Knitwear is where men most often spend badly. Not because they buy cheap — often the opposite — but because the price tag on a jumper correlates with the fibre name on the label far more reliably than with how long the thing will actually last. A $400 loosely-knit cashmere jumper can pill into an unwearable mess in one winter. A $90 merino crew can look good for a decade.
Understanding knitwear means understanding two separate things: the fibre, and the knit. Most men only look at the first.
The fibres
| Fibre | Warmth | Softness | Durability | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merino wool | High | High | High | $$ |
| Lambswool | High | Medium-high | High | $$ |
| Cashmere | Very high | Very high | Low-medium | $$$$ |
| Geelong lambswool | High | High | Medium-high | $$$ |
| Shetland wool | Very high | Low | Very high | $$ |
| Cotton | Low | Medium | Medium | $ |
| Acrylic / poly blends | Low-medium | Varies | Low | $ |
Merino wool — the best all-rounder
Merino comes from Merino sheep and has a much finer fibre than standard wool, which is why it feels soft rather than scratchy. It regulates temperature genuinely well, resists odour to a remarkable degree, and holds its shape.
This is the fibre to buy. A fine-gauge merino crew or v-neck is the most useful piece of knitwear in menswear: warm without bulk, fits under a jacket, works with a suit or with jeans, and survives years of wear.
It is also the right base and mid layer for cold weather, for the reasons set out in the layering guide.
Cashmere — the luxury with a catch
Cashmere comes from the undercoat of cashmere goats. The fibres are finer and hollower than sheep’s wool, which makes it warmer per gram and considerably softer.
The catch is durability. Those same fine, short fibres work loose under friction and form pills. Cheap cashmere — and there is a great deal of it now — uses shorter fibres and looser knits, and it pills catastrophically within a season.
If you buy cashmere, buy it well:
- Two-ply or more. Single-ply cashmere is thin and fragile. Two-ply is the minimum for a jumper you intend to keep.
- Grade A if stated — longer, finer fibres.
- Dense knit. Hold it to the light. If you can see through it easily, it will pill.
- Weight. A good cashmere jumper has heft. A suspiciously light one is thin.
A well-made cashmere jumper is genuinely wonderful and will last a decade. A badly made one is a $200 mistake — which makes it a good illustration of the argument in what is worth buying once.
Lambswool — the value pick
Wool from a sheep’s first shearing. Softer than adult wool, considerably cheaper than cashmere, and quite durable. Geelong lambswool is a finer Australian grade that sits close to cashmere in softness at a fraction of the price. Excellent value and consistently underrated.
Shetland wool — the rugged one
Coarse, hairy, extremely warm and effectively indestructible. A Shetland jumper is a rough, characterful, slightly scratchy garment that will outlive you. Wrong under a suit; perfect with tweed, denim and a waxed jacket.
Cotton — the mild-weather option
Breathable and washable but not warm, and it stretches out of shape more readily than wool. Fine for spring and for men who find wool irritating. Not a winter fibre.
Acrylic and poly blends — the ones to avoid
Acrylic is cheap, does not breathe, holds odour, and pills badly. It is the dominant fibre in inexpensive knitwear and it is the main reason men think jumpers are uncomfortable.
A small percentage of nylon in a wool blend is fine — it adds strength at the elbows and cuffs. A jumper that is 70% acrylic is not.
Gauge: the variable men ignore
Gauge is the tightness of the knit — the number of stitches per inch. It matters as much as fibre.
| Gauge | Character | Wear it |
|---|---|---|
| Fine (12–18) | Thin, smooth, drapes | Under a jacket or suit — the versatile choice |
| Medium (7–12) | Balanced | On its own, over a shirt |
| Chunky (3–7) | Thick, textured, heavy | As an outer layer under a coat, never under a jacket |
Fine gauge is warmer per millimetre than chunky and infinitely more versatile. A chunky knit is a final layer — it does not go under tailoring, where it will strain the shoulders and destroy the line.
The shapes
- Crew neck — the default. Works over a t-shirt or a shirt. Under a jacket with a tie, it hides the tie’s midsection, which some men mind.
- V-neck — the choice under a jacket with a shirt and tie, because it keeps the collar and knot visible. A shallow V is more modern than a deep one.
- Cardigan — underrated. Opens for temperature control, which no pullover does. A fine-gauge cardigan is a genuinely useful office garment.
- Roll neck (turtleneck) — excellent under a jacket in winter, replaces the shirt entirely, and solves the collar-bulk problem. Fine gauge only.
- Quarter-zip — practical, slightly corporate. Fine, but the least interesting option here.
- Shawl collar — a heavier, more characterful cardigan. Weekend wear, and very good in front of a fire.
