Wool sweaters: fewer washes, more winters

Wool doesn't ask for much. Above all, it asks to be left alone. A wool sweater needs washing far less often than a T-shirt: the fibre breathes and holds on to very little odour. The rest comes down to a few habits.

Know what you have

Not all wool sweaters are alike. Check the composition on the product page:

• the Soufflé Stripe sweater by Origin Knitwear, in the photo, blends lambswool and merino, with textured stripes. It is made in the United Kingdom by an English knitwear label known for strong colours, quality yarns and textures;
• the lightweight merino crewneck by Knowledge Cotton Apparel is 100% RWS wool;
• the Michel turtleneck by parages is 100% wool, made in Portugal;
• the Colorful Standard Oversized sweater is recycled merino wool.

A fine merino knit and a thick, textured one don't age the same way. The basic rules, though, are shared.

Merino is a fine wool, so fine that Knowledge Cotton Apparel makes a T-shirt out of it: thermoregulating, breathable, odour-resistant, wearable summer and winter. Treat it like a sweater: cold wash, flat dry.

Between wears

• Air it flat or over the back of a chair. Skip the hanger: the weight of the knit stretches the shoulders.
• Give it a day off between wears.
• A stain? Dab it with cold water, don't rub.

Washing

When it really needs it: by hand, in cold water, with a wool detergent. Or in the machine on the wool cycle, if the care label allows it. Don't rub, don't wring. Press the water out, roll the sweater in a towel, then dry it flat, away from the radiator.

Never use a tumble dryer. Heat and friction felt wool, and a felted sweater doesn't come back.

Pilling

Those little balls appear wherever the knit rubs: under the arms, along the sides, at the cuffs. Remove them with a sweater comb or a fabric shaver, with the sweater laid flat, without pressing hard.

Storage

Fold your sweaters, don't hang them. Put them away clean: moths go first for wool that has been worn and not washed. At the end of the season, a cotton storage bag does the job.

As for sizing, a sweater is measured like a shirt: 1/2 chest, back length, sleeve length. It is all explained in our size guide.

Our knitwear selection is online, from fine merino to lambswool.