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The one-woman brand bringing a playful splash of colour to Irish heritage knitwear
In 2013, Mary Callan founded Callan Knitwear, a Belfast-based brand known for its hand-loomed, energetic designs across sweaters, mittens, scarves and more.
My name is Mary Callan, and I grew up in county Down. At 18, I moved to London to study Fashion Knitwear at Central Saint Martins, beginning a knitwear journey that has included my own brand, teaching, and commissions for film and television. I founded Callan Knitwear in 2013, and the brand has evolved ever since. Today, I work from a beautiful studio in a former Belfast linen mill, creating designer knitwear that blends heritage skills with modern design. Everything is made in Ireland—either hand-loomed by me in Belfast or produced by a family-run manufacturer in Kildare. My style is bright, graphic and energetic, with a strong focus on colour and pattern.
I stock large patterned jacquard scarves as well as hand made snoods and mittens. All are made from high quality merino and lambswool, which is spun in Scotland, Yorkshire and Donegal. I also do a made to order line of hand loomed sweaters. There is usually a waiting list for these as they are all produced in-house on manual machinery.
I wanted to be an artist from the age of four and was always off in a corner, drawing. I even made my own “catalogues” with models, prices, and descriptions—a funny foreshadowing of my online shop today. My design eye was shaped early through my family’s ties to the antiques world. My mother was an antiques dealer, and my uncle had a shop in Cork, so I grew up surrounded by beautifully made objects. On buying trips, I’d wander over to the clothing sellers, obsessed by beadwork and embroidery from the 1920s–40s. Then, at 13, I discovered the Sunday Times Magazine. Seeing Galliano and McQueen—and learning they’d studied at Central Saint Martins—I decided that’s exactly where I wanted to go.
My mission is to create knitwear that is high-quality, long-lasting, and beautifully individual. I care deeply about heritage skills and keeping manufacturing alive in Ireland and Scotland. While Ireland is known for Aran hand-knitting, Scotland has a rich history of machine knitting. I’m inspired by vintage pieces from makers like Ballantyne—their 1960s sweaters still look new today. I produce on ex-Ballantyne hand looms and aim to recreate that authenticity. But heritage doesn’t have to feel old-fashioned; it can be fun and cool. Through colour and playful motifs, I bring a sense of joie de vivre to traditional knitwear for a new audience.
The logistics
Money was absolutely a concern starting out. I’ve managed it through family support, a few small Arts Council NI grants, and plenty of personal financial sacrifices. At times, I’ve had to put my design ego aside and produce a bread-and-butter knitwear line to create cash flow for reinvestment. Money is always a challenge for anyone committed to hand-making in Ireland—foreign production is much cheaper. I could probably make more by outsourcing bulk orders to Romania, Turkey, or China, but Callan Knitwear isn’t about that right now.
One of the best pieces of advice I received was to do one thing well. It encouraged me to simplify my product line and keep things manageable. As a one-woman business, it’s important not to overreach and to let the work steadily grow alongside real life. I was also reminded not to compare myself to those further ahead or with more resources. Another valuable lesson came from a DCCOI mentor. I’d designed a dull commercial scarf range for cash flow, and she noticed my lack of enthusiasm. She stressed that this career is hard, and passion is essential. Make what you truly love—following that joy is the real engine of a creative business.
One of my biggest learnings has been the importance of networking and promoting my work—two things that never came naturally to me. I’m happiest tucked away in my studio, but I’ve realised that visibility matters just as much as creativity. I’ve also learned that staying true to my creative voice matters more than chasing trends; passion-led pieces always resonate most with customers. And finally, balancing creativity with practical realities like cashflow has been essential. It’s a constant dance between artistry and sustainability.
The brands and designers to know
I’m really intrigued by the new wave of Gen Z designers from Ireland. Brands like Pellador, Rashiid, and Cúpla Designs are breaking away from beige millennial perfectionism and making fashion fun, while being commercially savvy. I also admire young Irish knitwear designer Mar Knitwear, as well as Adam Jones Studio, Hades Knitwear, and Miista. While putting together this season’s photoshoot, I fell down a rabbit hole of online shoe stores. I’m currently obsessed with the Aria and Twist boots from Nomasei, and the Michelle shoe from Bobbies Paris.
At the moment, I’m looking at @sissychacon and @quida for styling and silhouette ideas and @style.analytics is fascinating. I’m quite inspired by maximalist colourful interior design so I follow Lucinda Chambers and Luke Edward Hall. I find @campaignforwool heartening as I use natural fibres and they are second to none.
A lot of my income goes on yarn, so I buy very little clothing—and only the best I can afford at the time. I have a pair of cropped trousers from Anthropologie that I bought years ago, and they’ve taken me everywhere. Lately, I’ve been enjoying a big, swishy circular-cut skirt I picked up in COS. I love wearing it with one of my oversized sweaters and either loafers or knee-high boots.
This small island produces a lot of design talent so it’s hard to pick! I admire the Landskein for their contemporary take on Irish tweeds. Standing Ground is phenomenal. I’ve always loved Tim Ryan and Fintan Mulholland for their knitwear. Then there’s Robyn Lynch, Joanne Hynes and Tidings to name a few . I also have one of Kiki na Art’s hand painted necklaces and it starts conversations every time I wear it.
The legacy
My proudest moment should probably be seeing Ma Mary wear my Ulster Fry sweater on Derry Girls, but another huge milestone was creating custom jumpers for Laura Whitmore and Dermot O’Leary as part of Tourism Ireland’s Saint Patrick’s Day campaign. The project landed in my inbox just six weeks before Paddy’s day and I had to upskill fast. The designs were incredibly detailed and had to reflect each celeb’s story. I finished just in time. Getting a personal shout-out from Laura and seeing my work on TV felt totally surreal.
I want my brand to be remembered for being a brand that carved out a small but powerfully individual path within Irish knitwear. I’d like to be remembered for my integrity and for creating dynamic, distinctive designs.
I would love to see either my Hibernia Sweater or diamond scarves on Rozanna Purcell as she wears colour amazingly on her Instagram account but I also have future plans for designs that would look good on Tilda Swinton, Michaela Coel and Zendaya.
Photography by Eve Logue.
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