September 26, 2025

The Sportshirt - 24 years in the making…

Evolution of the Sportshirt

Our Lambswool Sportshirt - 24 years in the making...

"My love of the classic Sportshirt began many, many years ago in Scotland and it's fair to say my first encounter changed my life. let me explain..."

It was the early summer of 2001.I had just completed my A-level exams and was actually looking forward to a summer of relaxation before starting University. However, I had duly written to various companies to try to get some work experience (hoping I wouldn't get any replies...). A letter arrived at home inviting me to three weeks work experience at a yarn spinners in Kinross, Scotland (incidentally, we still work with that spinner today) and the rest, is history.

The first week of July, I packed up my car and headed north to learn everything I could about yarn production. The mill specialised in mule spinning - it looks like something from a bygone era, one of the first processes to be mechanised during the industrial revolution. When I arrived on the Sunday, ready to start work on the Monday, I was told that production was closed due to a summer factory shut down so for the first week we would be doing routine maintenance of the machines. That turned out to be crawling through air ducts to clean them! Not quite what I had envisaged doing on my summer break whilst my friends were on a beach in Europe. Anyway, the second week began and so too did my keen interest in yarn production. It was great to understand more about the nuances and the raw material that went into it - a subject in itself.

In my final week I was asked if I could stay on for a couple of days and extend the experience by visiting the groups' knitting mill (the spinning mill was a part of a large textile group of companies that has since been disbanded), at the highly revered Ballantyne, in Innerleithen. They specialised in intarsia knitting, very in fashion at the time. I jumped at the chance and packed my bags once again and drove to the Scottish Borders over the weekend ready to start my week of knitting. I don't think it's too big a statement to say this would be life changing… Seeing the yarn being knitted into a final product was enlightening and all the different processes involved truly mesmerising. The finished product was of the highest standee globally and they were being shipped all over the world from this small hamlet on the borders.

"I packed my bags once again and drove to the Scottish Borders ready to start my week of knitting. I don't think it's too big a statement to say this would be life changing! Seeing the yarn being knitted into a final product was enlightening and all the different processes involved truly mesmerising…"

The true life changing moment came towards the end of that week...

There had been rumours of a staff-only factory shop which I was naturally very intrigued about, and then on the Friday I was invited to visit the shop as my farewell. There, I spent hours looking at all the different patterns and knits that, for one reason or another, had ended up in the factory shop. My eyes were drawn to a 3-Button Cashmere Polo Shirt. It was the perfect shade of navy, I placed it on the counter along with a pillar box red slipover (let's not go into that!...) and bought both. It was exciting - my first 'grown up' piece of knitwear and one I still own to this day - albeit with holes in the elbows. I found I wore it a lot, mainly over shirts and with jeans. A true classic that has stood the test of time and has its own tales to tell.

The navy sportshsirt and red pullover, 24 years later. One loved considerably more than the other but both have lasted a quarter of a century and have more life in them yet!

Fast forward 24 years and here I am writing about this wearing our Lambswool Sportshirt, also knitted in Scotland. We have designed a slimmer fit (although not skinny!) and a slightly larger collar but the bones of it were inspired by that trip to Scotland 24 years ago. So there it is, what inspired my commitment to slow fashion and longevity. Some call them polo shirts, some rugby's but we opt for the traditional name - Sportshirt. It's become one of our staples and I hope you love them as much as we do.

See you soon,

James Priestley

Shopkeeper, William Crabtree & Sons, London & The Cotswolds

We consider ourselves Sportshirt specialists, our ever present Lambswool Sportshirt is available in two new colours, Elderberry and Rustic Red. Designed with a generous collar to sit over a shirt, it is a very versatile look for weekdays and weekend. Our Lambswool Sportshirts offer a little more warmth but are breathable, ideal for general wear, office and weekend, and layering, without overheating.

We also have a Merino Wool Sportshirt for layering and under tailoring and a Shetland Wool variation for a more casual style, as well as Cashmere variations.