Why the heck does every jumper itch me?!

[Honey1975]

I treated myself to a lovely jumper in the Mint Velvet sale but after wearing it for 15 minutes it was unbearable and my neck got so hot & itchy. I'm assuming it's to do with the wool content alrhough I have got a couple of old jumpers that have some wool in which are ok.

Then went to Primark and bought a lovely jumper with no wool in and again skin all hot & itchy, had to get it off quick. Both times I've been wearing a long sleeve tee underneath.

So now i'm thinking what kind of jumper can I actually wear?!
Fed up of buying things only to have to take them back!

Anyone else have this problem?

I realise people can be allergic to wool & maybe I am, but then I wondered why all the non wool primark stuff gave me the same reaction.
Since starting this thread I've changed tops 3 times at home and been on a walk with an uncomfortably itchy scarf made of acrylic.
I'm taking all this itchy stuff back and am not going to even bother trying it in future. Looks like cotton is the way forward for me.

I wasn’t being facetious.
We can have sensory issues that either recede or get worse as we get older
The fact that it’s clearly not the actual material but something to do with texture that bothers you means it could be a sensory issue

I actually sat in the living room in a wool coat the other day, so that I could drink my tea in peace, as DS won't come near me. It's like my own electric fence! He won't walk or sit on a certain rug, either. I've threatened to put it in his room if he doesn't stop getting up out of his bed!

The degree of itchiness is to do with the coarseness of the fibres, hence the softer varieties with a smoother shaft being better for sensitive souls.
I've also heard that soaking in vinegar can reduce irritation, although I haven't tried it, myself.

None of this explains the non-wool itchiness, mind. I can wear wool just fine, but can't bear anything around my neck and gloves make my hands sort of tingle, like a fluey ache, so that is definitely sensory.

I hate wool and most cashmere, can’t wear it next to my skin at all. My mum and sister are the same, even 5% wool in a jumper and I’m scratching like I have fleas. It’s so annoying! Cotton and viscose are the best, it’s a shame because I love lovely thick woolly knits

MockneyReject
I hadn’t thought of wearing wool as a DD repellent - great idea

Sensory stuff is so weird. If I tear cotton wool it makes me want to heave and when I was little my mum made me wear a furry hat that was unbearable because the fur covered my ears. I could never make her understand that the mouse and sensation as the fur rubbed across my ears was so horrible to me

I can only wear Merino, too. Everything else, drives me mad.

Knitted linen or cotton is great. I hate itchy wool near my neck. Sometimes I do better with synthetics!

Another sensory issue person here - have it v badly with stuff touching my legs.

Dd1 got me a wool and lurex striped jumper for Christmas god love her. I dutifully popped it in and itched all day if it ever touched a bit of skin not covered by my tshirt. I am getting worse with age too.

I also look for cotton. Gap is good and I find the woolovers cotton and cashmere ok.

I wear cotton jumpers for this reason.
Lands End have some beautiful American cotton winter weight ones.
Nothing around my neck either.
Bamboo and cotton mix is also beautifully soft and doesn't irritate
Wear a very soft scarf loosely tied and with a cotton camisole underneath and you should be warm.

Is it a thread they sew the seams with. Some bras used to irritate me then it moved onto other garments. It took ages to work out it was by the seams where it started and then spread the longer I wore it. I've grown out of it luckily.

I can't wear wool or any kind of acrylic or nylon jumpers. Cotton, viscose, silk or linen are fine, but can be annoyingly hard to find without spending loads. A lot of oasis jumpers are viscose, and I've found cotton knitwear in primark, H&M and Dorothy Perkins, so it is possible, but it's annoying when I see a print I really like and it's 100% polyester.

Thanks all. It looks like I need to read the labels carefully before buying in future. Sounds like I need to avoid acrylic as well as wool.
Is Viscose more like cotton?

I can’t wear anything except silk or cotton. Acrylic is super irritating. It’s essentially made of thin plastic rods, so that’s out. Viscose makes me itch too, it’s full of chemicals that lm also allergic to.

Alpaca is ok, but l shrank my fave one to doll jumper size 😟

I'm like this with everything except 100% cashmere.
If even that itches you, try Uniqlo's silk and cotton sweaters this season.

Caprini I cut all labels out of my clothes. Even the really good quality clothes. In fact, loads of my clothes have tiny holes in the neck as even the smallest thread left from a cut out label drives me nuts.

Sympathy.

I'm like you, OP. I can't wear anything with any amount of wool in it. Cashmere is sometimes OK if mixed with silk.

I wear cheapo Zara sweaters.