Choosing Knitwear That Lasts

FASHION · GLOBAL

Choosing Knitwear That Lasts

Fibres compared, gauge and construction, pilling and washing

Knitwear varies enormously in quality at similar prices, and the label tells you most of it before you try it on.

Fibres

Merino wool is soft, warm for its weight, breathable and resists odour. Lambswool is warmer and slightly coarser. Cashmere is the softest and the least durable, and quality depends entirely on fibre length rather than the word itself.

Cotton is cool and stretches out of shape. Acrylic is cheap, holds shape and pills quickly. Blends are a compromise rather than a failure — check the proportions.

Gauge and construction

Gauge describes how fine the knit is. A dense, fine knit holds shape and wears better than a loose chunky one at the same weight, and you can see through a poor knit when held to the light.

Fully fashioned garments are knitted to shape and linked at the seams rather than cut from a panel, which is why the shoulders sit properly and the edges do not unravel. Look at the seams for the tell-tale fashioning marks.

Pilling

Short fibres working loose where fabric rubs. All knitwear pills to some degree and longer staple fibres pill less. A fabric comb or shaver removes them in minutes and makes a jumper look new.

Repairs

A dropped stitch, a small moth hole or a worn elbow are all repairable, and visible mending has become a style in its own right. A darning mushroom and matching yarn cost very little.

Keep the spare yarn supplied with a good jumper.

Buying

Check the seams, hold it to the light, and pull gently across the knit to see whether it recovers. Those three checks separate a jumper that lasts a decade from one that lasts a season.

Layering knitwear

A fine merino layer under a heavier jumper is warmer and less bulky than one thick garment, and it lets you adjust indoors. Wool against the skin works for most people in a fine gauge.

Check sleeve length over a shirt cuff rather than bare.

Storing for the season

Clean everything before storing, since moth larvae feed on skin oils and food residue rather than clean fibre. Fold into breathable boxes or bags with cedar or lavender rather than mothballs.

Check stored knitwear mid-season for signs of damage.

Washing

Wool cycle or hand wash cool with a wool detergent, never biological, which attacks the protein fibre. Do not wring, dry flat, and wash rarely — airing does most of it.

Store folded rather than hung, and clean before storing for the season, since moths follow skin oils.

WHERE TO BUY

Ready to shop Zeagoo? Use the link below to visit the official store.

→ Shop Zeagoo — official site

Visit this site