Glencroft Countrywear

British countrywear made in Yorkshire since 1987

Glencroft is a family business founded in 1987 by Richard and Justina Sexton. It operates from a 200-year-old converted cow barn in Clapham, within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Its catalogue focuses on classic countrywear made from natural fibres, mainly British wool, Harris Tweed and sheepskin.

The company states that over 80% of its products are made in the UK, many in the same factories and by the same people for three decades. The rest is produced in mainland Europe, in workshops the firm says it knows and visits every year; these include gloves and some slipper styles made in Portugal, a country with a tradition in sheepskin tanning and manufacturing.

Clapdale Wool, traceable wool from the Yorkshire Dales

Clapdale Wool is a wool made exclusively by Glencroft from fleeces collected from seven farms located less than ten miles from its Clapham warehouse. The company presents this line as part of its commitment to traceability and local sourcing.

Garments and accessories in the catalogue

The range is organised into several product families:

• Clothing: British wool jumpers and cardigans, jackets and sheepskin slippers for men, women and children.
• Hats and caps: flat caps, knitted beanies, sheepskin, tweed and wax hats.
• Accessories: bags, gloves and mittens, scarves, slippers, belts, insoles and socks.
• Homeware: British and Icelandic sheepskin rugs, sheepskin pouffes, throws and household essentials.
• Yarn and fabric: yarn and fabrics for crafts.

Featured items on the site include the Jacob Brown British Wool Aran Jumper, the green suede and lambswool moccasins with sole, the multi-colour wool tweed patch British wool jumper and the Harris Tweed flat cap made in the UK. The catalogue shows prices in pounds sterling, with free shipping on orders over £60.

Production, materials and waste reduction

Richard Sexton has worked in the wool and sheepskin sector since the 1960s. Every British sheepskin rug is hand finished and quality checked by him. The company indicates on each page where the product is actually made, meaning the whole of its manufacture and not just the design, finishing or origin of the raw material.

Where possible, Glencroft reuses offcuts and leftover material, either giving them free to local people and organisations or using them in items such as sheepskin bobble hats or as stuffing for its pouffes.

Scottish connection and origin of the name

The firm has a long-standing relationship with Scotland: a significant part of the shops it has supplied for over thirty years are located there, it uses Scottish materials such as genuine Harris Tweed and many of its products have a Scottish character, from tartan scarves to wool jumpers. The company also supplies wholesale customers.

The name combines ‘Glen’, referring to that Scottish connection, and ‘Croft’, which evokes the rural way of life that the firm places at the centre of its activity. The brand had originally been registered as a clothing brand in Edinburgh in the 1960s, under the name ‘Glencroft of Scotland’, now long defunct.

Recognition and editorial activity

Glencroft was named Rural Business of the Year at the Yorkshire Post Rural Business Awards. The company runs a blog with content on British wool, sustainable corporate gifts, the process of creating garments and its participation in local Yorkshire Dales initiatives.

Location and contact

Glencroft, Old Road, Clapham, North Yorkshire, LA2 8JH United Kingdom · Phone: 01524 251747 · Email: edward@glencroft.co.uk