Realistically, how much should good knitwear cost?

[WeirdArchitecture]

See a lot of threads on the pros and cons of buying expensive knits. One had links to several stores (small designer??) where a merino crew neck was over £300.

I hate cheap knits and am lucky enough to spend a little on natural fibres, but how far is too far? Brora? Uniqlo?
Personally i don't rate Uniqlo at all, and wonder 'who or what' suffers for the production of a dirt cheap cashmere cardi.

Im not looking for recommendations at all, i am interested how much you would be prepared to go, whether you think it is worthwhile to invest in a few higher priced knits, or if, alternatively, you think it is all a racket.

We are used to the quality of clothes becoming much worse as the years go by, so i would love to know other's thoughts on this subject. Many people have little choice wrt clothes spending, so that is obviously appreciated and understood (before anyone decides to land me a punch )

I did wonder how to word that! I've had more than 2 husbands...

So we inferred …

Most cashmere from J Lewis, M&S and Uniqlo is £79.
Boden slightly more but always a discount.

I have expensive cashmere and it's so much better quality than M&S. Some of it is close to 20 years old.

@Mercurial123

*Most cashmere from J Lewis, M&S and Uniqlo is £79. Boden slightly more but always a discount.*

I have expensive cashmere and it's so much better quality than M&S. Some of it is close to 20 years old.

But surely that is very subjective? what do you mean by 'better quality'? can people see the difference?

Ive handled Brora in stores and not felt or seen much difference.

Also, even mid price cashmere lasts if you look after it well. and of course it depends on how much each garment is worn.

But surely that is very subjective? what do you mean by 'better quality'? can people see the difference?

In my opinion there's a big difference. The quality of lower grade cashmere such as M&S and Everlane cashmere compared to my Ryan Roche and Ballantyne sweaters is obvious. It's softer and much more luxurious.

This is a good explanation

www.jetandbo.com/blogs/all-about-cashmere/understanding-cashmere-and-how-to-identify-quality-cashmere

@Mercurial123

But surely that is very subjective? what do you mean by 'better quality'? can people see the difference?

In my opinion there's a big difference. The quality of lower grade cashmere such as M&S and Everlane cashmere compared to my Ryan Roche and Ballantyne sweaters is obvious. It's softer and much more luxurious.

Yes but don't forget that not everyone can afford jumpers costing £200 and more :)

Some women cant afford a jumper costing £80, and if they want to buy cashmere they will go for the lower end.

It's a bit like organic food. Paying a huge amount for something when there is a cheaper and acceptable alternative is the preserve of the wealthy.

[quote Mercurial123]This is a good explanation

www.jetandbo.com/blogs/all-about-cashmere/understanding-cashmere-and-how-to-identify-quality-cashmere[/quote]
That is interesting and confirms what I’ve noticed in hand knits - a tighter gauge, long threads and more plies lead to a harder wearing garment, and fewer bobbles.

@JinglingHellsBells of course not everyone can afford the higher end cashmere. That's true of everything that is sold. But the quality of higher end anything can be seen and felt. It is one of the big inequalities that a rich person can buy an item of clothing that lasts 20 years which works out at say £10 a year when someone on a low income might spend twice that on clothing over 20 years that lasts months. Same is true of household equipment, housing etc

Terry Pratchet quote:
"The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money.
Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles.
But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
This was the Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness."
"

I'm sure you've seen it

I do buy Marks cashmere and am still wearing a 2016 jumper this winter. This seasons seem thicker but bobble quicker. I wash mine in woolite. I also like Peter Hahn merino which the moths dont nibble as much. I only wear jumpers outside of wirk so wouldn't spend more than £150. I also buy from our local charity shop, £20 for cashmere.

@Darklane

It’s only the Brora cashmere that is made in the UK. Not true. There are several local factories in Scotland producing cashmere knitwear. I buy from the factory shops.

I think pp meant that none of Brora’s non-cashmere goods are produced in the U.K. Not that no other brands produce it in the U.K.

@Darklane

It’s only the Brora cashmere that is made in the UK. Not true. There are several local factories in Scotland producing cashmere knitwear. I buy from the factory shops.

That may have been me…. Didn’t explain clearly. I think that Brora just manufacture their cashmere knitwear in Scotland. From my personal experience other knitwear I’ve bought from them has been manufactured elsewhere. I’ve bought some cotton shirts which were made in India, and Liberty print tops which were made in UK. I do think they give the impression that everything is made in UK, but it’s not.

I have quite a few accessories from Johnson’s of Elgin which I love and are excellent quality. I couldn’t afford a sweater though! Would like to hear about other manufacturers.

The Brora knitwear looks stunning and I'd totally buy some, but their largest size is 16/18. Not even an 18. No XL.

Costco used to do fantastic cashmere cardis and they lasted for years and not expensive

I don't know if people have just gone off wool in recent years, or maybe find it too much of a bother to wash and care for properly (which to be fair, it can be), but I find loads of pure wool jumpers in charity shops, especially the mens section. Never paid more than a fiver yet, and some of them are clearly hand knitted. Might not be suitable for the office, but lovely and cosy for around the house and walking the dog.

As a knitter I would expect to spend around 100-150 quid for materials for a jumper. However, I wouldn't pay that for a jumper from a shop somehow. I suppose because if I buy the yarn I'm also getting the enjoyment of knitting it, so it has two purposes? A big thing in the knitting community recently has also been about local yarn, mulesing free yarn, non-superwash yarn, sustainable farming, etc, which I'm thinking about more and more in my yarn choices, but would be difficult to guarantee from a big brand. I've noticed that local yarn actually tends to be cheaper too, compared to buying big yarn brand merino.

Not sure if I've answered the question at all in the end!

I've taken to buying jumpers occasionally in the men's department of TKMaxx. Lots of proper 100% wool ones, some merino, some cashmere blend, unlike the mostly acrylic stuff in the women's department.

I recently bought a jumper from here www.glencroftcountrywear.co.uk/ I loved that it’s a family run business

I think the most I could justify on a jumper is £150.

Yes but don't forget that not everyone can afford jumpers costing £200 and more smile

True. My Ballantyne cashmere jumpers came from Portobello market, second hand for a good price. They are vintage and the quality is amazing.

Sadly it's not necessarily the case that the more expensive it is the more those in the supply chain are paid, save for small businesses where its more likely to be the case.

When I was younger I used to spend a tenner on a jumper, now I have just a few but I look after them, store them properly and even though all have cost between £100-£200 they're lasting well and hopefully will for years to come.

What a lovely thread. Can I hijack your collective knowledge please for advice on pilling and bobbing? Can you recommend any really good debobblers (?) or give any general advice? Thanks.

I use a comb

www.thelaundress.com/clean-talk-blog/product-spotlight-sweater-comb-vs-sweater-stone.html

@KimikosNightmare
That Palava knitwear is fabulous - and they do fabric!

Brora is worth it, if you can afford it, mine is almost 20 years old!

I'm happy to pay £150 - £200 for a good merino/lambswool/alpaca/cashmere blend jumper.

Ive bought from a range of shops over the years including:

PURE
Navy Grey
Paul James
Woolovers
Cove
Bianco&Blu
Bartollini
Nicole Farhi

I dont rate Uniqlo at all - too small/sleeves too short even in a 14 and very thin. M&S jumpers are good quality but all seem to come with a built-in gut pouch for some reason.

I dont tend to but artificial fibres as they make me very hot.

Brora is worth it, if you can afford it, mine is almost 20 years old!

But standards can change and stuff no longer be available to the manufacturers.
after highly recommending something on here only to find the newer version was poorer quality