How to check quality in the shop
- Read the fibre content. 100% merino, lambswool or cashmere. Small nylon content is acceptable; high acrylic is not.
- Check the ply. Two-ply minimum for cashmere. Single-ply is thin and short-lived.
- Hold it to the light. A dense knit blocks light. A loose one pills.
- Feel the weight. Good knitwear has heft relative to its thickness.
- Stretch the cuff and release. It should snap back. If it stays stretched, the ribbing is weak and the jumper will lose shape.
- Check the seams. Fully fashioned — knitted to shape and linked — is better than cut-and-sewn from a panel, which frays.
These checks generalise to most garments, which is the subject of how to spot quality clothing.
Care: the part that decides lifespan
Washing
Wash knitwear less than you think. Wool is naturally antibacterial and merino in particular resists odour for many wears. Airing a jumper overnight does most of the work.
When it does need washing: hand wash in cool water with wool detergent, or use a machine’s wool cycle at 30°C or below. Never wring it. Press the water out, roll it in a towel, then dry flat — hanging wet knitwear stretches it permanently out of shape.
Pilling
Pills are broken fibre ends tangled by friction. All knitwear pills; softer fibres pill more.
Remove them with a fabric comb or a battery sweater shaver. Do not pull them off by hand — that drags out more fibre and makes it worse. Depilling after the first few wears actually reduces future pilling, because it removes the loose short fibres.
Storage
Fold knitwear. Never hang it. Hanging stretches the shoulders permanently and there is no fixing it.
For summer storage: wash first, because moths are drawn to body oils and skin cells rather than the wool itself. Store with cedar blocks in a breathable container, not plastic.
What to buy, in order
- Fine-gauge merino crew, navy or charcoal. The most useful piece. Under a jacket, over a shirt, with anything.
- Fine-gauge merino v-neck, grey. For wearing under a jacket with a tie.
- Medium-gauge lambswool crew, in a colour. Something with character — forest green, burgundy, oatmeal.
- Fine-gauge cardigan, navy. Temperature control the pullover cannot offer.
- Chunky knit or shawl cardigan. Weekends and genuine cold.
Five pieces covering the whole season. Only the cashmere, if you add it, needs to be expensive — and it should come after these.
Frequently asked questions
Is cashmere better than merino wool?
Cashmere is softer and warmer per gram, but merino is considerably more durable and resists pilling far better. For a jumper worn regularly, good merino often outperforms mid-range cashmere. Cashmere is worth buying only if it is well made — two-ply or better, densely knitted, with real weight.
Why does my cashmere jumper pill so badly?
Pilling comes from short, loose fibres working free under friction. Cheap cashmere uses shorter fibres and looser knits, both of which accelerate it. Remove pills with a fabric comb or sweater shaver rather than pulling them by hand, and depill early — it reduces future pilling.
Should you hang or fold sweaters?
Always fold. Hanging knitwear stretches the shoulders under the garment own weight, and once a jumper has developed hanger bumps the shape cannot be recovered. Fold knitwear and store it flat on a shelf or in a drawer.
How often should you wash wool jumpers?
Far less often than you would think. Wool is naturally antibacterial and merino resists odour for many wears. Airing a jumper overnight does most of the work. Wash only when genuinely dirty, using cool water and wool detergent, and always dry flat.
What gauge of knitwear should I wear under a jacket?
Fine gauge, roughly 12 to 18 stitches per inch. A fine-gauge jumper is warmer per millimetre than a chunky one and fits under a jacket without straining the shoulders. Chunky knits are a final layer to wear under a coat, never beneath tailoring.
Is acrylic knitwear worth buying?
Generally no. Acrylic does not breathe, holds odour, and pills quickly, and it is the main reason many men find jumpers uncomfortable. A small percentage of nylon in a wool blend is useful for strength at cuffs and elbows, but predominantly acrylic knitwear is a false economy.
The short version
- Merino is the best all-rounder. Buy it first.
- Cashmere is only worth it if well made — two-ply, dense, with real weight.
- Gauge matters as much as fibre. Fine gauge under a jacket, chunky under a coat.
- Avoid acrylic. It is why men think jumpers are uncomfortable.
- Fold, never hang. Hanging ruins shoulders permanently.
- Wash rarely, dry flat, depill early.
Buy merino, fold it properly, and stop washing it so much. That is most of what separates knitwear that lasts a decade from knitwear that lasts a winter.
Read next
- How to layer clothes without looking bulky
- How to spot quality clothing
- Wool decoded: Super numbers, tweed and flannel
- What’s actually worth buying once
- Overcoat vs topcoat vs peacoat
- The white t-shirt guide
- Casual outfit formulas
- What to wear on a plane
- The office holiday party dress code
- Gloves, hats and winter accessories
- Men’s socks, decoded
