Fall River, Massachusetts
The Whalerknits Factory
This is where every Whalerknits sweater, blanket, and hat is made — 502 Bedford Street, Fall River, Massachusetts. Designed, knit, cut, and merrowed under one roof, by a team that averages 35 years in knitwear, on Merrow Machines we build ourselves — the stitch is named after us. Made in New England, for New England — and mended for life.
WHO IS BUILDING YOUR SWEATER
Merrow is founded
Joseph Makens Merrow and his son open one of America's first knitting mills, in Mansfield, Connecticut. The machine shop they build to serve it will change how the world sews.
The first Merrow machine
Joseph M. Merrow patents the world's first crochet machine — and this is it. Not an archive photo: the original machine, still in the family today. The overlock stitch it pioneered still carries our name — the industry calls it merrowing.
Fall River Knitting Mills
Founded in New York by Frank and Flora Reitzas — he knit through the night, she sold the fabric by day. Three generations of the family brought the mill to Fall River and kept every step under one roof, from knitting to cutting, sewing, and finishing. In 2022, FRKM joined the Merrow family.
Whalerknits
Our knitwear label. Knit, cut, and merrowed under one roof in Fall River, Massachusetts.
Made in New England, for New England
Whalerknits — est. 1975. Every sweater is knit, cut, and merrowed in one building in Fall River, on New England-made Merrow Machines, by people who have spent their lives making things. We mend what we make, on the machines we build — for life.
Whalerknits — est. 1975
Why we make them here
Built for New England
Knit for coastal weather — Cape Cod to Nantucket, foggy mornings to boat evenings.
Merrowed on machines we build
The original overlock, made in New England since 1838. The stitch is named after us.
Mended for life
We mend what we make, at the mill that made it.
Lifetime Mending on every sweater
We mend what we make — on the machines we build. If a Whalerknits sweater ever needs repair, send it home to Fall River.
The Factory
Whalerknits — est. 1975. Knit, cut, and merrowed under one roof in Fall River, Massachusetts, by a family of companies that has built America's sewing machines since 1838 and knit in New England since 1911.