# The Reality of Running a Knitwear Micro Factory with Kate Stalker from OUBAS Knitwear

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/make-it-british-podcast-704653/the-reality-of-running-a-knitwear-micro-factory-with-kate-stalker-from-oubas-knitwear
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/make-it-british-podcast-704653/the-reality-of-running-a-knitwear-micro-factory-with-kate-stalker-from-oubas-knitwear.md
Podcast: [Make it British Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/make-it-british-podcast-704653)
Published: 2026-03-05T23:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://makeitbritish.co.uk/makeitbritishpodcast/the-reality-of-running-a-knitwear-micro-factory-with-kate-stalker-from-oubas-knitwear
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/b0745482-8e6a-4797-b6b8-abfc87c75e3e.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1765

## Resource

In this episode of the Women in Wool series, I’m joined by Kate Stalker, founder of OUBAS Knitwear . Kate runs a knitwear micro factory in the Lake District, where she designs and manufactures fully fashioned knitwear using natural fibres, including British wool. After studying knitwear at Winchester School of Art, she returned to Cumbria and started the business with a single hand flat knitting machine in her parents’ utility room. Today OUBAS produces knitwear on industrial knitting machines, with everything knitted, linked and finished in house by a small team. The business combines design, manufacturing and small batch production all under one roof. If you’re interested in British wool, knitwear manufacturing or what it takes to run a small clothing factory in the UK, this episode gives a real behind the scenes look at how it works. In this episode we cover: How Kate started OUBAS with one knitting machine and began selling at local markets and craft fairs Why she chose to base the business in the Lake District rather than moving to London What it takes to run a knitwear micro factory with industrial knitting machines What “linking” is and why fully fashioned knitwear is so labour intensive How knitwear is finished after it comes off the knitting machine The reality of pricing knitwear when every garment takes hours to produce How made to order production helps reduce waste and allows a wider size range Why small batch knitwear manufacturing is becoming increasingly important for emerging brands If you care about British farming, UK manufacturing and using fibres that actually grow on our hillsides, this episode will give you a practical look at how it can be done. About OUBAS Knitwear OUBAS Knitwear is a British knitwear brand and micro factory based in the Lake D…

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