“Wool Sweater” Doesn’t Have To Mean “Scratchy”

For people who don’t wear or have much experience with wool, just the term “wool sweater” starts them scratching their arms and neck. There’s something cozy about the sound of it, but it seems you can’t get away with just the coziness of it. You are also stuck with the itchiness.

All wool is not scratchy, though! There are many different types of wool and they are classified into different groups according to how soft they are. This is determined by a number of factors, including how many crimps there are in each hair, color, fiber diameter and strength, among others.

Different qualities of wool are used in different items of clothing. The coarser wool is suitable only to be used in outerwear such as coats and jackets. When this wool comes into contact with the skin it really is very itchy, but its heat containing properties as well as the way it handles water make it great for being on top of your clothing.

[

Some wool sweaters are thick and rustic looking and almost make you feel like you are in a cabin in the mountains in the winter just when you look at them. These may in fact be a little itchy, but usually a t-shirt is worn underneath, so the scratchiness is not much of an issue.

There are, however, many types of wool sweaters which are much softer and not at all scratchy on the skin. A merino wool cardigan, for example is very soft and doesn’t have that rustic feel of coarser types of wool Merino wool is the softest sheep’s wool there is and it is fantastic at keeping in warmth, wicking water away from the skin while still keeping you warm and has many other great qualities. Apart from comfortable wool sweaters and other clothing, merino wool is commonly used in long underwear and athletic apparel.

The softest and most expensive type of wool sweater you can get is so dramatically different from that scratchy wool sweater that comes first to mind that you would probably question whether it was wool at all. Cashmere wool comes from cashmere goats and is the softest of all types of wool, even softer than merino sheep’s wool.

If you every wanted to change your mind about wool sweaters definitely take a look at cashmere sweaters. They are so soft and hang so luxuriously that you won’t want to take one off, once you put it on.

Different types of wool sweaters are good for different occasions. You wouldn’t wear a cashmere sweater on a ski trip, but a different type of wool sweater might be perfect! Really, with the variety of colors, styles and textures of wool, there is something for every taste and every occasion!

 


Technorati Tags: , ,