, based in Clapham, that’s mostly about the green hills that surround us, speckled with the Dalesbred sheep breed, which is commonly found on the fells of Ingleborough mountain.”

The T-shirt is also about hard work and determination, qualities that saw Glencroft launch its traceable “farm to yarn” Clapdale wool project, which gives back to local farmers. The wool comes from sheep within five miles of Glencroft, spun into yarn and used to make the Thwaite jumper which launched last year and featured on the Great Yorkshire Show fashion catwalk. The yarn also starred at London Fashion Week 2023 in a creation by Edward Crutchley, the Dales-born internationally acclaimed fashion designer, and was used to make a crocheted jumper by The Wool Flower Company and Gracie of London.

Edward Sexton says: “The launch of the Thwaite jumper was a real achievement in traceable, sustainable fashion, so we wanted to give a nod to that with this T-shirt and ask why not Ingleborough?

“It is already proving to be incredibly popular with tourists and a lot of local people like it, too, appreciating that sense of pride we have in our local area, as well as the fun tongue-in-cheek side of it.”

The light green unisex T-shirt is Fair Trade, made from 100 per cent organic cotton and has been expertly printed in the UK. It retails at £34.95 and is available online at glencroft.co.uk. See Glencroft on Twitter at @GlencroftUK, Instagram at glencroftuk and Facebook @GlencroftUK.