Travel

The 8 Greatest Wool Sweaters, Examined and Reviewed

March 28, 2025

Dwelling in Scotland, I put on knitted sweaters every day, particularly all through the chilly season, and I additionally at all times pack them for journeys. In relation to superior heat, breathability, temperature regulation, and moisture-wicking consolation, sweaters constructed from 100% wool are completely my high choose. Match for chilly climate locations or just when the temperatures drop in any locale, you possibly can’t go incorrect with a wool sweater.

After all, wool sweaters are available many various kinds and weights to swimsuit an nearly infinite checklist of journey eventualities, from conventional fisherman’s sweaters knitted from heavyweight yarn for sensible heat to superb cashmere sweaters meant as a flattering, trendy choose for extra formal events. That can assist you discover the most effective wool sweaters for you, I requested Journey + Leisure’s knitwear-loving editors to advocate private favorites that they’ve examined out in the true world and know to ship the easiest in high quality, match, sturdiness, and packability.

PHOTO: Fjallraven

We predict the Fjallraven Ovik Knit Sweater epitomizes the traditional wool sweater fashion, with a number of nature-inspired Honest Isle prints to select from, starting from deep forest to darkish navy or buckwheat brown. The smooth wool is of course moisture-wicking, breathable, and insulating, making it the proper mid-layer for on a regular basis use in an adventurous outside setting. It matches effectively below a winter coat, and on days while you go away your high layer at residence, it stays heat even when it will get moist.

“I like the added sturdiness provided by the strengthened elbow patches and imagine the sweater is constructed to final,” Popp raved. Type-wise, you possibly can count on a crew neck, a snug-fitting raglan minimize with some pure stretch, and ribbing across the cuffs and hem. We predict the match runs true to dimension, though it may well come up lengthy on shorter torsos. The one disadvantage? It’s hand wash solely and must be laid out flat to dry.

The Particulars: Sizes 2XS to 2XL | 100% wool

Finisterre Farne Women's Crew Neck Knit Sweater

PHOTO: Finisterre

Comprised of 100% Donegal merino wool, the Finisterre Farne Ladies’s Crew Neck Knit Sweater is available in a selection of shades, all with delicate flecks of contrasting coloration. Affiliate editor Anna Popp calls hers “essentially the most traditional wool sweater I’ve ever owned, with its timeless crew neck and classy ribbing on the cuffs and collar.” It’s made utilizing a standard fisherman’s knit from licensed nonmulesed wool (an moral selection that avoids the controversial follow of mulesing, whereby folds of pores and skin are faraway from across the sheep’s tail to keep away from flystrike).

We love that the sweater’s pure crimp creates pockets of air for max insulation and water resistance. The Merino is thermoregulating, which implies that it retains the wearer heat in chilly climate whereas additionally providing breathability when temperatures rise or you end up breaking right into a sweat. It’s cozy to put on for an prolonged interval, and while you’re not carrying it, it folds pretty compactly for simple packing. And eventually, excellent news for individuals who hate hand washing — the sweater will be machine washed on a fragile cycle, though it have to be air dried.

The Particulars: Sizes 2 to 14 | 100% Merino wool

PHOTO: Uniqlo

Why We Love It

It’s slim-fitting sufficient to put on tucked in or out, by itself or as a layer, and works for each informal and formal events.

Turtlenecks are the traditional, neck-lengthening selection for anybody wanting a chic look. The Uniqlo Merino Ribbed Sweater is certainly one of our favorites, providing all of the softness, heat, and breathability of 100% ultrafine merino in a single versatile, slim-fitting bundle. T+L editor Hillary Maglin loves its modern, fashionable aesthetic, saying, “I at all times really feel very in vogue once I put on it.” It scores factors for anybody wanting to maintain their packing to a minimal, too, since it really works effectively for many seasons and events.

It’s skinny sufficient to be tucked into pants or a skirt, however may also be worn untucked for a distinct look. It pairs with denims for an informal vibe, whereas additionally working with good pants or a skirt for extra formal occasions. In spring or fall, you possibly can put on it by itself, and in winter, it’s an efficient, insulating mid-layer. With this versatility in thoughts, coloration selections vary from impartial black to navy, beige, or off-white. Lastly, it may be thrown within the washer because of a particular end that stops it from shedding its form over time.

The Particulars: Sizes XS to XL | 100% Merino wool

Quince Australian Merino Wool Collared Cable Cardigan

PHOTO: Quince

T+L author Asia London Palomba typically doesn’t put on wool sweaters, and but she’s been dwelling within the Quince Australian Merino Wool Collared Cable Cardigan all winter. “Not like many different wool clothes, this one is so smooth that I don’t thoughts carrying it instantly towards my pores and skin,” she raved. The Australian Merino can be naturally thermoregulating, breathable, and moisture-wicking, making it a flexible selection for a variety of temperatures.

