Knitwear that doesn’t go bobbly

The company I buy cashmere from say you should not use fabric softener as that encourages bobbling.

Try Uniqlo - their sweaters, whilst not high fashion, are good quality and mine have not bobbled. I do use a washing net for all items that may be at risk and it generally helps.

Oh, a warning, Uniqlo introduced a new returns policy a while ago now. If one orders on line, there is a fee to return it. Grrrrr. Exchange is possible in their shops - if they stock something you like/want.

For someone buying from Uniqlo for the first time, perhaps a visit to a store would be ideal (but there are not too many of them in the UK).

I stick to buying woollen and cotton clothing from Uniqlo purely because their quality is far above everyone else's but their return policy has stopped me buying things I 'would quite like to try' as if the sizing is wrong or I dislike the garment on me, I am too mean to pay postage to return it!

Woolovers are a company selling woollen clothing.

No idea either Lizbeth ….pull over type maybe ?
I wonder if the problem has started since they began using recycled material
Cotton is no good in the winter (well not in my house) way too cold

What's a woolover?

I have developed some bobbles underneath the sleeves on a merino handknit and have tidied the sleeves by using curved nail scissors. It was an easy satisfying job. I shall de bobble this jumper properly before washing and packing it away for summer

My bobbly M&S recycled polyester jumpers are enjoying a renaissance, as I’m wearing them inside out, all labels removed. Exposed seams & reverse stocking stitch knitwear can look good, & oversewing the seams in a contrasting yarn can be quite attractive.

I had to throw away all last year's knitwear as they weren't fit to wear.
I bought 3 new jumper
1 from M n S - bobbled after a few washes.
1 from Cotton traders - the same.
The one from Next in a similar price range still looks good.

Another shop in an outback town .....

nanna8

I agree with you about M and S cardigans. I sent for one, paid a fortune and it went bobbly almost immediately. I’ll never bother getting them from there again. Even K mart is better ( and cheap as chips )

Still wearing my Australian jumpers from Target and another shopping an outback town (can't remember the name)

Plus I'm still wearing knitwear from Jumper, Olsen, Country Casuals, Penny Plain years later.

Sorry, but £75 for a sweater which is machine made from known online shops is not cheap imo.

Paperbackwriter

Most of the brands you are mentioning on here would count as cheap (sorry) and very cheaply made. You really can't expect top quality. I hardly buy any wool items any more but I have several cashmere items that I got from Pure and from Brora a long while ago. Sure they were expensive at the time but they've lasted so well for absolutely ages. Cost per wear is probably less than M&S if you're going to chuck it out after a year.

I endorse this. A good jumper will now cost £100 to £200 and will still bobble; the nature of the beast. I have a few woollies from around 20years ago and the quality was better then. I think quite low grade cashmere. merino or lambswool in now in use.
Can I suggest boiled wool or quilted jackets as an alternative. Just as warm and better for washing and wear.

I purchased a lovely cardigan from M&S. It was just what I wanted, it was a maroon colour which went perfectly with my black leggings and maroon boots. It was thigh length and very soft. It cost £29.99. The first (and only time) I wore it developed great rolls of fluff over it. I was so disappointed. I took it back to M&S but was only offered a refund of £4.99 because I purchased it with £25 M&S Premium club voucher and the rest with cash!

Interesting responses, thanks everyone. I think the only solution as suggested is to search for oldies but goodies on EBay & in charity shops, where donators & sellers have become bored with their great quality, aged & worn to death knitwear, no pilling, stretching or shrinking (just as it used to be). Don’t get me started on M & S trousers, same style, same size but varying leg lengths. I had some with one leg an inch shorter than the other. No quality control anymore.

