Are Wool Pullovers from BR Good Quality?

Tisa

Hello, everyone.
I've been looking at Merino wool pullovers for men at Banana Republic website.
My boyfriend likes how some of them look, but I noticed a 'dry clean' care instruction. We currently own wool pullovers that can be hand washed, so this dry-clean-only instruction is new to me.

Do you have any experience with BR wool clothing? I would be happy to hear what you think about the quality and how you clean and care for your items.

Do you have any merino wool pullovers from other brands that you dry clean and never wash by hand?

9 years ago

Shopping

12 replies

Latest reply was from Tisa

Meredith

Veteran

I'd say the quality depends on the year. I have a BR merino/silk/cashmere sweater that's over 10 years old and I have other sweaters that only lasted a few years. I'd say they are moderate quality. Expect 2 years of wear but they could last much longer. I hand wash my sweaters from BR (literally by hand or sometimes Put them in delicates bags and wash on delicate in the machine).

9 years ago

Anonymous

Yes, I agree with Meredith that you can expect 2 years of wear on the thin merino sweaters. And that is if you wear it for 3 months a year at 1 wear a week.

I wash mine in the machine, twice a season, in a garment bag and they're fine.

I consider them to be an alternative to a tshirt.

I bought an alpaca /nylon blend last year from bR and it has lasted about 10 solid months with one wear a week. It's tired now and I should stop wearing it but it's my favourite sweater.

So I guess it depends on the fibre content but I can vouche for the merino pullovers.

9 years ago

Anonymous

I think you get exactly what you pay for from BR. Mid-priced merino that wears and cleans respectably well. Not the best, but then the price reflects that. Perfectly servicable workwear for a season or two.

9 years ago

Tisa

Active Member

Meredith, Smittie and Lisap, thank you. You've helped me make an informed decision .

Two years of wear sounds good enough for the price. I think I'll order two pullovers, then take one to a dry cleaner and hand wash the other at home. I'm curious to see if there'll be any difference.

Meredith, I wash more delicate knitwear literally by hand, too.

Smittie, hopefully you find a new favourite sweater soon. It's sometimes so difficult to let go of comfortable pieces, isn't it?

Lisap, I'll keep your info about BR in mind. Very useful, thank you.

9 years ago

barbaraq

Active Member

Funny, I just picked up a badly shrunken BR Merino sweater at my local Goodwill this afternoon. Someone had washed and/or dried it in a very abusive way, so these sweaters are definitely not forgiving in the wash. But for me it was perfect - I want to make a beret from it, using the ribbing at the bottom as the band for the hat.

9 years ago

Tisa

Active Member

Barbaraq, thank you for the warning. Your idea is very creative and I hope your project goes well.

9 years ago

MsMaven

Veteran

My experience was that a few years back they were excellent quality and lasted for years. Most of the time I washed them at home. Lately I haven't seen anything I wanted to buy. The part wool sweaters I bought pilled almost immediately, but that is true for most sweaters.

There was a time when merino meant a good wool product that would wear well and last. I complain about BR a lot, but I am unhappy with them these last couple of years.

I would say proceed with caution.

9 years ago

Anonymous

There was a time when I thought Banana Republic had great quality clothing.

Today, I have to agree that about two years is the maximum you might get out of their sweaters. I am less bold than others on the Forum. If it says dry clean, I take it to the dry cleaner.

9 years ago

kkards

Veteran

they say dry clean becuase that is the one method that the retailer, ie BR, knows will work....and so if you wash it another way and it shrinks or gets mis-shapen BR does not have to take it back....that does not mean that a responsible person, who actually knows how to hand wash wool sweaters couldn't do it.....

9 years ago

catseye

Veteran

It is dry clean but not dry clean only. I wash all my BR merino sweaters in a sweater bag on delicate. They are fine. The problem with these sweaters is they may develop holes. Pilling is less of a problem with merino wool.

9 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I've had really good luck with one I got for myself last year -- I am wearing it now. Like Smittie, I wear it about once a week (sometimes more) in the season and it is still looking like new.

My DH and brother both wear a lot of BR sweaters. Both say that the quality is middling good. Not the very best, but still reasonable for the price, especially on sale.

We all wash the sweaters in the washer on hand wash cycle, and air dry. This has not cause any problems.

9 years ago

Tisa

Active Member

MsMaven and Sterling, thank you for the warning and wisdom.

Kkards, Catseye and Suz, thank you for sharing how you take care of wool sweaters, and for your insight.

9 years ago

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