The Hudson Sweater

To celebrate Wool Week 2019, Anderson & Sheppard have collaborated with The UK Military’s Chief Survival Instructor, John Hudson to create ‘The Hudson Sweater’.  The Campaign for Wool initiative of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales was to help promote sheep farming and wool, and to support British, Australian, New Zealand and South African woolgrowers, and to wider educate consumers on wool’s natural performance and safety benefits, as well as it being a planet-friendly fibre that biodegrades in both the land and the ocean.

The Hudson sweater is the result of a collaboration between the Campaign for Wool, Anderson & Sheppard, John Hudson and Doppiaa, that brings together each expertise to create a sweater that is perfect for days out hiking with a backpack, sailing, cycling or for a day gardening in the Autumn and Winter months.

Designed by Anderson & Sheppard in close consultation with John Hudson to create a product that’s fit for purpose whilst out in the elements, the sweater was knitted by Doppiaa in Italy and is made from soft Merino wool yarn, with Ventile cotton protection patches and available in three colourways.

John Hudson said, “It was a genuine honour to be invited to work with the team at Anderson & Sheppard, a company with such a strong tradition of versatile, top quality tailoring. In my world of military survival training, the clothes you wear are your top priority after you’ve treated any injuries – well before shelter building, finding water and food or even signalling for rescue; good garments made from the best materials are that important. So we selected the best wool for this design – it keeps you warm even when it’s wet. Points of high wear, like where backpack straps would go or where you rest your elbow on a good beer garden table, have protective patches. These patches are made from the same breathable waterproof natural fabric that protects pilots if they bail out into cold seawater, developed in Britain to save lives in WW2 and still in use today. And it has a small arm pocket for your 21st century survival kit, be that a travel card or a £20 note. I’m really proud of this design collaboration, it brings a classic sweater back to modern, stylish life.”