Submitted by doomaflotch t3_zufdm2 in BuyItForLife
Is Amazon a trustworthy site to buy a genuine Aran sweater? Looking for a BIFL sweater, and I want wool. Also, how true to size are they? I’m a male, 6’0 185 pounds with a fit build. I don’t want to go too small, but I don’t like overly baggy clothing. I normally wear a size medium, but should I get the large? I’m looking at the “Irish Fisherman Ribbed Sweater”
I have several of these that I bought years ago from Aran.com and they are great. I also have one that’s 20 years old that I think I bought in their brick and mortar. Either way, the ones from the site are high quality. And fuck Amazon.
Fair enough
I mean don't get me wrong I buy shit from amazon all the time. But when i can I either usa or other ethically made clothing if not us made it's not always possible but if you want a high quality bifl item that's the way to go.
Great quality products but be warned shipping takes awhile, customer service can be dodgy, and you may have to pay additional customs charges depending on country. I still buy from them but FYI
Depends on the seller. Most of Amazon's sellers are now Chinese, with clothing going by Chinese "brand" names of clothing. There must be (almost literally) a million "brand" names of clothing made in China. So, is it really an Aran sweater?
That was my worry
There are plenty of genuine Aran sweater sites online. I'm not saying the ones on Amazon are fake tho'.
But, maybe.
I'm going to add my two cents as a knitter. If you want something for casual use, merinos going to be ok, but how the merinos spun is going to make a big difference. That's going to be hard to tell if you don't go with a know quality brand, and I wouldn't trust amazon for that. Merino's going to be softer, and it may pill easier, as it has a high micron count (is a thinner fiber).
If you are looking for day in day out out door wear, and you have a high itch tolerance for the places where the sweater may touch your skin (wrists and neck), a rougher wool may be a better option. Be aware that this type of sweater may actually smell a bit sheepy, it's not a bad smell and is mostly the lanolin still present in the wool, which is a good thing.
Most new sweaters not from specialty retailers are not going to fit this description, as the export market doesn't support it. Even the made in Ireland sweaters are mostly high micron count imported Australian and new Zealand wool from what I understand.
Either way a good quality wool sweater is a great investment, and should be viewed as such. Taking good care of it by hand washing and laying flat to dry, and only washing when the garment really needs it. Many sweater knitters I know only wash their hand knits once a season, even in cold climates where they are being worn frequently.
Thanks for the info!! That makes a lot of sense
Which wool would you recommend then for knitting? I always planned on knitting me one way down the line
Which ever kind you'll wear. Just like sewing your own clothes, knitting your own garments means you have much more control of what type of wool you use for each project.
Jumping in here as someone who grew up on a specialist sheep wool farm, I would highly recommend commissioning a knitter to make you a sweater in a style you like, to your measurements, from Wensleydale wool--its a rare UK breed and has wonderful, slightly shiny, durable long staple fibre. Soft enough to wear against my sensitive skin. Not cheap, but definitely (esp if you hand wash carefully and flat dry, and learn to darn) a BIFL option.
I'd avoid your typical Aran shop--the tourist and international trade means, as said above, that they don't often use legit local wool and it's often lower quality and itchy.
If you’re looking at different options I got a vintage LL Bean Aron style Irish wool sweater off Poshmark and its legit the nicest warmest sweater I own.
I’m also the same height and wear a medium. Fit is slightly loose but you have to wear a long sleeve tee under it because of the wool so it works.
Here’s one that’s available: https://posh.mk/UURh91JJ1vb
Not a chance. Go direct to the source. And remember, if the deal looks to good to be true, it is.
You cannot ask the internet sizing questions. Full stop. Quit it. Sweaters are especially terrible in this regard as they can stretch. You got questions about that? You try it on in person or refer to the website for fitment help.
There are technically zero trustworthy sites as every site can feature fraud. Don't look at amazon, look at EVERY site.
Genuine Aran. There is no such thing. Aran is not a Vidalia Onion where its a specific type of onion grown in a specific region. Aran means many things to many people. A holy shit red cardigan dress from Burkina Faso could be called an Aran Sweater and feature a large Irish flag tag stating so. And it would be fine. Aran can refer to:
So using the above, ANYTHING can be called an Aran Sweater as there is no standard. In fact, what I had for dinner this evening, I'm now going to call an Aran Sweater because I can.
I would not trust an Amazon retailer. I have purchased several sweaters from Aran.com and had one experience where a sweater was sent to me as the wrong size: I ordered a small and a medium sweater was sent to me. The original tag had been cut off and a small tag had been put on it. We washed it and shrunk it to avoid having to return it, but generally I would feel more comfortable buying from Aran themselves.
I will also say you could get one on Ebay first to see how you like them, and also maybe avoid the $35 flat-rate shipping fee. There are tons of Aran sweaters on ebay.
I think you should go by how you wear clothes. Baggy or snug? Are you wearing it over or under clothes?
Merino wool or other wool?
If you are buying it to wear as outerwear w layers under, go larger.
If you are buying to wear under a coat etc go smaller.
I like sweaters like this a little big. Personal preference.
Amazon is good if the seller is. Aran is a good brand. Machine loomed but popular
Icewear is another good brand.
LLBean has washable ones that seem popular.
Etsy has handmade ones. Hth.
It’s labeled as Merino wool, I’ve heard that doesn’t hold up as well as other wool? I really want something that’ll last me years and years, even if I sacrifice a little bit of comfort.
Check out lopi wool. That seems to be a high grade of wool Icewear has that type of wool
I just bought my son one so I have been researching.
Icelandic or Shetland wool will be a more durable choice for a sweater than merino. Lopi is your keyword to find Icelandic. One durable brand I can recommend that is fairly easy to find (cheaper used if that is an option!) is Dale of Norway. Another durable choice would be a Cowichan sweater, but sourcing them might be harder outside of their geographic area. (An iconic example of this style is the sweater in The Big Lebowski that "The Dude" wears, but that one is made by Pendleton and is not really as good as the real thing)
I have plenty of merino that lasts, one of its benefits is you rarely need to clean it, it’s naturally antimicrobial. Follow the care instructions when you do clean it and it’ll last. I love merino because it’s warm but breathable, so I don’t get sweaty like other kinds of wool.
i’ll throw in my suggestion for wool clothing. https://www.koraoutdoor.com/
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I like the way mine looks, but I’ve I’ve noticed a good bit of wear over the last year of minor usage. I bought through the website as well.
Oh really? I’ve only heard good things about them
I find this type of wool tends to be a little loftier (I.e.warmer), scratchier (felts easier so shrinkage prone). So if it's a question, I'd go up a size. I highly recommend hand washing in your bathtub or a bucket with minimal agitation using a soap like Euclan which contains some lanolin. I find the lanolin is deodorizing/antibacterial, softening, and the garment will last longer. Enjoy! I bought one second hand from Etsy and chose to use the hand wash settings on my machine to shrink a little as mine was very much a size too big. Now it's small enough I think I'll stick to hand washing going forward. (Press the extra water out, roll on a couple towels to squeeze out water, and lay flat to dry)
Thanks everybody! Looks like I oughta go directly to the site. Everybody have a merry Christmas!!
These are great, and no Bezos union busting! https://www.etsy.com/listing/723839791/traditional-aran-sweater-100-pure-new?click_key=859f39c5f7cd11747e18f0d3a381a77651d5eec8%3A723839791&click_sum=009b2c12&external=1&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=aran+sweaters&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&frs=1&etp=1&sts=1
oflimiteduse t1_j1irtkx wrote
https://www.aran.com
Fuck amazon.