An Interview with Northern Watters Knitwear - A Prince Edward Island Company!

This interview is the first in a new series I am doing featuring Canadian businesses, especially those in my locality! :) The first one is with Northern Watters Knitwear - a growing indie business making all kinds of knitted products.



1. Tell us a bit about how your company got started, and where you are now. How many people currently work for Northern Watters Knitwear?



Wanda Watters (Owner) started as a hobby business in 2005 working out
of my basement knitting polyester and cashmere accessories and at the
same time, she worked with a sweater business full time for 19 years
when they closed their doors. She then had the opportunity to purchase
the assets of the sweater business. She moved everything to our
location on Richmond Street where we open our doors on May 30, 2007. We
employed seven people with four artisans who put product in our store.
Now we employ 8 people, 15 home knitters (making mittens), and over 65
artisans with their product in our store.

2. What makes your sweaters special? Tell us a bit about your manufacturing process.



We use antique swiss knitting looms where each panel of the sweater
is individually knit and then link together using the same wool that the
sweater is knit from. We are being told that we are the only ones left
in North American possibly the world who still knits the process that we
use. Our production area is located in our store where everyone can
watch the knitters at work.

3. Where can your products be found, both in person and online?



http://nwknitwear.com or 150 Richmond St. Charlottetown

Wool Sweater Outlet, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Rustico Bay Wool Sweater Shop, North Rustico, PEI

Traveller's Outfitters, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Clothes Basket, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

4. What has it been like for your company being a small business from PEI? Do you think it benefitted you or hindered you in any way?



PEI is an unique place to visit and the tourists love to come and
visit us and watch the knitters at work and love to see Island made
products.


5. So what does everyone at NWKnitwear do for FUN?! :)



Some play bingo, ride motorcycles, camp, take care of their families

6. Which product is your personal fave?



Bill (Wanda's husband) likes the hoodie style, "TZP" and Wanda loves
the "LGS" both are very good sellers.