Jumpers that won’t bobble within 3 mins of wearing them?

[ShadesOfPemberley]

That also don’t cost an absolute bloody fortune…

Does this holy grail exist and if so, any idea where to find it?!

eg Bought a Soufflé knit from Uniqlo last year which I did love the first couple of time I wore it but it bobbled v quickly (before even a first wash, and then was a total bobble-fest once I had in fact washed it…)

Perfectly happy to spend more (70/80 quid max) but I just want a nice plain jumper that won’t bobble so much!

I wash my jumpers as little as possible but let’s face it they can’t NEVER be washed. When I do wash them I use wool cycle, no spin or lowest spin possible, delicates/wool liquid.

I prefer blends with some synthetic fibres in them to pure wool or cashmere as I worry about pure wool in the machine (and I just won’t hand-wash, it’s not worth pretending I will) but is it the blends that bobble worst?

Finer jumpers like eg Uniqlo merino are nice and don’t bobble (and do survive my gentle machine washing) but I’m really in need of something chunkier.

Basically what I think I really want is a stunning £300 pure wool jobbie from NavyGrey and a personal laundress to wash it by hand for me but neither of those things are going to happen soon…

My Braque jumper from Seasalt (80% wool, 20% nylon) and my merino cashmere blend from Woolovers have both pilled like crazy. I suspect as pp suggested, it has to do with having big boobs - more area affected by friction.

Anyone who's bought the woollen jumpers from Community Clothing - what are they like next to the skin?

I am perhaps not the best person as I am rarely irritated by any wool but I would say the CC lambswool jumpers are extremely soft to wear, they could be cashmere. It's a very fine lambswool (but a lot of it, so a substantial jumper) that's washed in Scottish water or something to give a soft slightly dense finish. A bit like a shrunk jumper but not shrunk.

I only wash my wool stuff about once a year. I do always wear a long sleeve t shirt or blouse though.
I do like to put wool blankets and jumpers etc out on the washing line when there is a very fine drizzle. Usually in the summer. Then air dry inside. It seems to freshen up and slightly tighten the fibres.

I now only buy cashmere when reduced , I won't buy any jumpers cardigans with acyclic/ synthetic in, most of my cashmere comes from marks and a couple from John lewis, they do bobble after a while then I use my de bobble thing, marino wool do seem to bobble less, but my best buy was a cashmere jumper from h& m it must be 7 years old, and only now looking a bit tired.

My absolute favourite knitwear is from Sezane - incredible price for the quality; I have owned several jumpers/cardigans from them over the years and they wear really well - even mohair type jumpers that I would otherwise be wary of buying.

Just found this after I started a separate one. Thanks everyone.

Phillips debobler, will solve all your problems 😃

Which one did you buy as some aren’t very good.

Phillips one.

The guidance from navy grey is wear once, then air for a few days before wearing again. Spot wash and wash as rarely as you can. I've had one of their jumpers a few months and not washed yet despite a mucky life and young kids (I have spot washed!). Also bought a spray to freshen up that's meant to reduce moths but it's about £15 a pop.

I bought a Phillips battery debobbler based on a recommendation here. Makes a massive difference. I have a couple of expensive jumpers that bobble incessantly (including Celtic and co) but can freshen them up really easily.

Vintage wool is probably your best bet as you can see how it washes. Does take a lot of luck to fine The One. Vintage Ralph Lauren cashmere is my personal holy grail, including men's range.

I have a blue and grey version of this and have been wearing them for a few years. Really warm, machine washable (although I tend not to wash wool often, I air them after each wear. Hence having two). I can’t remember the last time I had to de-bobble.
https://www.sportpursuit.com/catalog/product/view/id/2343711

I bought an M&S men’s lambswool jumper on Wednesday morning, and wore it constantly for 3 days. I was away for work and I hadn’t appreciated how chilly it would be!

here today i am wearing it with jeans.

It has not bobbled at all.

It says it’s machine washable, but I’m not convinced I’ll do that.
OK, it’s not the height of fashion, but there are a few classic colours to choose from, and V neck or crew neck. Well priced at £40 too.

I would suggest 2nd hand cashmere off Vinted/ elsewhere. If it's 2nd hand and hasn't bobbled, you know it probably won't. I used to buy not-so-cheap Reiss jumpers and oh my, the bobbling... Disaster.

Look for 2nd hand Mand Khai, Joseph and others that retail for a decent price. There's also something in wearing a 500 quid jumper that you got for 50... The more niche cashmere specialist brands seem to offer a better product.

