As the temperatures continue to drop, finding our warm wardrobe staples is crucial. While affordable fast-fashion knits can be alluring in order to revamp your autumn style, synthetic blends can cause sweating, itchiness and static, making them an unwise investment for the cooler months. Here are the best wool knits to buy this season, the blends to reach for and how to care for them.
Why pick wool? Wool has acquired an unfortunate label of being itchy, hard to care for and expensive. However, when designed and made thoughtfully, a wool knit can be the most comfortable jumper in your wardrobe, and one that lasts for years. “ British wool offers numerous benefits that synthetic blends simply can’t replicate,” says British Wool’s garment specialist, Haldi Kranich-Wood.
“Wool’s breathability, moisture-wicking properties and temperature-regulating abilities make it comfortable year-round, whether it’s keeping you warm in winter or cool in summer. It’s also naturally odour-resistant and fire-retardant without the need for harmful chemical treatments.” Synthetic wool-blends often use Lycra or polyester, giving the wool stretch, but in turn acts as an insulator that traps the heat and stops air passing through the plastic bonds.
If you’re layered up and in a hurry wearing a synthetic blend – when you stop you’ll be a sweaty mess. Alongside its form and function, wool boasts its eco-credentials as a renewable and biodegradable fabric, whilst being famed for it.