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Original poster

Acrylic sweaters

51 replies

dangerdestroy · 05/10/2018 15:31

I see acrylic 'knitwear' everywhere.
I see all this lovely looking 'knitwear' that I can't buy because I hate it and it doesn't heat me up..

Is there any heat value in acrylic (and other MMF) or do I need to change my attitude towards it?

OP posts:
BananaBonanza · 05/10/2018 18:23

£35 for Acrylic?!?! ConfusedFaintsConfused

Goes googles. Oh my! Yeah I wouldn't pay that for that...

However they have an 80% lambswool for £29.50 which is pretty good and they bulk standard acrylic mixes at £12-£17 which really are the work horse of jumpers

Original poster
dangerdestroy · 05/10/2018 20:38

I find acrylic draughty, let’s the wind blow through the stitches.Grin I bought one last year in M&S last year, looked lovely. A cable knit thing. Hideous to wear. I think I only wore it once and I was so cold in it. It went into the charity bag. And yes, I felt bad for wasting £30 and more plastic on something I wore once. Hopefully someone else got to wear it.

But I see acrylic everywhere again this year. In fact it’s dufficult to find wool (any type) sweaters. H&M have lovely looking oversized sweaters but all acrylic. Why I’m wondering about acrylic is that these sweaters sell out really quickly. How? What am I missing?

OP posts:
hammeringinmyhead · 05/10/2018 20:48

People don't look at the label to see what they're made of. Most of my friends just see "a jumper".

Original poster
dangerdestroy · 05/10/2018 22:48

Ugh I see the typo let’s. I mean lets the wind blow through.

I suppose you’re right hammering. It seems I’m not the only one. I’ll keep looking for warm materials - wool of some description.

OP posts:
SundayGirls · 06/10/2018 00:06

I'll usually suffer any fabric/composition as long as I like the design/colour. I'm really not fussy and put fashion before comfort a fair amount.

But I absolutely have had to draw the line at acrylic jumpers to the point that if I see a jumper I like, online or instore, the first thing I do is check the composition. If acrylic, I don't buy it no matter how pretty/good it is.

It is just sweaty, like wearing a plastic bag. It makes you artificially hot and damp feeling if you do any kind of movement at all and it feels uncomfortably stuffy all day.

I'll happily wear polyester chiffon tea dresses and nylon/viscose mixes, but acrylic is just one fibre I don't get along with at all. Shame.

YouWereRight · 06/10/2018 09:41

I'm allergic to wool too. I generally knit or crochet my jumpers. I try to use cotton, or bamboo. It means that I can't, generally use the recommended yarn, and super chunky cotton is hard to come by, so those jumpers I have to use acrylic.

dudsville · 06/10/2018 09:46

I always had acrylic jumpers when I was young. My problem with them was if I got hot and sweated then the jumper held the smell wash after wash. Now that I'm am adult I don't have such serious wardrobe failures but I still avoid acrylic jumpers for that reason! I wear merino. Lightweight, warm easy to wash, easy to dye for that matter, last for years.

0ccamsRazor · 06/10/2018 09:54

I do not wear plastic items of clothing due to environmental reasons. Environmental concerns is an issue that the clothing companies and manufacturers should be heeding.

QuitelovesStrictly · 06/10/2018 10:31

Acrylic is vile -cold and I get electric shocks .
So many beautiful natural fibres and yeah acrylic Hmm

Original poster
dangerdestroy · 06/10/2018 11:59

But acrylic is so ubiquitous! Clearly most people buy it. Buying natural fibres takes such an effort!

OP posts:
QuitelovesStrictly · 06/10/2018 12:01
Confused Really looking online for wool/alpaca/cashmere takes effort . Takes about 3 seconds
LittleWingSoul · 06/10/2018 12:43

I like cotton knits as they are easier to wash than wool, I'm always petrified of shrinking wool (and often do!)

French connection did a cotton cable knit jumper with a slight boat neck opening a few years ago, you can still find them on ebay and I bought up a few in pale colours to dye (I like jewel shades). And of course because they are 100% cotton they dye beautifully. I have about 7 now Blush

I hate the fact I can't really buy jumpers on the high street though, because there are always some lovely shapes and colours in the shops at this time of year but like all PP I balk at paying £££ for synthetics.

Harleypuppy · 06/10/2018 13:19

I buy it because I'm allergic to wool.

Original poster
dangerdestroy · 06/10/2018 13:37

Quiteloves I disagree. I prefer shopping irl, and it takes a lot more than 3 seconds. It’s not that easy to find a natural fiber sweater in a colour and style that suits. Whereas there’s an endless supply of acrylic.

OP posts:
QuitelovesStrictly · 06/10/2018 13:53
Confused Which is why I suggested looking online -plenty of specialist suppliers. The shops are full of overpriced acrylic .
Mishappening · 06/10/2018 14:02

I am all for acrylic - all materials pill and bobble and look crap after a while. I would rather pay a cheap price for acrylic and replace it next year than pay a lot for cashmere etc. which also pills and is hard to wash.

I have just bought two great jumpers in M&N sale for £12.99 each. When they start to decline I will push the boat out and get another.

Mishappening · 06/10/2018 14:02

M&M

Mercurial123 · 06/10/2018 15:40

Fast fashion is depressing quantity over quality. Unfortunately many consumers just don't care.

QuitelovesStrictly · 06/10/2018 15:43

Totally agree Mercurial
I have beautiful knitwear that has lasted years because its been looked after and laundered correctly .
Buy one chuck one away 😕

Mercurial123 · 06/10/2018 16:07

Quite I have Ballantyne cashmere from the 60's which I bought for 25 quid from Portabello Market fifteen years ago, it still looks good. Nice things are worth taking care of. I read eight wears is the average number of times fast fashion is worn before its got rid of. Give me one good quality item over ten badly made items. I hate this attitude towards clothes.

QuitelovesStrictly · 06/10/2018 16:24

Absolutely Mercurial
I also love a charidy shop rummage and got some lovely stuff.
It always goes in the freezer #moths .
I handwash gently in baby shampoo,store in mothproof bags .
Dogs Trust is the best Grin

3stonedown · 06/10/2018 17:27

Acrylic makes me warm! In the sweaty mess sort of way. But as PP said most people I know don't care or know what their clothes are made from. If I go shopping with friends they look at me like I have 3 heads for checking the labels. I mainly shop online but I don't even look at jumpers under £25 now as I know they will be acrylic.

Harleypuppy · 06/10/2018 17:27

I find the opposite. I think that a jumper is nice to find it's a wool blend. Itchy.

QuitelovesStrictly · 06/10/2018 17:39

3 thats because acrylic doesnt "breathe" in the same way wool does.

Alpaca isnt itchy (unless you are allergic) and is super light and warm

PinguDance · 06/10/2018 18:15

OP if you learn to knit you will able to enter the wonderful world of yarn options where yuy don’t even need to consider acrylic. Also you can make stuff in whatever colour and style you like - it is an expensive hobby and obv you have to practice and have time to make jumpers but if you want to free yourself from high street acrylic for ever that’s the way to do it.