What’s going on with women’s knitwear at M & S?

[Albusmum]

What’s going with M & S women’s knitwear? Filtered my search on the website and there are no cotton jumpers or indeed wool. Cashmere and merino available but everything else is poly blends or supposedly wool rich with 6% wool! Menswear has a much greater range in natural fabrics. I loved the cotton cardigans they used to offer in a range of colours as I could buy smaller for a more fitted look but they have none at all. They also washed and tumble dried brilliantly without shrinking. (I know Mumsnet doesn’t usually approve of cardigans, but I love them).
Can anyone suggest affordable alternatives for jumpers and cardigans (up to around £50)?

I hear you. I’m sick to death of clothes saturated in microplastics. I just buy everything secondhand now - as much natural fibres as I can.

I think that's quite low budget for pure natural fibres, I'm afraid.

That said, you could definitely find things at hat budget point in the sales
White Stuff have quite a big sale on and pure cotton cardigans in that budget range.

I completely agree, they look ok from a distance but feel horrible.

A quick google search tells me that farmers receive less for wool than it costs to shear the sheep, so raw wool is often thrown away. Why companies like M&S are making horrible ‘plastic’ knitwear is beyond me, but I won’t buy it, I’d rather wear ancient wool jumpers.

A bit more than £50 but check out COS
www.cos.com/en-gb/women/womenswear/knitwear/cardigans/product/merino-wool-cardigan-beige-mlange-1331604002

£50 is not low budget for cotton. Cotton is cheap still.

GAP offers 100% cotton for less than £50 (£25 each in dozens of colours) -https://www.gap.co.uk/style/sv222427/w89473

I noticed that when I was in M&S the other day, horrible poly blends.

Have a look at White Stuff. Lois, Lulu and Nova are all cotton, there may be others too. They are under £50.

https://www.whitestuff.com/search?query=cardigan

John Lewis do lovely cardigans a bit more than 50 but they do wash up well I think I paid about 100 for a pale pink one slightly more fitted it's wool cashmere I think 🤔
They usually do them every season

I agree, fed up of polyester and acrylic crap.

Just give me proper wool and price accordingly. And, not the paper thin see through lambswool like last years offering.

Don't Uniqlo do nice merino wool cardigans?
There's one opening in Cambridge in a couple of weeks, and that's what I'm waiting for.

It can’t get enough of Hush long sleeve tees and slouch tops, sooo soft and comfy and reasonably priced too. Some are on sale at M&S online at the moment too.

I'd second Uniqlo. Woolovers do a classic wool cardigan.

Completely agree about mid range knitwear in M&S. Looks nice from a distance but feels cheap and can't see it lasting season after season.

I agree about M and S, try Woolovers , especially when they have a sale

Thanks for your replies, it’s appreciated and I’m glad it’s not only me seeing it. The Cotton cardigans used to be around £18/£20 as I bought 2 last year. They have a good range of wool and cotton jumpers for men including merino (though merino is a little thin for winter) and I would happily buy if they fit me - they are all too long as I’m 5ft 1.
Uniqlo is a good shout - I got a cotton cardigan in the sale for £20 ish.
I feel really let down by M & S as the styles are nice but fabric choices are very poor. For example the lovely blue satin mini that everyone is loving with the matching jacket is dry clean only! The satin trench looks like it would be ruined by a spot of rain.
Keep your recommendations coming please as I could also check out Vinted.

Uniqlo have good knitwear.

I would add same to Hobbs, Jigsaw etc workwear. You used to be able to get fine wool dresses/trousers etc. Now it’s all viscose…

The ghastly ‘air yarn’ makes my teeth itch, I have no idea who even imagined it was a good yarn.

I’ve moaned about this in M&S for several years now. It either seems to be cashmere or some sort of ‘air yarn’ or whatever name
they are giving to their acrylic crap this year. Very little in between.

I did manage to get a couple of crew neck merino jumpers last year but only in a larger store. The smaller store local to me seems to be a completely wool free zone (for women, they have a reasonable range for
men).

Yes I was taken in by it last year, ok’ish for sale items, but not like wool.

I either buy the M&S merino jumpers or M&S cashmere on eBay or Vinted as I struggle to pay £90 for a jumper. Having said that, I find the cashmere is great quality and washes well. I agree with you on natural fibres definitely.

I think it’s the same in the supermarkets too. All their knitwear is made of some heavy, weird stuff (that doesn’t even keep you warm)! And the trend of ‘barrel legs’ has now moved to arms. I bought a couple of cardigans recently and the arms were massive, bloated things!

Uniqlo have 100% seamless cotton sweaters for £35. I've just bought one, available in cream, black, pink, white, so limited colour choice.

Again Uniqlo for merino around £30.

It was the same with linen trousers this year (in general not M&S specifically). I had to buy a linen mix but they were warm and not cool! You see it with so many fabrics now, to keep costs down I assume but I'm hating it.

Arms on sainsburysbthungs have been getting longer over a couple of years, made for orang- utans; and their sizes have been getting bigger too. Habent looked.at the autumn stuff but there's usually some cotton and Ive seen alpaca in the past too.

Woolovers is great for this type of thing. Worth googling discount codes as there’s always some knocking around.

If you want to stick with m&s - forget women’s knitwear and go for mens. Might have to try a couple of sizes but in general its much better quality and washes really well. Generally as well much better shapes IMO.
no idea why this is the case and its a trend i feel were seeing more and more of but hey ho

Next and Fatface much the same, looks great at a distance but feels as if it has no substance and any wool or cotton is a token amount.