Brands unfortunately aren't created equal and cheaper things are designed to be replaced. I have some natural fibres Versace, Loro Piana, Chanel, that I wear super frequently as they're so practical, comfy and warm. Do they bobble? Even after years, no chance. It just needs to be a 'proper' premium item, ideally vintage, not a polyester mix one with the label slapped on, as is all too frequent.

Mum wears lots of M&S and hers don't bobble too bad after 10+ years, but she chooses based on materials - she lives in jumpers and can tell a high quality one by feel as well as materials mix - and washes them very infrequently in a wash bag.

I'd also look at the ones from non-mainstream cashmere and wool specialist brands, such as some Scottish ones. Again, it's their specialty and they don't rely on cheap, high turnover product, like the high street ones.

I’ve got some lambs wood jumpers from Celtic & Co.
I’ve worn them loads, only handwashing them and they’re virtually bobble free.
Will definitely buy some more.

Bought two jumpers from ASOS earlier this year. Brand new jumper looked like I’d been fighting with a bush, within half an hour of wearing it.
£30 ASOS, £140 Celtic &Co. Massive difference in price and quality.

Wow only just had time to return to thread! This is amazing, huge thanks! I will read all your replies v carefully. At a quick glance looks like good quality second hand cashmere is the way to go.

To the poster who mentioned vests… I will go back and have a proper read to see who it was!! But are you wearing cotton vests or something like a Uniqlo heat tech (ie synthetic)? I REALLY need to crack the under-layer as cotton t shirts under a woolly jumper make me sweat too! But if there is a vest that works, I need to know about it…

Massive thanks for all the info… sitting down to read through properly now. 🙏

It was me, I wear vests, any really, just multi packs and nothing special (probably cotton) I just need my arm pits to breathe in order not to get a sweat fest on. Everytime I wear a t shirt under jumpers I instantly regret it.

I also only wash my hand knit woollen jumpers once a year (Spring!) with spot clean as needed. I do have quite a few in rotation.

If they start to smell a bit like you (because I'm sure you don't smell bad, it's just we are bombarded with artificial perfumes that we expect clothes to smell like those!), anyway, airing them inside out for a day, either outside in sun if weather is fine or indoors near a window, will make the difference.

I wear wool for 6 months of the year because I get cold and need my warm underlayers also.

If you find you are overheating, even in a cotton t-shirt, maybe try pure cotton for a chunky look jumper? They are totally washable and can look great in e.g. cable. I wear them in the other 6 months when I'm less cold!

I've had several jumpers from fat face that haven't bobbled, usually a cotton mix. This has the added bonus of meaning they aren't itchy. I also find a textured jumper is less likely to show the bobbles.

I don’t understand how this is possible. What if you will something on it or get food down it etc? Spot cleaning wouldn’t be enough.

It is a fair question, and I am quite messy generally. I wear a full pinny apron while cooking and sometimes while eating 😄 if I'm going in the garden I wear a smock over. But if the risk or mess is truly huge I will just wear a washable fleece!

More seriously, I find it easier to spot clean wool, it is like it doesn't sink in a deep as synthetics.

Avid knitter and knitwear collector

I always wash before storing
Stored unwashed knitwear is a moth dream come true!
They will sniff it out
I wash carefully reshape,dry flat, gentle press and store in knitwear bags.
Never store unwashed

The wash once a year advice is a bit overegged in my opinion.
Decent, quality knitwear, machine knitted at the correct gauge will survive washing, obviously not the way you wash normal clothes but either machine or handwashed correctly.
It reduces the loose fibres so less bobbling and reshapes nicely.
IMHO it's a bit of a cop out so that when their shit knitwear washes terribly they can blame the customer.

I have tons of JL cashmere, Harley, House of Bruar, Brora...
Years old and like new

Me too, women's jumpers are so bad at bobbling, none of my men's jumpers have, even the cheap ones.

I have the core jumpers from here and they're brilliant
www.neridaofficial.co.uk

I bought a lambswool jumper yesterday from next. I put it on at about 4pm and by 9pm it had bobbling on the inside of the cuffs and where my boobs are.

I buy all my jumpers and cardigans from Ireland now, they are good quality , warm and excellent value for money.If you Google 'aran sweater Ireland you will get a plethora of good traditional manufacturers that ship worldwide for example Aran Sweater Market
Blarney Woolen Mills
Skellig Gift Store
Aran Woolen Mills
and one of my favourites is Beibhinn.ie a local knitter in Co.Waterford.