wool

He had managed to pull the wool over the eyes of medics, two insurance companies, and those who knew him - who expressed shock in character references read to the court.

He often mixed silk and wool or silk and linen for a softer alternative to the heavy, stiff gabardines and worsted wools that were typical for men’s suits and jackets.

Prices of its goods – mostly wool and crafting materials sourced globally - are likely to rise by up to 15%, said Mr Smith.

"I knew it was going to be an absolute chaotic mess," said Helen Hickman, who has stopped shipping wool to the US due to uncertainty about the costs.

"You're taking bits of wood and metal, sheep's wool, felt and if you put them together in exactly the right sort of way, it's like alchemy, you get a beautiful, singing instrument," he says.