# New cricket/tennis jumper from Woolovers



## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Thought this might interest some of you who want a WASPish wardrobe mainstay.



Surprisingly, not a lot has been said here about Woolovers even though they're affordable and made in Britain (EDIT: apparently not, see ) like any self-respecting "trad" sweater should be. The shipping is also more than fair at $6.95 for up to $75 in merchandise. Before any of the nitpickers ask, the prices are VAT-deducted for U.S. customers. Obviously I'm very interested. Has anyone bought from them before? I know one AAAC member suggested them in a thread a couple years ago. I believe he bought something and said he liked it, but not much more than that.

Supposedly all of their wool/silk/cashmere sweaters can be machine washed (on a "wool specific programme"?) as long as you use Woolite or equivalent detergent and lay it down to dry. I've never heard of this anywhere else. Is this safe or is it still preferable to dry clean sweaters whenever possible?


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## Starch (Jun 28, 2010)

On the washing question, I suppose I could be accused of applying a pernicious double standard, but:

With my own, relatively valuable sweaters, I follow the don't-wash-it-until-you-have-to-then-dryclean approach, which works well if you have a decent drycleaner and are reasonably clean (or don't mind the company of small birds picking bits of food from your garb).

In the case of my daughter's clothes, I've washed sweaters myself without apparent misfortune. I opted to handwash them rather than use the machine at all, and with very mild detergent. The drying is the biggest pain in the neck, though it's possible I was overly careful. If you avoid wringing and lay them out pretty carefully in the final shape they're supposed to wind up in, they take up a lot of space, and take a _long time_ to dry.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Thanks. I'll take that into consideration.


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## zightx (Jul 10, 2011)

Thanks for the tip. Seems like they a lot of great sweaters for really good prices. And for once the store is located in europe so I don't have to pay a fortune in shipping costs.

Does anyone know how quality is? I havn't heard of this brand before.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Those are nice sweaters and the prices are nice, too. As far as washing, dry cleaning hasn't been around for very long compared to wool clothing, and I've never seen a sheep keel over dead when it gets caught in a rainstorm. You can safely handwash a sweater in a bathtub or sink with some Woolite. You can't agitate it too much or you risk felting the fibers but gently swishing it around is fine. Then you block it out and let it air dry. It does take a while, but you don't have to pay to have your clothes exposed to harsh chemicals and risk damage.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Do you own a Woolovers sweater yourself?

I'll just hand wash in that case. I still don't know what they mean by "wool specific programme". Never heard of anything like that on a washer. My apartment's unit doesn't have anything besides "delicate cycle" and I'm not ready to trust my wool garments to it, in any case.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Jovan said:


> Do you own a Woolovers sweater yourself?
> 
> I'll just hand wash in that case. I still don't know what they mean by "wool specific programme". Never heard of anything like that on a washer. My apartment's unit doesn't have anything besides "delicate cycle" and I'm not ready to trust my wool garments to it, in any case.


Sorry, I meant to say those are nice-looking sweaters, as I don't think I own any (though the name seems awfully familiar and I haven't unpacked my winter clothes yet).

With regards to machine washing, the problem is the amount of agitation. When wet wool is rubbed together, the fibers interlock once and for all and you end up with a felt sweater. This is more of a problem with larger garments. I've machine washed rag wool gloves on the regular cycle with no ill effects. If you want to try using the delicate cycle, test in on some non-wool clothing and see watch for excessive movement. For a very accurate test, I'd sacrifice a thrifted sweater. If it doesn't work, you can throw it in the dryer and make yourself some DIY boiled wool mittens.


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## TommyDawg (Jan 6, 2008)

I've purchased a couple of the lambswool sweaters. I like them both and would recommend it to others. I will probably buy another for this winter. I find the wool to be substantial yet soft. Not thin and crappy like some department store sweaters. I have never purchased really high end sweaters, so do not have that type of comparison. Service is great, shipping quick, and very good prices. I have been looking at the british wool varieties (the fishermans or aran sweater), thinking they are even more substantial and super warm for winter. Note that the V-neck is a deep V, so just be aware if you think you will like that or not. 
Tom


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

The is on sale, two for $70. I'm feeling very tempted.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

I am more than fine with a deep V. Most modern V-neck sweaters are little more than a crew neck with a point.

Wonder if the Fisherman's Crew might be a good alternative to a Shetland for those wanting a really thick and warm sweater.


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## Ekphrastic (Oct 4, 2009)

I've got two of their sweaters--one is, uh, I forget the name of it, but it's the one with elbow and shoulder patches (or, should I say, elbow AND shoulder patches). Substantial stuff, that sweater. I found it because I'd asked the forum about heavy sweaters; the person who steered me to Woolovers was spot-on. 

