A Fair Isle jumper is for life, not just for Christmas

It has become part of the festive tradition that, as the big day approaches, people start wearing Christmas jumpers. In the UK, there’s even an annual fundraiser when people don their Christmas jumpers to raise money for Save the Children. It's a brilliant cause. But here in Shetland, we need to talk about something that's become a sore point for our knitters.

Fair Isle jumpers are not Christmas jumpers. In many ways, they represent the total opposite – high-quality woollen knitwear that lasts decades versus acrylic fast fashion that is lucky to survive until New Year’s Day.

Fair Isle knitwear is named after the small island where the uniquely-patterned style originates. Today, there are still knitters handcrafting beautiful knitwear, inspired by that tradition, year-round in Fair Isle and in Shetland.

"When you're wearing something Fair Isle that you wear all year, getting told you're looking 'festive' or 'Christmas-y' in December is honestly a bit of a pet hate," says Terri Laura Leask, who runs Terri Laura knitwear design from her home in Shetland. "Every January, I get comments asking why I'm speaking about Fair Isle when Christmas has been!"

She may joke about it now, but the frustration is real. Fair Isle has become conflated with novelty Christmas knitwear in the public imagination. And there couldn't be a bigger gulf between the two.

Here's the key difference: while Christmas jumpers are designed for a single season of wear before being stuffed in the back of a wardrobe (or worse, binned), Fair Isle ganseys are made to last lifetimes. Plural.

Take Hazel Tindall, the world's fastest knitter, who won the title in 2008. The oldest jumper she owns was knitted by her mum in 1953 for her brother, likely worn by his three younger sisters after him. Seventy-one years later, the colours remain vibrant.

"I have a cardigan I knitted for my mum in 1979," Hazel adds. "It's still in fairly good condition, and I wear it from time to time. During Shetland Wool Week 2025, I wore a jumper my mum knitted for my dad around 1990."

Three generations. Seven decades. Still being worn.

The longevity isn't accidental: it's built into every stitch.

"Using natural materials helps with longevity," explains Terri Laura. "Wool contains properties that mean you don't have to wash the garment every time you wear it. The structure of wool makes an inhospitable environment for bacteria, keeping garments cleaner between wears."

Janette Budge, a Shetland knitwear designer and tutor, agrees. "Shetland jumpers only need washed once or twice a year. They stretch with the wearer and mould to their shape. They're breathable and light to wear."

As Hazel points out: "As long as wool garments are washed before being stored away, they remain wearable for many years."

Compare that to the mass-produced acrylic Christmas jumper, designed to survive a single office party.

The real difference goes beyond durability. It's about connection.

Terri Laura owns a cardigan her great-grandmother Mary wore – made by her granny, Wilma. It's navy with reds, white, and yellow woven through an all-over Fair Isle pattern. The cuffs have been replaced; evidence of a life well-lived.

"I feel extremely lucky to have a piece my great-granny enjoyed, but made by another grandmother. Extremely special."

The first jumper she made for her boyfriend (now husband) was knitted 15 years ago. "It sits proudly in the wardrobe rotation. I would imagine my son will be looking for it when he gets older. The first jumper his mam made for his dad!"

Janette found a Fair Isle jumper in natural shades that her mum knitted for her dad in the 1980s. "The only repairs it needs is around the neck and basque, otherwise it's good to go!"

"Traditional knitwear will always hold memories," says Terri Laura. "The reason it was made, the thought that went into it, or the time spent making it. Having pieces handed down gives you a connection to the person who wore it before you."

As Janette puts it: "They reach back to the past, connecting us to those special people in our families."

So yes, when Christmas Jumper Day comes and goes each year, many of us in Shetland will be wearing Fair Isle. Not because it's festive or Christmas-y, but because it's what we wear all year round.

Because it's heritage. Because it's quality. Because it was made by hands we loved, or will be worn by people we love.

And that's the point, isn't it? While Christmas Jumper Day celebrates fast fashion and disposability (even for a good cause), Fair Isle represents the opposite: slow craft, sustainability, connection, and pieces that don't just last a lifetime – they last several. You can discover real Fair Isle knitwear, designed and crafted in the island by clicking here.

And remember, as Terri Laura says: "A Fair Isle jumper isn't just for Christmas – it's for life!"

Want to share your Fair Isle stories? We'd love to hear about your oldest gansey or one that has been passed down through the generations. Tag us on Facebook or Instagram or email us at info@shetland.org