The Purpose-Driven Brand Putting People and Planet First
Founded by three friends with shared Baltic roots, The Knotty Ones is a women-led sustainable knitwear brand redefining ethical and slow fashion in 2025. With a focus on natural fibres, transparent production, and empowering female artisans, the brand proves that knitwear can be both stylish and socially conscious. We sat down with co-founder Akvilė Meškauskaitė-Dobrjas to discuss the brand’s evolution, purpose, and what’s next in sustainable fashion.
How The Knotty Ones Became a Global Sustainable Knitwear Brand
When your paths first crossed in grad school back in 2011, could you have imagined that a shared spark would one day evolve into a globally cherished knitwear brand? Looking back on the journey, what are you most proud of today?
When I was 16, I actually sketched out my dream of owning a clothing store on a piece of paper — so in a way, part of that dream did come true, just in a form I could never have imagined back then.
What I’m most proud of is the resilience we’ve built, because growing a business demands a lot of it. Together, I’m incredibly proud that we’ve stayed true to our original values: producing exclusively with natural fibres, touching the lives of the incredible artisans behind our pieces, and seeing our knitwear worn by celebrities we admire so much - January Jones, Kelly Rutherford, Hilary Duff and others.
The Influence of Baltic Heritage on Knitwear Design
In what ways have your Baltic heritage and pagan roots inspired the brand’s creative vision and design philosophy?
The core inspiration truly comes from the fact that knitting is in our blood. It’s a craft that every woman in Lithuania once knew — taught in schools, passed down through generations, and deeply embedded in our culture.
Exploring this tradition together led us to reconnect with our roots in a meaningful way. We began naming each of our knits after ancient Lithuanian names — looking for deeper meanings and connections.
Our designs are also closely tied to the rhythms of nature — inspired by the landscapes we grew up in and the quiet poetry of the Baltic wilderness.
Minimalist Knitwear with Purpose: The Knotty Ones’ Aesthetic
For those discovering the brand for the first time, how would you describe its identity – both visually and in terms of its core philosophy?
I’d say our brand is all about connection — to craft, to nature, and to the women who bring each piece to life. Visually, it’s quite minimal and grounded. We’re drawn to earthy colours, natural textures, and silhouettes that feel timeless rather than trend-led. There’s a quietness to the aesthetic, but also a lot of depth when you look closer.
At the heart of it, we’re really driven by intention. We only use natural fibres, we work with traditional handcraft techniques, and we produce slowly — because we believe that how something is made matters just as much as how it looks. Each knit is made with care — for the planet, for the people behind it, and for the person who ends up wearing it.
“Each knit is made with care — for the planet, for the people behind it, and for the person who ends up wearing it.
How friendship & Trust Shaped This Women-Led Fashion Brand
As three close friends who co-founded the brand, how would you describe your dynamic? What unique strengths do each of you bring to the partnership?
In the early days, our dynamic was built on deep trust and a clear division of responsibilities. Each of us focused on a different core area: finance, communication, and operations. That clarity and mutual respect allowed us to move quickly, make decisions effectively, and build a strong foundation for the brand.
But the business has long outgrown just the three of us. Today, we’re backed by a wider group of shareholders, a new CEO, and a talented team that brings in fresh experience and perspective.
One of our biggest strengths as founders has been the ability to find and empower people who not only believe in the vision, but are also more experienced—and often smarter than us—in the areas needed to take the business to the next level. Knowing when to lead, when to listen, and when to get out of the way has been key to our evolution.
“Knowing when to lead, when to listen, and when to get out of the way has been key to our evolution.”
Creating a Sisterhood of Lithuanian Artisans Through Ethical Fashion
The brand’s commitment to community is truly inspiring. Why was it so important to build a sisterhood of local Lithuanian women artisans, and how has this shaped your brand’s ethos?
The truth is, the “sisterhood” wasn’t something we planned or strategically decided to build. It happened naturally. In the early days, we started working with a few knitters, and they began bringing in their neighbours, friends, and relatives. That’s how it grew—person by person, through real-life connections.
This production model, with its challenges, allows us to preserve traditional craftsmanship, and more importantly, to connect our customers, at least in some small way, with the real people behind the clothes.
What Sustainability Looks Like for The Knotty Ones in 2025
You’re leading the way in sustainable knitwear, with zero plastic and 100% natural yarns. What does sustainability look like for you in the future?
I often say sustainability is like a creature with many heads—it’s not just about ticking off the next certification. As you have pointed out, we already do a lot. And we are actually doing it. But right now, our focus is on building a truly sustainable business model. That means sustainable finances, sustainable opportunities for our team, and long-term resilience—things that are not always easy to achieve as an independent brand.
Of course, we have other sustainability goals beyond the business model itself. One of our long-term aims is to expand our impact in meaningful ways—by building local knitter hubs in key markets like the US and UK, introducing digital product passports, improving traceability, and continuing to strengthen transparency across the supply chain. These steps reflect our commitment to making sustainability an ongoing, evolving part of how we operate.
What’s Next: Scaling Ethical Knitwear with Heart and Impact
Your work is deeply rooted in purpose, from ethical production to cultural storytelling, what’s next for the brand as it continues to grow?
We’d love to take the brand to the next level. We feel that more people should know about what we’ve built—an amazing product and a thoughtful way of working that we’re really proud of. So right now, we’re focusing more on visibility: growing through PR, and exploring celebrity placements or collaborations that feel true to our values.
At the same time, we’re working on strengthening our operations in key markets like the US and UK, which would help us be more present and responsive there. And of course, continuing to grow the community—both the knitters we work with and the people who wear our pieces.
