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8 Ways to Know a High-Quality Sweater: Saturday Shopping with FutureDerm

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Blake Lively Ensemble - Glamour July 2011 by Winter Phoenix

Everyone who comes out does a very foolish thing in bringing such a quantity of clothes that he never wants. -William John Wills

I used to never pay attention to the quality of my clothes. What difference did it make, so long as it was cute, clean, and fit well? That is, until about two years ago, when one of my friends – the granddaughter of a seamstress – tugged on my sleeve.

“Ew,” she said, wrinkling her face. “That’s a cheap sweater.”

Part of me was insulted, wanting to tell her to shut it. But another, perhaps better, part of me was intrigued: What exactly makes a high-quality garment? When are expensive sweaters worth it – if ever? I investigated, and here’s what I’ve learned:

1. It feels heavier than you expect when you pick it up.

This occurs for two reasons. One, a high-quality sweater is knit tightly, so it is very dense. Two, better garments are made of higher quality material, which tends to pack more weight per square inch anyway.

2. The seams inside will have finished edges.

Cheap sweaters are made from different pieces of material. If you took it apart, you would see that material is cut and strewn together. On the other hand, better-quality sweaters are made from a continuous strand of yarn, so the entire sweater will have finished, turned edges at the ends of the rows. When a sweater is made from a single strand, it will also pill less. Now, granted, you don’t have to spend a lot for this: designer sweaters from Stella McCartney and Marc Jacobs have this property, but so do many handmade sweaters you’ll find from street vendors in parts of China, Thailand, and India. In fact, the best quality cashmere comes from China and Inner Mongolia, so don’t be afraid to stock up if you’re sent to Asia on business!

3. Know the difference between cashmere/cotton and cashmere/silk blends.

This may sound obvious, but 100% cashmere is worth a lot more than a cashmere/cotton or cashmere/silk blend. A cashmere/cotton blend sweater tends to be thinner than pure cashmere, so it is more suitable for use in the spring. On the other hand, cashmere/silk is harder in texture than pure cashmere. This gives garments more shape than cashmere/cotton or pure cashmere, but it also makes the sweater feel less luxurious against the skin than pure cashmere.

4. Examine the yarn: It should be 2-ply.

High-quality cashmere knitting yarn is always made from two pieces of cashmere knitting yarn that are twisted together. This prevents the garment from having those little edges that creep up at the bottom. If a garment has 4-, 6-, or 8-ply stitching, that’s all fine and good, but it isn’t necessary and doesn’t actually provide any extra benefit.

5. The color is vibrant, with consistent depth and saturation throughout.

Even if a sweater is a light color, such as a pale blue or beige, it should not be dull, faded, or dirty-looking. Color may come from the natural hue of the fabric or dyes, but in either case, the color should be relatively consistent throughout the garment, unless there is a tag specifying otherwise.

6. It feels soft, smooth, and slightly “spongy.”

Unless you’re in the market for a wool or wool-blend sweater, always be on the lookout for fabric that feels elegant, for it most often signifies quality. Cashmere, for instance, is considered to be of the most high-quality when it feels softest, smoothest, and slightly “spongy” to the touch, as though there is a bit of elastic inside, propping it back up to the surface.

7. If you’re buying vintage, the garment has held its shape.

Vintage is an amazing way to buy high-quality classics, such as sweaters. However, if you pick up a sweater in a vintage shop that you have to keep moving around to be sure it is a sweater at all, put it right back down. High-quality garments maintain their shape with time because they are tightly knit, made from a single piece of material, and kept and stored well through the years.

8. Know where to find the most high-quality sweaters.

If all else fails, try these high-quality brands:

Got a fashion question? I’ll research+answer it for you! Ask via the FutureDerm.com Facebook page or Twitter!

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Photo source:  Blake Lively Ensemble – Glamour July 2011, a photo by Winter Phoenix on Flickr.

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