M and S knitwear - very disappointing!

I bought a sweater yesterday in the sale reduced to £6.. It was actually one I saw mentioned here on a thread several weeks ago and the poster (and others) had recommended it saying that it washed very well. (Scoop neck and decorative seam down the front just in case that is a reminder to anyone).
It hasn't been worn yet but is beautifully soft to touch and I am hopeful.

However I do agree with you that many of their knitted items do not hold their looks. Last year I paid £50 for a wool knitted jumper dress and oh.... but it very quickly ended up too bobbled and shabby to wear, had to bin it.
Indeed I should have taken it back to customer service.

I find the cotton mix wears much better and also the acrylic/viscose. Their wool items are to be avoided in my opinion.

I bought a jumper in November and I’ve only worn it a few times, washed once, and it is a bit like your chunky one, it looks like I’ve had it ages! Admittedly it is a cheaper acrylic one though. I’m glad I only bought the one, as I liked another colourway too but they didn’t have it in my size - lucky me.

I also bought a quite expensive lambswool jumper before Christmas, worn 3 times, washed once and it's not really fit to go out in now, so bobbly. Perhaps we should return them all, total waste of money, woolly jumpers never used to go bobbly like this.

Coolgran I bought it too but at full price ( it was cheap anyway otherwise I would be knashing my teeth)
But haven’t washed it yet.
However, nothing that I have bought for a long time ( £60 or under) has either kept it’s shape or not bobbled.

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

I have searched online in vain for bobble free knitwear, and the consensus seems to be that even if you pay a lot jumpers still bobble. Acrylic, or acrylic mix seems to be the worst, plus lambswool. Merino, and thick (v expensive) cashmere seem to be best in wool, or linen, cotton, plus cotton mix with a high cotton content, but they aren't as warm. Should wash inside out and use baby shampoo. Has anyone had any luck with the comb things to get rid of bobbles?

Lazigirl Those comb things to de-bobble jumpers don't work. You have to comb one small patch for ages and virtually nothing happens. It would take a long time to comb a whole jumper.

As a general rule I think the quality of nearly all M&S clothes is poor and has been for at least 10 years.

This winter I did get a pair of velvet trousers for evening wear, and they seem OK, but, of course they have not been worn much. Otherwise I only go into M&S for shoes these days, which do seem to be reasonable quality.

I have bought both cashmere and lambswool jumpers this winter and neither have lived up to my expectations or have been like previous buys have.
I will think twice before buying again.
I also bought cashmere from John Lewis, again, very disappointing.

I bought 2 sweaters from M and S in the January sale. One was a lambswool polo neck sweater. I washed it once, on a wool cycle, and it looks like a rag. The pilling and bobbling where the sleeves touch the body of the sweater is so bad that I can pick them off individually. The other is a chunky cotton knit sweater, again, washed once at 30 degrees. It's completely mis shapen. Even at sales prices, these were a total waste of money.

Why are M&S men's sweaters so much better and wash better too?

It helps to understand why fabric pills. Essentially, short fibres working their way to the surface and become tangled into balls, aggravated by friction in wear and washing.

Softer, looser knits and blends are the worst. Woven fabrics better. Although all fabrics will pill to some extent, the longer and stronger the fibre the less likelihood there is but longer-fibred wool can be itchy.

www.testextextile.com/what-is-pilling-in-fabric/

I've invested in a pill shaver from Lakeland which works well.

MnS is rubbish nowadays, and not just the jumpers. I bought a grey jumper with stars on the front from Tesco recently. I think it was about £20. It's made of plastic and has never set eyes on a sheep but it's warm and very soft. I machine washed it yesterday, expecting the worst, but it has come up a treat, still nice and soft and not shrunken.

I never buy cashmere anywhere. I reckon that if it is in my price range it is of the poorest quality.

Good cashmere is very expensive.

If it pills so quickly I would take it back.
I take anything back thats not as it should be.
Why wouldn't you.

If any one is looking for an alternative to M&S, I suggest you look at the Roman website.

The other day a reader wanted a style make-over and this site was mentioned by a couple of posters. I bought a dress from them and then later 2 jumpers and a pair of jeans.

I have been looking for new jumpers in the stores for ages but they were either too pricey or not my style.

They offer a discount for new customers, free delivery and returns. I was really impressed with the speed of delivery and the quality of the clothes.

I have got a jumper from Superdry. It is like putting on a soft, warm, comforting, blanket. Been washed a couple of times too and still looks new.

I have just washed ( and ironed) anM&S jumper that I have had for at least 5 yrs. It is M&S Collection and 100% acrylic. I thought it was wool. It is still beautiful, soft and bobble free. I constantly look for similar but to no avail.

My husband has one ten years cotton cable knit. But hit and miss nowadays.

I took it back and got £3 refund as this is what is was reduced to in the sale. (and what it was worth in my opinion). I agree that Roman clothes are very smart and well made for the price.

The trouble with Lambswool, Merino, Cashmere etc is that they really need hand washing, I always wash on the Delicates cycle but still not ideal. As regards M & S I would like to know why the men's sweaters seem to wears better than the womens.