When shopping for knitwear I have become so much more picky than ever before. Since I purchased a Balenciaga turtleneck sweater and experience the true warmth, coziness and comfort I haven’t been able to go back to any other type but only the finest garments. I was chatting about this with my friend Omar and we started to get more in depth with the subject, so I decided to make a quick post on what types of materials we will find and how choose the one that is best for you.

Lets start.

Synthetics: first of all let me say that for more than obvious reasons you shouldn’t ever buy synthetics they are harmful for the environment, wont last as natural fibers, and quality wise they are always a lot worse, even the touch is rough.

Wool: Comes from sheep, can sometimes be itchy and is prone to shrink and peel with heavy use. It is perfect for winter though since it is extremely warm. It is less expensive and more widely available than other types of knits.

Lambswool (Virgin Wool) : Comes from lamb (sheep that are less than one year old) it’s the wool from the first shearing of a sheep when it’s only months old. Its super smooth, soft and resilient so it wont wrinkle easily. Its more expensive and rare since you can only shear a baby sheep virgin’s hear once.

100% virgin wool sweaters:

The Row Danbridge sweater (get it HERE) – The Row black turtleneck (get it HERE) – Haider Ackermann ribbed turtleneck (get it HERE)

Merino wool: comes from merino sheep, it’s finer than sheep’s wool and it’s less bulky and there is less pilling and shrinkage. Merino is great for keeping you warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot so you will find it year round.

Cashmere wool: comes from cashmere goat this is considered the most luxurious type of wool because it is a fine fiber that is stronger, lighter, less itchy and more durable than traditional sheep’s wool. It provides excellent insulation yet can be worn in spring and you won’t overheat. Because it’s rare and harder to produce it is more expensive.

100% casmere sweaters:

The Row Sephin sweater (get it HERE) – Tomas Maier V neck sweater (get it HERE) – Prada white sweater (get it HERE)

Mohair wool: comes from angora goat. It is very soft and shiny, has a silk-like texture but still has great insulation to keep you warm. Its strong and resilient, so it won’t wrinkle easily.

Angora wool: comes from angora rabbit it is lightweight and fluffy but they still offer great insulation. They are much warmer than traditional wool and perfect for colder weather, however since fibers are more fragile it’s frequent to find them in accents or combined. Angora is also rare and generally expensive.

Alpaca wool: comes from alpacas, it is lightweight, soft, silky and durable. It is similar to traditional sheep’s wool but is warmer and less scaly. Unlike other types of wool it is naturally available in a wide variety of colors.

Yak wool: comes from yak. It’s warmer than merino, as soft as cashmere and as tough as camel. It’s also quite expensive and rare and is often considered the “new cashmere”.