Let's talk fabrics: synthetic, natural and blends - YouLookFab Forum

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Let's talk fabrics: synthetic, natural and blends

Irene

Veteran

Hi all Slowly crawling back after two years of fashion abstinence.

I've been going through a phase lately that has pushed me to splurge on lots of wool while getting ready for the mild but desperately long London winter ahead of me, which will last until April, or even May (I do run colder than most).

Basically, last year I got two thin, slim fit wool sweaters from Benetton because they were on sale, and I just got addicted to wearing them: they were a revelation. I had never owned a wool sweater before, probably because my mom is allergic and so it never occurred to her to take me down that road (plus, they tend to be more expensive than what I used to own), and boy weren't those things practical: no armpit smell, no regular washing, no extra chunk around my torso and more warmth. Admittedly, I did ruin the pink one (gorgeous, gorgeous) by putting in the washing machine and not drying it flat, but I've learned from my mistakes. The poor thing has lost it's shape, pills like there's no tomorrow and has a tiny hole that seems to get bigger each time I put it on.

However, my revelation has taken me to a point where I stay away from anything that's not 100% natural: no acrylic, polyester or nylon. Not even if they've been blended with 30% of wool. The problem is, 100% wool is easy to find in plain sweaters (fun coloured or not), but every time I find something a little bit less generic, a bit more fun, there's some acrylic, nylon or polyester involved. It doesn't bother me too much, as I'm a conservative dresser and usually go for simple styles that won't go out of style anyway (even back when I used to get my stuff from Primark I never bought stuff that was very much on trend), but sometimes I do wonder if I'll become bored and then I'll feel the crave to shop again, and that will become a never-ending story.

Question to you: do you find blends to be a good compromise? Are they durable enough? Do they smell after a few wears? Are they just as warm? Should I be a bit less practical and get something cooler?

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20 replies

Latest reply was from VioletMyra

Joyce B

Veteran

I also prefer natural fibers when given the choice but it is hard to find garments made of 100% natural fiber.
I do like to have a little bit of more flexible synthetic fiber in my denim as it makes it easier to wear. I try to stay away from garments with a small percentage of good fiber such as 10% cashmere or camel. I think they are put there just to inflate the price because the special qualities of the fine fibers are lost in the mix.
I think it is a good idea to buy what you love because that is what you will wear and enjoy the most.

Style Fan

Veteran

I have four 100% cashmere sweaters, one 100 % wool sweater and one mohair and alpaca sweater. The cashmere sweaters are very basic. Three of them are cardigans and one is a v neck pull over. My dark brown cardigan is 12 years old and has zero piling and zero holes. It was expensive but worth it. I have never had a problem with piling or holes with my sweaters.
My 100% wool sweater is from 1985. I love it. Very chunky and perfect colours for me.

Helena

Veteran

Great thread! I also prefer natural fibers but they can be hard to find; my compromise is I only wear things that re more than 50% natural fibre. The Gap sweater in my finds was a great grab this season, fine knit wool, simple and classic colors.

Merino wool sweater

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Ginger

Veteran

You're asking for personal experience and I don't really have that. (Though wow, I LOVE wool as well! Not just knitwear but wovens. I sew historical clothing and 100% wool is by far my favorite material to work with. YUM.)

In my opinion, you'll get pretty much everything you wanted from 100% wool from a blend that's at least 85% wool. It is very common to blend wool with a fiber like nylon or polyester for strength and to minimize shrinking, pilling, and felting. 15% of a synthetic is still pretty small and unlikely to affect wool's nicer properties. As the wool in the blend decreases, however, it would be wise to lower your expectations. I'm sure you'll be able to tell the difference in behavior with a 60% wool blend, and I doubt you'll be happy with 30% wool.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

A very small amount of nylon or poly can be okay for a "fashion" sweater but the more wool, the better the sweater will feel. Polyester can actually make it a bit harder-wearing (depending on quality of course). I personally stay away from acrylic because it does not breathe and gets static-y on me. I would only buy something with a very low percentage of that and not a knit at all if I can help it.

Diana

Veteran

I am not a good person to ask because I make almost all of my own sweaters. I do tend to stick to wool or wool blended with other natural fibers (silk, cotton, linen, etc). I am definitely a natural fiber snob; unfortunately I can't tell you where to actually buy retail sweaters. Unless you want to learn how to knit.

(ETA: agree that a little nylon is ok. I avoid acrylic and polyester. Acrylic is staticky and pills a lot, and I personally find poly in knits itchy. Ymmv.)

Anonymous

Yes, I think blends are a good compromise. I like to see nylon or polyester in the wool -- in my mind, it makes the garment less pilly. But that is just anecdotal.
I think you have to go by feel and looks. Can you tell there is nylon or polyester it in?
For me, it is the thickness/loft of the sweater that determines the warmth.