We love the tremendous cozy, relaxed match and the true cropped size (it hits on the hips on a 5-foot body). The traditional cable knit conjures up photographs of sizzling cocoa sipped hearth in a mountain chalet, whereas the collar and outsized tortoiseshell buttons rating delicate fashion factors. Colours are impartial and vary from heather grey to malted toffee. Thankfully, wool outer layers don’t require frequent washing, however when this one does should be freshened up, you’ll want at hand wash it inside out in chilly water.

The Particulars: Sizes XS to XL | 100% Merino wool

PHOTO: Buck Mason

The Buck Mason Cable Crew is constructed from an expensive, five-gauge Peruvian alpaca and merino wool mix for a wealthy texture simply made for winter snuggling. Editor Taylor Fox is a fisherman’s sweater aficionado and loves this one’s vintage-inspired cable detailing. “It’s so cozy and classy, it makes me really feel like Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally,” Fox stated. Count on a relaxed crew neck, a dropped shoulder, and a cropped size that hits just under the waistband.

We significantly like that the sweater is boxy with out being too outsized. The result’s an always-flattering match that matches effectively with just about any journey pants. This versatility is helped by the sweater’s pure coloration, a creamy, off-white shade that enhances impartial, pastel, and jewel tones equally. The colour is inevitably troublesome to maintain clear, nonetheless, and we wouldn’t dare wash this sweater at residence. It’s, because the label says, undoubtedly dry clear solely.

The Particulars: Sizes XS to 2XL | Alpaca and Merino wool mix

PHOTO: Dale of Norway

The Dale of Norway Ingrid Sweater was designed in collaboration with Norwegian influencer Ingrid Raadim Hennig in a mix of shades and patterns impressed by the pastel shades of the nation’s northern island landscapes. The sweater blends pink, purple, yellow, and white, providing a retro 80s and 90s vibe, and it’ll look equally good in an city or nation setting.

An avid skier, Popp says the sweater is her go-to for classes on the slopes and aprés ski. She says that the “premium stitching and supplies are effectively definitely worth the cash” and loves that the pure wool cloth is each smooth and light-weight. The sweater is supposed as a mid-layer and incorporates a versatile, relaxed match with a crew neck and ribbed end. Conveniently for a chunk meant for activewear, it maintains its form completely even after repeated machine washing.

The Particulars: Sizes XS to XL | 100% wool

Aran Sweater Market Men's Heavyweight Traditional Aran Wool Sweater&lrm;&lrm;&lrm;&lrm;

PHOTO: Aran

Once I moved to Scotland from South Africa, I needed to up my sweater recreation if I used to be going to outlive the winter. Enter the Heavyweight Conventional Aran Wool Sweater from Aran Sweater Market, which makes use of triple-strand wool for further thickness and heat. It’s the coziest choose in my wardrobe, providing immediate heat the second I put it on. And though its loft means it takes up a bit an excessive amount of suitcase area, that is simply remedied with a compression packing dice.

I like the heritage behind this sweater’s development. It’s made on the Aran Islands of Eire (and even comes with a certificates of authenticity) utilizing two conventional stitches meant to symbolize luck and safety. It’s tremendous cozy when paired with leggings and winter boots and is available in a variety of colours from impartial (suppose black or pure white) to jewel tones (damson, Caspian blue). I ordered the boys’s model as a result of I like an excellent outsized match, but it surely does are available a girls’ model, too.

The Particulars: Sizes XS to 3XL | 100% wool

PHOTO: Naadam

Why We Love It

Flattering, versatile, obtainable in a bunch of colours, and inexpensive for cashmere, this sweater ticks all of the containers.

Derived from the coat of a particular breed of goat, this cashmere sweater affords unbeatable softness and thrice the heat of standard wool. For that reason, it’s often a luxurious purchase, however The Authentic Cashmere Sweater from Naadam is surprisingly inexpensive regardless of being constructed from 100%, high-quality cashmere. With its crew neck and slim match, it’s meant as a staple piece to be worn with numerous completely different outfits as a mid-layer or high layer, for informal or formal put on.

“It’s a traditional fashion that pairs with every thing and can nonetheless be in vogue 10 years from now,” Maglin shared. It options ribbed particulars on the cuff, neck, and hem, and is available in an entire rainbow of colours from go-with-anything core shades like black and navy to restricted version hues launched every season. Present examples embody electrical pink and tangerine, whereas customized monogramming is accessible for a small further price.

The Particulars: Sizes 2XS to 2XL | 100% Mongolian cashmere

Different Wool Sweaters We Appreciated

AspenX Ruth Sweater: Though we examined the white model of this sweater, which is constructed from acrylic yarn, it additionally is available in a blue, 100% wool model. We preferred its light-weight coziness and the stylish aesthetics of the mock turtleneck, the knit sample, and the delicate silver brand. The white model is skinny sufficient that you just’d have to put on a vest beneath to forestall transparency, nonetheless.

