I need a good jumper

[Duskwriter]

Hi all

i’m in the market for a good quality snuggly jumper. Ideally something natural fabric but practical too- not too shrinkable, and not something that will be moth eaten in a week. I’m thinking oversized , maybe a large roll neck (although usually I like boat neck). Autumn colours suit.

Amy thought on where I might look and what fabrics to go for?

I'm currently.loving Uniqlo cashmere worn over their thick thermal long sleeved tshirt. That way you hardly ever have to wash the jumper as wool/cashmere are best washed as little as possible.

Ah, user error ... grrr 😡

I love some of the other colours & envy you for being able to wear them - but I'm a fair strawberry blonde (soft autumn-type colouring) so most of them wouldn't suit me - but that shade of green looks perfect (I hope!) 🤞

OP - I got this for Christmas with a discount - it's now down to £60 in the sale & is sold out. But if it comes back in again I'd recommend it both colour & quality-wise.

https://www.marksandspencer.com/ribbed-funnel-neck-jumper-with-cashmere/p/clp60750455?intid=mobile_app_pdp_share

I look for woolly jumpers in the men’s section of charity shops. Small comes up big on me. Got some real bargains.

Not in the sale unfortunately, OP - but the cowl neck is in between a roll neck & your usual boat neck, & the burnt orange is a good colour for "true autumn" colouring?

https://www.celticandco.com/product/supersoft-slouchy-cowl-neck-jumper

This is pretty snuggly-looking ... alpaca bouclé?

https://www.celticandco.com/product/boucle-funnel-neck-jumper

Oh this is gorgeous ... can't really afford it even at half-price - but it is very lovely ...

https://www.falconeri.com/uk/product/cashmere_tricot_funnel-neck_jumper-DML481R.html

Lovely gingery marmalade colour in alpaca?

https://www.wraplondon.co.uk/fashion-TC06/alpacablend-highneck-sweater.htm

Or mustard alpaca & mohair with a slightly high (though not roll) neck.

https://gb.pennyblack.com/p-1366415302004-borgia-mustard

Lovely colour!
i did have a scarf in alcapa a few years ago and i remember it being very warm but a bit scratchy?

My favourite knitwear is from A Day’s March and Toast. Not cheap but you can pick up some good items at a more reasonable price in the sale and they are quality.

I own a jumper from Studio Nicholson that’s almost a twin of the green Falconeri above. Made in England, very, very luxurious and heavy lambswool rather than cashmere, splits at the sides, in a mottled forest green. Bought pre-Covid and rarely taken off at this time of year. Probably washed at most once a year; it still looks as good as new.

I find it quite a soft finish. But like most types of wool, I think it can vary quite a bit depending on ply/thickness/quality etc? There's a lot of alpaca around right now ... apparently more environmentally friendly, but also doesn't contain lanolin so that's meant to be better for people with sensitivities. You'll only know if you order it & have a stroke of it ...!!!

Justine Tabak has a sale on currently of some of her Made in Scotland lovely lambswool jumpers, Scroll down to the bottom of the web page :
justinetabak.co.uk/collections/knits

Oh and the JT jumpers are made from Todd and Duncan yarn, extremely soft and non itchy. I live in mine currently, maybe wash in the machine on a wool cycle with Woolite once a year, if that.

this thread has been super helpful! I’ve found a funnel neck, mohair on in Arket, that I’m going to try.

Or cos?
https://www.cos.com/en-gb/women/womenswear/knitwear/jumpers/cashmere/product/chunky-cashmere-funnel-neck-jumper-dark-red-1323214002

Look for Geelong lambswool, which is super-soft, warm and hardwearing and moths don't like it as much as cashmere. & daughter, navygrey and celtic use geelong lambswool in their pieces

Looking closely at fabric composition here 57% Acrylic, 32% Polyester - Recycled Fiber, 8% Wool, 3% Elastane

OP specified she prefers natural fibers

Alpaca itself is super soft, however it's frequently combined with synthetic fibers to 'reinforce' which is what might feel scratchy to you. Look for pure alpaca, or as close to 100% as possible

When it comes to knitwear, fibre length really matters. Jumpers made from longer fibres are smoother and stronger, so they don’t shed little loose ends that turn into bobbles after a few wears. They hold their shape, look better for longer, and generally age much more gracefully. Cheaper high-street knits (I am looking at you Uniqlo, M&S, Pure and even Cos) are often made with shorter fibres, which are quicker to pill and start looking worn and fuzzy far too soon. They might cost less upfront, but you end up replacing them more often. To me, it's worth investing into knitwear around £200 mark - the difference in quality is remarkable and you can pick up brands mentioned on this thread like &daughter much cheaper on Vinted. I'd add Margaret Howell, Aethel and L'Envers to the list as well if you are looking for good quality knitwear that will last you a lifetime

My favourite jumper. Someone was telling me how hers “feels like a hug”, I bought it, and she was absolutely right! Still going strong 3.5 years later 👌

www.whistles.com/product/cashmere-seam-roll-neck-knit-40454.html#cgid=Roll_Necks_WW&is=false&sz=60&start=0&isSecondPage=false&pid=cashmere-seam-roll-neck-knit-40454&pos=9

Whistles do a discount when you sign up to their emails. Multiple colours.

A tip a stylist gave me re knitwear-check the label, go for high % or entirely natural fabrics, anything with polyester will bobble quickly.

A tip a stylist gave you

Are you actually telling me that grown adults don’t automatically go to the fabric label first - unless they’re told to do so by a clothing professional?

No wonder S&B is so full of posters wondering why their clothes don’t perform as they hoped …

I did laugh at that. Do people really need a stylist to tell them to look at the label to see the fabric used.

I think, @NorWouldTilly & @nomas , that wasn't quite the meaning of @LostPEKitAgain 's post, & you're possibly being a little unfair?

She mentions the tip specifically in relation to knitwear & the percentage of natural fibres. Some man-made imitations are actually pretty good, so that sometimes one might assume that a jumper is wool when it's not. Or it might seem that there's a high percentage of wool when it's only a token 5-10%. If you don't make sure to read the label, you might end up buying something you think is higher in wool/cashmere/mohair etc than it really is. And then not realising until it starts to pill quickly & looks shabby after a year ...