ETA: Oh, I see Ginger said it better!

Joy

Veteran

Agreeing with Suz. I actually like a bit of nylon and it usually makes things more washable but have had horrible luck with any acrylic in the blend. Pilling. It has become very hard to find 100% wool, even at thrift stores. I look for an aunt that needs it for felting.. One of my favorite blends Is cashmere and silk. The weight is just right pretty much year round.

elpgal

Veteran

I am ok with poly but stay away from acrylic.

Traci

Veteran

I'm becoming a bit natural fiber obsessed myself. Maybe it comes with age. I remember as a kid and teen my mom always pushed for real leather and cotton and I didn't see the point. A few years ago I finally learned that while natural fibers are not the be all end all to a nice item, they sure do feel better, wear better and age better.

I started with leather shoes because they just break in and form to your foot in a way synthetics don't. Then I moved onto cashmere and merino wools. I used to think of wool sweaters as heavy, scratchy and bulky, but nice wools sweaters these days are anything but that. I love my cashmere and merino for lightweight, layered warmth. Now I'm onto a linen and silk kick. The texture and breathability just can't be topped. I've switched my bedsheets to 100% linen too.

LaPed

Veteran

I prefer natural fibers for just about everything I wear at this point. I don't even like spandex or polyurethane in my jeans. I don't think I've ever owned a polyester blouse (I don't mind ironing, I guess), and I never jumped on the ponte bandwagon because most of them just feel too weird and plasticky to me and don't feel like "real" clothes (snobbery, I admit).

I agree that 10-15% nylon can be good in a wool knit or woven, for durability -- especially at a low pricepoint where the wool probably isn't the greatest to begin with. However, I've found wool-poly blends to be be pet hair magnets if there's too much polyester. I've avoided acrylic for years, except for the small amount in Uniqlo Heattech tights and baselayers -- although going forward I'll probably be buying only wool and silk baselayers since they hold up so much better and never get stinky. I'm also pretty much over Polartec type fleeces, even for gear. Again, pet hair magnet, and even the pricy ones pill eventually. (And if you take them backpacking, the stink may never come out.)

The only place I really can't get away from synthetics is gear pants and jackets. Merino tees are great for most athletic needs in all but the hottest weather, and there's a huge variety now. Because I wash them less often I don't need as many as I would polyester gear tops. So my synthetic tops (and underpinnings) are slowly phasing out of my gear drawer in favor of merino. But for shorts and pants, I stick with nylon for durability, or sometimes high-quality polyester. I've tried on some of the merino running shorts and tights available from Icebreaker etc, but for me they would not hold up long enough to justify the price. And no way am I going running or backpacking in cotton pants. For day-hikes jeans can be okay, but usually I want something quicker-drying.

bj1111

Veteran

Love wool and cashmere but I have intermittent skin sensitivity. Tighter weaves with a softer hand and some nylon are less likely to irritate. Of course, the ones least irritating are the most expensive.

Re retail source--you're in the U.K. So my sources may not apply. Although primark is the devil. Truly poorly made and bad quality of the underlying fabric.

gap surprisingly has great wool sweaters in men's , check boys to see if they fit.

Costco is a us warehouse store but I think they have presence in other countries--unpredictable stuff but always excellent value comparing quality to price. I have wool under layers from their house brand that I prefer to Patagonia and smartwool.

Marc o'polo has some fashiony trendy stuff but is a bit overpriced imo. Cos and &otherstories are similar. I browse here for trend driven items. These places are in your part of the world.

Try asos and biester village outlet.

DonnaF

Veteran

Yesterday, I was in a Uniqlo and they had lightweight 100% merino wool crew neck sweaters on sale for a ridiculously low price. They were so soft they felt like cotton. Alas, the colors were a little boring and I have no need for a sweater or two or three. Big sale going on there, so I had to restrain myself, and I came away with three Heattech underlayers instead of the two I intended. Oh, and a pair of no-show panties I thought I would test for the Forum.

Gaylene

Veteran

I think it depends on the design of garment, the quality of the fiber, and the conditions under which the garment will be used. Natural fibers have their advantages, but so do synthetic fibers. The quality of the fiber also makes a huge difference. The coarse wool fiber made from the bits and pieces of outer coat fiber left after spinning isn't the same as the long, smooth, innercoat, wool fiber that goes into a high-priced garment. Both garments can be labeled 100% wool, but are worlds away in comfort and feel. Inexpensive cashmere loosely woven from thin fibers can feel soft, but will disintegrate and pill after a couple of washings while a tightly woven cashmere made from thicker ply fiber can last for decades.