Fjallraven Ovik Rib Sweater: Of the 2 Fjallraven Ovik sweaters we examined, we most well-liked the nonribbed model for its extra traditional design and match. Nonetheless, this one is a superb selection if you happen to’re on the lookout for purposeful but nice-looking, outsized heat. It does run a little bit massive and lengthy, so take into account sizing down for a barely extra fitted look.

Our Testing Course of

The entire wool sweaters included on this checklist are owned and beloved by T+L editors who’ve been carrying them for something from a couple of months to a number of years. They’ve been put to the take a look at out in the true world, whether or not we’re stress-free or working errands in them at residence, packing them for ski holidays, or counting on them to maintain us heat on expeditions to far-flung locations like Russia and Arctic Norway. To judge the sweaters, we paid shut consideration to issues like match, high quality, consolation, breathability, and packability.

Ideas for Shopping for Wool Sweaters

Contemplate the fashion

Wool sweaters are available an nearly infinite array of kinds, weights, and knits, so contemplating which is able to greatest fit your function (and aesthetic) is essential. First, take into consideration what you need the sweater for. Will you employ it principally as a toasty mid-layer for heat in excessive chilly? Then, a heavyweight knit and a match that enables area for layering beneath whereas nonetheless with the ability to put on a coat on high is necessary. However if you happen to’re on the lookout for a wool sweater you could put on for formal events or as a winter fashion assertion, maybe one thing in a modern, flattering minimize constructed from a premium materials like cashmere is extra applicable. Contemplate the neckline, too. Crewnecks, turtlenecks, V-necks, and even cardigans all supply fairly completely different appears, with the only option for you relying in your private choice, fashion, and physique kind.

Search for 100% pure fibers

Not all knitwear is constructed from wool, as I noticed when checking the labels of my many, many knitted sweaters for this text. Acrylic and polyester yarns are generally used as a result of they’re cheaper, extra sturdy, and simpler to look after than pure wool; nonetheless, they can not compete with 100% wool for heat, breathability, odor resistance, and the pure capacity to each regulate temperature and wick moisture. The finer fibers of Merino wool (derived from a particular breed of sheep) elevate it above common wool for hypoallergenic softness, long-lasting sturdiness, and a powerful warmth-to-weight ratio, whereas cashmere is essentially the most luxurious possibility for unparalleled heat and softness.

Steadily Requested Questions

What makes a wool sweater good for touring?

Should you’re touring someplace chilly, a wool sweater is a perfect selection firstly due to the superior heat it affords in contrast with artificial fibers. Greater than that, wool’s breathable, thermoregulating, and moisture-wicking properties make it a flexible possibility that may deal with a variety of temperatures, permitting you to pack fewer sweaters for various events and due to this fact save suitcase area. I significantly like that wool is of course odor-resistant, which suggests you possibly can put on wool outer clothes a number of instances with out having to scrub them. Something that saves me from having to do laundry on trip is a win in my e book.

How do I clear a wool sweater?

Washing directions for wool sweaters differ enormously relying on the kind of wool used. Washing them the incorrect approach can typically trigger important harm like shrinkage, stretching, or pilling, so I’d at all times advocate checking the care label earlier than trying to take action. As a basic rule, Merino wool sweaters are typically the best to keep up. They will typically be machine washed on a fragile cycle, and a few may even be tumble dried on low. Common wool sweaters could possibly be machine washed on a wool cycle however ought to often be laid out flat to dry naturally (though some are strictly hand-washed solely). Finer clothes, particularly these constructed from cashmere, are sometimes solely appropriate for dry cleansing.

How ought to I pack a wool sweater?

I pack my light-weight wool sweaters in the identical approach I’d pack every other sweater — by laying them face down on the mattress, then folding the edges inwards in thirds and folding the sleeves on high till I’ve a uniform rectangle to work with. Then I both fold the sweater into thirds vertically or roll it, relying on how a lot area I’ve in my suitcase. There’s an exception — I at all times use a compression packing dice for heavyweight sweaters like my one from Aran Sweater Market as a result of it takes up an excessive amount of area in any other case. I additionally like that the packing dice protects the costly knit from unintended pulls or snags. If area is a priority, I could decide to put on my heaviest sweaters on the aircraft as a substitute of packing them.

Why Belief Journey + Leisure

As somebody who lives in Scotland however hates to be chilly, Jessica Macdonald is a confessed knitwear lover. She has owned many wool sweaters, together with the Aran Sweater Market one listed on this article, and wears them every day at residence throughout fall, winter, and spring. She’s additionally packed them for travels to cold-weather locations, together with Russia, the Yukon, Norway, Finland, and Estonia. Different sweaters on this checklist had been chosen in line with the non-public suggestions of T+L editors.

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