Although synthetic fibers nowadays are sophisticated and are being perfected in research labs across the world even in the moments of the writing of this article, natural fibers are still considered a better-quality option. Many knitwear experts would recommend either going with a pure wool fabric or a blend of synthetic and natural fibers. Natural yarn will often cost you more but a slight increase in price might pay off in the long run if what you are looking for is a cardigan sweater that will last you a decade or longer. Let’s list five main types of fabric that cardigans are comprised of today.
Sheep’s wool
Most associated with sweaters, this fabric is probably most used in cardigans aside from cotton. The most used yarn is Merino, Shetland, and lamb’s wool. These yarns differ in softness and warmth. The softest would be Merino wool, Lambswool comes after it followed by Shetland wool. (Shetland wool is named after the Shetland islands in England which are known for their sheep and wool).
Cashmere
This wool is often associated with softness, warmth, and luxury. It got its name from cashmere goats where it comes from. One of the reasons this wool is so pricey and precious is that cashmere goats produce only about 115g of cashmere per year each and it takes about two goats every year to produce enough fiber for one sweater. Also, sweaters made from cashmere are up to eight times warmer than sheep’s wool. Take a look at the video about how cashmere is made below.
Mohair Yarn
Mohair wool comes from Angora goats and very much like Cashmere, mohair wool is considered a luxurious and lustrous fiber. Considered to be one of the oldest fibers in the history of the textile industry, mohair was once peculiar to the regions of Tibet where Angora goats originated, and later these goats were mainly farmed in Turkey (where the name Ankara came from), Texas-US, South Africa and New Zealand. Mohar wool is often blended with Merino and silk yarn. A lot of high-end women’s cardigan sweaters will contain some percentage of mohair fibers in them. What is Mohair and how do we use it? Find out in the video below.
Linen
Made from the fibers of the flax plant, this fabric is commonly used in blends. Linen blends are more often used in Women’s than men’s cardigans sweaters and some men dislike linen because it tends to wrinkle but that is just the nature of the fabric which also tends to keep those who wear it cool on summer days. So, yes, some lightweight cardigan sweaters can even help you cool down a bit if they are made of linen.
Blended Fabrics
Blends of all the above-described yarn and fabric will often produce the desired effect that customers often look for. Sometimes we will look for a light but warm cardigan and sometimes for a chunkier but cooler one. Today, we can achieve so much by blending high-quality natural fibers with synthetic ones. The durability of our sweaters often also depends on the ratio and types of these blends. Yes, natural wool and fabric are preferred choices but please don’t think that synthetic blends are bad. They are equally good and can last you a lifetime. The video below talks about the best yarn for sweater knitting. Courtesy of knitiversity.com
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