Designers also incorporate all kinds of fibers into their creative offerings. Last fall, I saw a gorgeous $10,000 wool coat that had STEEL fibre woven into the wool fabric. The blended fabric was luscious. Different manufacturing techniques and coatings can also transform fibres. The stiff, unyielding denim that used to be used for jeans took years to soften into that comfortable jean we expect right from the start today. Cotton blended with a bit of polyester and spandex is what makes a skinny jean wearable.

And almost every athlete prefers a breathable polyester top for a workout instead of a 100% cotton top which gets soaking wet and stays wet. "Killer" cotton was our term for cotton underwear when we skied, warm and dry in our synthetic underwear and fleece liners.

Nope, both synthetics and natural fibres, and their blends, have a place in my wardrobe.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Fabric is a complicated thing! What you say about 100% wool sweaters (warm, lightweight, resistant to odours) is true, and if it's good quality wool, it also tends to resist pilling and last a long time. The only problem I've found with wool is that it has to be good quality merino wool to not be itchy on me. I'm not allergic to wool, but I'm very sensitive to scratchy fabrics and even cheap merino is too scratchy. I love the look of thick cable knit sweaters made of "ordinary" wool, but I can't wear that, even with a tee shirt underneath.

As a general rule, I avoid acrylic in blends, because it tends to be uncomfortable and doesn't wear well.

I avoid straight-up polyester too, but I find that a smallish percentage of polyester in a cotton-poly (or cotton-poly-rayon) blend is fine, and often gives the fabric with a nice drape.

100% cotton is good for breathability, but not for warmth, and it can vary A LOT in terms of quality. From what I understand, long fibres are better. I have some divine pima cotton knit tees that last forever. But cheap cotton is stiff, a little rough and doesn't hang nicely.

I've never owned a 100% cashmere item, but I have had a few cashmere-cotton blends, and they were lovely and soft, and fairly durable.

Hope that helps.

Irene

Veteran

That was all very helpful!

I stocked up on merino wool sweaters from Uniqlo a few weeks ago: navy, black, cream and a gorgeous dark grey. They feel super soft and so far warm enough, especially if I wear a HTECH layer underneath. I do have pretty thick coats, so I don't need a super super warm topper.
@Aziraphale, have you tried Uniqlo's?

I got two sweaters from Benetton yesterday, £29 pounds each, so not too expensive but not too cheap either. We'll see how well they do, the tag claims they are 100% merino wool but they don't feel as soft as the Uniqlo ones. The colours are gorgeous though, a bright coral and a lovely shade of medium blue, both have a crew neck. I've realised I don't like v-necks anymore, which is strange because I used to find them so flattering (I'm slim with a big chest), but somehow I find it looks odd.

I've also seen striped jumpers from MUJI (of all places) at £40-£50 and they fit me really well, so I might get one (20% off on Wednesday if you go to the Covent Garden store, for the Londoners out there). Still quite a standard pattern though, nothing extraordinary.

I don't mind synthetic fibres in my jeans at all, by the way, as I my main problem with those is breathability, warmth and armpit smell, and I find some spandex won't hurt my skinnies. I don't mind if my jeans lose shape, if anything I like it when they become more roomier throughout the day.

@torontogirl I saw the ones from GAP and was so excited about the colours (and a 40% discount I was offered) but I went to the store to try them on and I didn't love them, sadly. I'm glad you're enjoying them though

Aziraphale

Veteran

Irene, I haven't tried Uniqlo's merino sweaters, but I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for the tip. I am a fan of J. Crew's Tippi sweaters, though -- they are soft, and don't break the bank. And I was recently given an Eileen Fisher merino tunic for my birthday. It's literally the softest, loveliest fabric I've ever had on my body. But EF stuff is normally out of my price range!

peacechick

Veteran

Having owned both types, I would say the blends are never as soft and warm as 100% cashmere and merino sweater. But with a toddler, caring for pure wool is a pain, so for everyday wear I have sweaters and cardigans made of poly blends. Cotton-nylon is pretty nice. Stuff I feel okay soaking in oxiclean for days.

The exception for me is wool blends for coats, which I think provide both warmth and durability. I avoid pure wool for the sake of storage since a coat is not something I can easily wash and freeze.

Uniqlo's Htech is great. Have not tried their merinos sweaters. Their tshirts shrink like crazy though.

Anonymous

I can't wear wool. It makes me itch like crazy. I don't like scratchy cheap cotton, either. Acrylic is bad, too. I can tolerate merino if it's top quality, but I prefer good-quality cotton or cotton-polyester blends.

VioletMyra

If a natural fibre snob is one who wears natural fibres only then that's me - cotton, linen, silk, wool and blends of those fibres also.
I have a silk/linen blend knit yardage to make up, also wool/cotton blend (called viyella here in Aus) to make into skirts.
Natural fibres feel so sumptuous against the skin compared to synthetics IMHO. (I also think they look more luxurious.)