About Alan Paine

The Alan Paine brand was established in the historic market town of Godalming in Surrey, England in 1907. Wool and knitting industries were important sources of income in the area over a number of centuries. Evidence of this survives in the town’s emblem - a woolsack - which is still in official use today and was included in the Alan Paine crest through the years. 

 When William Paine founded his famous knitwear brand he originally named it Paines of Godalming. William discovered some knitting machines in an old warehouse behind the shop, taught himself and others to knit, and began to manufacture knitted garments, arguably developing the first cable knit sweaters.