The other sweater comes from their cotton-cashmere collection. It's great, too.

All in all, I think they're tops. The service is good, the quality is great (that sweater with the patches'll probably outlast me), and shipping is very cheap for trans-Atlantic stuff.

Oh, and I've machine-washed both, and they both turned out okay. The heavy sweater threw little tufts of wool all over the place when it dried (it looked like it was snowing in my apartment), but the sweater didn't seem damaged in any way.

One thing to keep in mind is that their sizing is very generous--they're not kidding when they say that on their website. I got the medium, wondering if the sleeves would be long enough for my gorilla arms, and it seemed more like a medium-tall than anything. It's actually a little too long in the body for me.

So, yeah, I say go for it, if they're still making stuff the way they did a couple years ago.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Thanks for the testimonials, guys. I'll definitely try them out. I was wondering about medium myself, as I have a 40" chest but am 6'1 and wear 35" sleeve in shirts. Typically mediums are made for guys at least four inches shorter than I am. Their measurements could stand to be taken from the centre back (or at least the shoulder seam) to cuff rather than from the armpit, which quite frankly means nothing. Why do both Woolovers and Sterlingwear do that? I've tried emailing Woolovers about this before and gotten no response. Guess I should just call.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

I think I'm gonna go ahead and pull the trigger on a pair of fisherman's crew sweaters. I can live with a raglan sleeve for those prices and British wool. I'm settled on the but can't decide between the and the . Any suggestions?


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## Starch (Jun 28, 2010)

I like the bits of color in the oatmeal: gives it some character. The red's pretty bold, but it seems to be an outdoor sweater, and I can picture it looking pretty nice in a casual, walking-round-in-the-woods outfit. It's a Christmasy color too, I guess.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

I like the oatmeal and kiltimagh, personally.


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## bjorn240 (Jan 8, 2008)

Is this stuff actually knit in the UK or all made in China?


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## jwooten (Dec 19, 2010)

bjorn240 said:


> Is this stuff actually knit in the UK or all made in China?


They don't specify any country of origin on their site, state that certain things are "British Wool", but who knows what that has to do with origin. I'm curious as well to where these are made/coming from.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Some of the reviews describe the sweaters as being made in England but I emailed their customer service to be sure. I'll report back when I get a reply.


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## Ekphrastic (Oct 4, 2009)

Jovan said:


> Thanks for the testimonials, guys. I'll definitely try them out. I was wondering about medium myself, as I have a 40" chest but am 6'1 and wear 35" sleeve in shirts. Typically mediums are made for guys at least four inches shorter than I am. Their measurements could stand to be taken from the centre back (or at least the shoulder seam) to cuff rather than from the armpit, which quite frankly means nothing. Why do both Woolovers and Sterlingwear do that? I've tried emailing Woolovers about this before and gotten no response. Guess I should just call.


Sounds like we have the exact same measurements--I'm 6'1" and wear a 35" sleeve (and I have a 39" chest). The medium should work for you. As I mentioned before, the sweater's a little long in the body for me, but I have a pretty high waist.

This assumes, of course, that they're still using the patterns that they used a couple of years ago, and I have no reason to doubt they do.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Thanks, Ekphrastic.

I could have sworn I read somewhere that everything was made in the UK.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

I heard back from Woolovers. Here's the response I got:



> Dear Customer
> 
> Thank you for your email. Our garments are made in Mauritius and Madagascar using wool sourced from a variety of places to ensure the quality of product that you expect. Our Cashmere is from Mongolia, our Lambswool is from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa and our British Wool range is 100% British.
> 
> ...


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## hookem12387 (Dec 29, 2009)

Anyone have comment on fit? Or a picture? I know I'm a bit whiny about not wearing the looser fit that may characterize a lot of trad-wear; sorry I'm not sorry!


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Hm, well you are a hard fit being skinnier and taller than I am. I'd be curious to see pictures as well. I have a friend with similar proportions and most of his clothes appear much too baggy on him. For what it's worth, most of the mediums (aside from the cardigan, which measures roomier than all the other stuff) measure about 21" across. Not a slim fit, but doesn't sound terribly baggy either.



hardline_42 said:


> I heard back from Woolovers. Here's the response I got:


I think Mauritius and Madagascar have good wages but high cost of living IIRC.

Almost positive I read that everything was made in UK at one point, but maybe I'm just talking through a hole in my head. Or maybe that changed quite recently.


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