CHARL
WE TALKED TO CHARL ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH BRITISH WOOL
TELL US THE STORY ABOUT HOW YOUR BUSINESS GOT STARTED
I’ve been a knitwear designer (for Burberry and Benetton) for more than 20 years but I’d had the idea of creating a heritage knitwear collection based on the Norfolk fishermen’s Gansey jumpers near where I grew up for several years. When my children started school I felt it was the right time to immerse myself in this rich cultural story and produce a sustainable collection that showcased and preserved our natural resources (British wool) and cultural heritage in a new and modern interpretation.
WHAT INSPIRES YOUR BRAND / DESIGN PROCESS?
I’m inspired by an extensive study of archival Gansey jumpers, period photographs and lots of experimentation using the British wool -the fibre has so much life and elasticity to it that it’s a lot of fun to work with.
I also feel passionately about using and developing our natural resources to create new and exciting products that raise standards and expectations.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO USE BRITISH WOOL IN YOUR PRODUCTS?
I couldn’t believe that we have all these sheep in Britain (more than 60 breeds) and yet most of their wool is not
being used AND it’s so hard to find (it’s much easier to get hold of Australian and New Zealand wool) both for knitting and when buying jumpers. I couldn’t understand why and set about trying to change this by proving that you can buy soft, modern and ultimately desirable knitwear made from British wool.
WHAT DO YOU VALUE THE MOST WHEN USING BRITISH WOOL?
I love the quality of British wool – you can feel it when you touch it – it’s rich and vibrant! I also love knowing that it has a story behind it, that it has been used and cherished for hundreds of years and that I am keeping this culture alive.
WHO ARE THE PEOPLE BEHIND YOUR BRAND?
I’m a new brand, I launched the collection myself in Autumn 2020, but I could not have done this without the support and encouragement of my knitwear factories – Albion Knitting based in London who have been my friends and colleagues since my days at Burberry, and Franca Patumi, my factory in Perugia, Italy who are a female team and really share my passion for knitwear. I also feel very supported by Laxtons mill in Yorkshire who produce my wool and British wool who keep me up to date with all the exciting developments that are constantly happening in this field.
“We are delighted to be part of this innovative new website showcasing the very best of British wool.”
DELIVERY
All UK orders up to £100 will be delivered by Royal Mail tracked and signed service. All UK orders over £100 will be delivered to you by DHL next working day delivery and will also require your signature. Our shipping charges are as follows:
• Delivery within the UK for orders of £100 and under (Royal Mail, tracked and signed, delivery within 3-4 working days) £4.00.
• Delivery within the UK for orders over £100 (DHL delivery by end of the next working day) £8.50.
We will process your order within 2 working days with the exception of sale periods and bank holidays. Estimated delivery times are to be used as a guide only and commence from the date of dispatch. We are not responsible for any delays caused by destination customs clearance processes.
We are unable to redirect orders once items have been dispatched.
Insurance
Charl Knitwear insures each purchase during the time it is in transit until it is delivered to you. We require a signature for any goods delivered, at which point responsibility for your purchased goods passes to you. If you have specified a recipient who is not you for delivery purposes (for example as a gift) then you accept that evidence of a signature by them (or at that delivery address) is evidence of delivery and fulfillment by Charl Knitwear and transfer of responsibility in the same way.
RETURNS
We are happy to offer a refund on any unsuitable items within 28 days of purchase provided that they are unworn (re-saleable) and unwashed condition with the correct invoice, packaging and swing tag still attached. All undamaged correctly returned products will be credited to the original purchaser’s Credit Card account including sales taxes for all shipments.
• You must return the goods by secure means.
• We strongly recommend you obtain a free ‘Certificate of Posting’ from the Post Office, as we will not accept responsibility for parcels lost in transit.
• If you return your order we will not refund the delivery charge as this part of our service to you has been completed. In the cases of incorrect, damaged or faulty goods, the delivery charge for a replacement to be sent out will not be charged.
All customers should send their Exchanges and Returns to:
Please contact me at: frankie@charlknitwear.co.uk for the correct address.
Exchanges
There is no charge to exchange items for a different size, however, all exchanges are based on stock availability. Shipping is free on the replacement item.
Please note that we are only able to offer size exchanges. If you wish to exchange your item for an alternative style, we suggest that you return it for a refund and purchase the new piece separately.
Returns Process
For all returns we request that you contact us at : frankie@charlknitwear.co.uk in relation to such returns. Please note that we do not accept liability for goods that are not returned via secure means.
• Take the parcel to the Post Office or arrange collection via a trackable courier service. You will be issued with a receipt and tracking number, which should be retained until the refund is processed.
Upon receipt of the returned items the refund will be paid into your bank account. Charl Knitwear will endeavour to process your return within 2 working days.
TERMS
Order Acceptance
We will always try to fulfil an order however there may be reasons an order cannot be fulfilled and we reserve the right not to accept an order. For example we may not accept an order for one of the following reasons:
• The product you ordered is unavailable from stock.
• We are unable to obtain authorisation for your payment.
• The identification of a pricing or product description error.
We will inform you as soon as we can if we are unable to fulfil an order. Order acceptance and the completion of the contract between you and us will take place on the dispatch of the products ordered to you unless we have notified you that we do not accept your order or you have cancelled it in accordance with the instructions in Order Cancellation.
Order Cancellation
You can cancel an order at any time up to the point of dispatch. Contact us by email or telephone and we will refund your card and cancel the order. Once the order has been dispatched you can still return the product. See Returns & Shipping Damages below.
Pricing & Description Errors
All product details entered on the site have been entered with due care however there may be errors. Where a description error becomes obvious we will contact you in order to establish if you wish to cancel the order – in which case we will refund payment in full. Where a pricing error occurs, if the price is understated we will dispatch the order and refund the balance. Where the price is overstated we will contact you and determine if you wish to pay the balance or cancel the order. NOTE: Order acceptance occurs at the point of product dispatch – we reserve the right not to fulfil an order where a pricing error has occurred.
Payment & Delivery Information
Payment by credit card:
We accept most major credit and debit cards including Visa, Mastercard, Delta, Switch and Solo.
Your card is debited at the point of order. In the event of an item being out of stock we will email you with an estimated delivery date, at which point you can decide if you want to wait or cancel. We use Stripe as our payment portal.
Delivery
At all times items are dispatched within 3 working days of receipt of order and should therefore arrive in about 7 days at the latest. All items will require a signature on delivery. We do make a charge for Postage & Packing (see Postage). If we have to split an order because an item is out of stock we will charge P&P on the first delivery only. For instant dispatch or gift wrapping, please contact us.
Returns & Refunds
We take pride in our customer service. If you are dissatisfied with your purchase please return it to us along with your order number. Provided it arrives back in its original condition and within 28 days, we will be happy to arrange a replacement or refund of the item. (Let us know which). If you do wish to exchange a product we will send you the item free of any additional charges. Also please clearly state the reason for return – it will help us to ensure our website and quality of products meets our customers’ expectations.
You can phone or email us using the details on the contact tab on this page.
CONTACT
Email: frankie@charlknitwear.co.uk