Would you expect a new £80 Seasalt jumper to bobble so soon?

[Whatevernext33]

Bought a beautiful seasonal knit, it has had say 8 wears with a gentle hand wash as per directions as I had split something down it. It is already bobbled. I am so disappointed and going to have to take it back. I rarely find things I like, I am so sad. Aside from that, you should expect more from £80 of jumper shouldn't you?

Friction causes bobbling. I would just use a wool comb to remove.

Yep. Wool bobbles. Sadly normal.

I had a Seasalt jumper that I loved for about 3 weeks. It bobbled so badly it looked awful. I agree some bobbling is to be expected but this was excessive. I combed and combed, bought yet another battery debobbler but nothing really restored it. They put these annoying little 'bobbling is perfectly normal & to be expected & actually a sign of amazing quality ' notes in parcels these days to discourage people from complaining/returning. I should have returned mine but didn't, which is probably why I get cross thinking about it now! But I haven't bought any knitwear from Seasalt since.

No! Returned two jumpers because of this and the wool was just not up to the job of being used in a garment imo. Never happened to items that I bought when younger and don't expect it now and especially not for the price paid. I have a jumper from a supermarket that hasn't bobbled and it just looks shabby when they do.

Agree with pp that the bobbling is annoying. I was given a seasalt jumper it was itchy and bobbled

Hmmm so can anyone recommend a good wool comby thing! I love the jumper so would rather keep! I will be less keen on Seasalt in future based on these reviews too. Thanks all.

My Seasalt jumpers and cardis all bobble. Love them though.

What’s the actual composition/ fibre mix? Sometimes pure wool loses a bit of fluff at first and settles down. Mixed fibres can be quite variable as to how they wear.

I’d give it a go with one of these www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-GC026-00-Fabric-Shaver/dp/B00E3862DE?tag=mumsnetforu03-21 in the first instance, although if it’s got a high synthetic fibre content it might be a lost cause and better to return it.

Almost all wool bobbles although it settles down after a while. Any wool or cashmere comb for a few pounds online will do the job. I prefer them to the battery powered shavers as the combs won't accidentally damage your knits.

I've got the battery operated debobbler linked to above, it's great. I don't know about damage - my jumpers seem fine so far.

I just looked on their website to see the composition - it’s also been reduced down to 52

I’ve attached a screenprint of the composition - looking at that I wouldn’t expect it to have bobbled so badly!

No, wool should not bobble. This really annoys me. This is a recent thing. I have knitwear in my wardrobe that is ancient and no bobbles. I had a cardigan a few years ago from M&S - it bobbled after one wear. I took it back and they tried to tell me that was normal. It really isn't.

No, wool should not bobble. This really annoys me.

I disagree, it does bobble. This is an interesting read.
www.permanentstyle.com/2021/11/why-does-good-knitwear-pill.html

Think it’s cheap wool and shorter fibres? I had the same issue with sea salt. Overpriced and awful

I had the same thing with a M&S jumper. It basically was not fit for purpose (bobbled and developed large holes within months) and I asked them for a refund after 6 months- which I received. Send it back!

I found the manual combs useless. I have a couple of battery operated ones that work well. I'd expect better though for that money. I think bobbles happen more on mixtures of fibres because they wear in a different way. Buy NZ pure merino! (Not that I'm parochial!)

@mercurial123 that article is fascinating! Off to wash my Cos cashmere, which I've just been moaning about and have never washed...

My £85 Gudrun jumper bobble after a couple of wears. But I've got a battery operated shaver thingy which sorted it out in five minutes. Wool does bobble, it's not a sign of poor quality.

I've bought several cashmere cardigans recently from M&S and from Brora. All of them look like rags, with holes, and bobbling.

Life is too short to spend so much time, researching, buying, carefully washing, combing jumpers. Not to mention moths. Not to mention the astronomical cost of them.

I've over it. I'm looking for stylish synthetic jumpers.

It looks like it's got a high percentage of synthetic in the mix, synthetic fabrics often pill like that and you can't use a comb on them as you could with wool.

All my cashmere pills to some extent in areas of friction (under the arms mostly) but it's easily remedied with a cashmere brush or comb. Merino or lambswool pill much less but are not as soft.

Synthetic mixes are the worst though, they end up looking very tatty very quickly (plus they'renot as warm and a bit clammy). I'd return it OP.

Agree with this.
I’m a knitter. “ naice “ soft wool will bobble a lot. Short fibres.
All wool bobbles at areas of friction.

People that say old knitwear doesn’t bobble are partially correct BUT that is also likely to be very “ sheepy “ yarn which most people now wouldn’t wear - at least close to the skin.

I have Arans knitted by my great great aunt in thr 1960s that are fine but I need a full polo neck under to wear them and I’m pretty tough about yarn tolerance

Return it, their customer service is good.

I bought some expensive merino clothes recently - trying to buy better & rarely, rather than fast fashion. Somehow they are not bobbling or loosing their shape? I think there is a quality issue somewhere and maybe we do get what we pay for. (I buy on sale 😂)

OP's jumper is a synthetic mix. I think that's where the problem lies.