Peter Harley Buchan, a fisherman, founded what became Harley of Scotland in 1929 as Glenugie Knitwear, making socks for local fishermen after trips to Orkney, Shetland and Fair Isle left him fascinated by the traditional hand-knit patterns there. The company still operates from its original site in Aberdeenshire, and didn't take the Harley of Scotland name until 1973, the same period it began shipping sweaters internationally. Since 2001 it's specialized in seamless knitting, garments knitted in one tubular piece rather than sewn together from panels, which avoids side seams entirely.