I had never given thought to this 'problem' before this thread. Intrigued, off I went to inspect the jumpers and cardigans in my wardrobe. I found 7 pill free cotton ones, mainly from Cotton Traders - all at least 10 or more years old. Just a couple of warm, bobbled, wool ones, only worn for gardening or painting as any bobbled garments are regularly culled.
The big surprise though was two old, very warm, polo necked, tunic length, woollen jumpers, seasonally washed weekly as staples of my everyday winter wear. On close inspection, I saw that both were covered in pills, which I had never noticed because both are mottled - one navy and white, one grey, pink and cream. I had another look at a dressy, black, lightweight, fine woollen long cardigan which has silver flecks throughout. Again, I had to look very closely to see that there was some pilling, again masked by the flecks.

I agree with you about M and S cardigans. I sent for one, paid a fortune and it went bobbly almost immediately. I’ll never bother getting them from there again. Even K mart is better ( and cheap as chips )

Pixie I will post a link. They also have several youtube videos about the sheep, how the wool is produced etc. It is a small enterprise, started off with second hand equipment. John and his yarn are well loved by the people in the local spinning guilds.

www.jarbon.com/

My most recent knit with their yarn was a jumper called breslin by julie hoover, from ravelry

Karmalady - I love handknitting and struggle to get good quality locally produced yarns. Are you able to divulge your source? TIA

But folks who wears cashmere for everyday wear all I ve been looking for is a decent winter jumper for work, shopping pottering, nothing for best…. but I still expect one that doesn’t look like a piece of rag the week after I ve bought it
The one I bought at M and S which went back was £27.99 now some of you might call this cheap but to me it’s not cheap at all and should last me the season I can’t possibly afford to buy a named label just for everyday wear and I shouldn’t have to
M&S must have SO many returns and complaints the assistant didn’t even ask any questions just took the jumper and gave me my money

Yours is my favourite shop for everyday clothes .
The quality is OK and the clothes are comfortable .
I wouldn't wear them for a special occasion .
Ages ago , I bought several of their jumpers .
One developed a gigantic hole the first time that I wore it. The others look like fishing nets after a couple of wearings .
I wear them in the garden under a coat for gardening .

Like Casdon I am unable to wear wool. I have several Icelandic jumpers, which have a very long 'staple' so they don't itch as much, but still need a cotton or silk under shirt.
The hardest wearing jumpers I have are heavy weight cotton one which came from BHS. Just a very plain style. Good quality like their knickers used to be. Miss that shop

I have a few old cashmere pieces from Pure, bought years ago, still look as good as knew, no pilling. Similarly, Johnstone’s of Elgin and Brora.

Recently discovered Pure have been bought over by Woolovers. Their Pure range has shot up in price and is very poor quality and I won’t be buying from them again. I think they are relying on the brand name Pure but people will get wise to this con.

I've had 3 cashmere Brora jumpers for 15 years, bought 2nd hand for about £8 each! They are as good as new - absoluely no pilling. Same goes for the Kirkland brand, but I think they've gone out of business.

Always read the reviews on Seasalt - go straight for the lowest scoring ones. I bought 2 of their 'Fruity' jumpers and they looked dreadful after wearing twice. The same goes for White Stuff too. Such a shame as the styles are lovely.

At the beginning of the year I bought a Boden v-neck cashmere jumper, in the sale. It looks like ancient already. I don't know what's happened to the quality of goods.

I've also had success with The White Company's knitwear in the past.

You may be lucky to find 2nd hand cashmere on ebay.

Sorry fern I won’t buy M and S again given them too many chances
And I cant afford the prices some are quoting so it’s charity shops for me at least if they haven’t bobbled second hand I guess they won’t

Doesn't seem to matter which make or the cost bobbling occurs though some much quicker than others. Fed up so now buy cheap and cheerful knowing I will be throwing any knitted item out probably by the end of the season. I know it's not environmentally friendly but refuse to pay the sort of money the big makes charge in the hope the items will last when they don't.

I hate bobbly knitwear! The only jumpers I’ve ever found which don’t bobble are extra fine merino from Uniqlo. Unfortunately the colour choices are a bit dull.
I hate bobbly jumpers so much that I now tend to wear layers underneath my Seasalt cord dresses on the winter instead