Tried and tested wool clothing

Hello everyone

I am wanting this thread to list off places and people who are a trusted brand/person whom people whether it be in Canada,USA,NZ,Aus,Europe can seek and purchase quality natural fibre products.

I am skeptical of some wool clothing and I appreciated seeing on Norsewear socks website that they have a pair of socks which they have been making for 50 years!
So my hopes is this thread will have lists and website links to places where people have bought quality natural fibre produces.
My other hope is this thread will prevent people from spending hours searching online only to find the pair of socks they want comes from all the way around the world. I would love to find a good supplier in Canada for instance.

So far in Canada i have found:
Great Sox in Toronto

And
Egli Farm In Minnitaki Ontario

What are some of the places you have bought Natural Fibre products?

Thank you and welcome Phil Grant of NZ Natural Clothing

Great idea for a thread!

I have been searching for a really good quality, machine washable, hang to dry, wool hoodie (for hopefully under $200 - a girl can dream) for a few years now.  

r ranson wrote:Great idea for a thread!

I have been searching for a really good quality, machine washable, hang to dry, wool hoodie (for hopefully under $200 - a girl can dream) for a few years now.  

This sounds great! I'd love one, myself. Wool skirts would be nice, too.

Our cousins across 'The Ditch' (New Zealand) make some really good wool products. One of the famous ones used here for almost 100 years is Swanndri - their Bushshirt was the go-too for outdoor activity until the synthetic fleeces became popular. I have two Swanndri's and used the synthetic counterparts - no contest on longevity and warmth - wool hands down, the synth versions always feel like sweating in a 'plastic bag'.

Their Women's range include several hooded versions.

They are NOT CHEAP, nothing that good is - these are the bees-knees of outdoor shirts/jackets for dry cold or humid cold weather. (The last time I purchased one was in the 1980's - still going, but sheez, the price has changed!)

They're typically hand washable = eucalyptus oil wool wash.

SWANNDRI WOOL CLOTHING

I've two natural fiber recommendations; one a gift and one I've twice purchased myself.

The gift I received twenty years ago is a Lothlorian (New Zealand) scarf: http://www.lothlorian.co.nz/
It's thick, soft, and warm. I can't tell whether the scarf is possum (as appears to be Lothlorian's main schtick) or wool. I assume they're still just as good as they were then

The purchase is a button-down shirt from Wool & Prince: https://woolandprince.com/
The care tag on the shirt is both humorous and accurate: "Sit back and let the wool do the work." I liked the shirt so much, I got another.

Many years ago I received as a gift a 3 pack of Norskwear wool socks.  
They were the best wool socks I have ever worn!!
I remember I had to get new boots and they wore holes in my socks!  I was devastated, but the new boots were comfortable.  
The name has always stuck with me, kind of different, and have kept it in mind when shopping.
The past few years it has been Costco socks.  They work, as long as I put toe warmers on in the winter.

This thread is great! It can be incredibly difficult to find truly good quality, well-made anything, these days - much less at fair (to everyone) prices, and in classic styles. Are there any in the western hemisphere?  

I just found a pair of serious alpaca gloves for just $20.  I've already misplaced the tag with the manufacturer's info, though.  Will look for it.

I'm from Canada but my favourite wool clothing is from Duckworth based out of Bozeman Montana!

Duckworth Co



An amazing company and I've tested out a number of their pieces. Their powder high sweater is my favourite I wear it almost every day in the winter. Mucking out the chicken coops, coaching ski racing, white water  kayaking, and out to dinner! It washes well and hang dry super fast.

Super bonus, they are one a very few companies that do not use chlorine in the process of washing their wool to make it softer. It's already super soft because the sheep are raised in Montana so their wool has a very high crimp factor (the sheep are expose to extreme cold and heat). The wool is processed and manufactured in the USA; so 100% American made. I've even had the opportunity to meet their design team and they were a wonderful group of women. They are always experimenting with new ways of processing and weaving material to improve their clothing.

No I'm not sponsored I just love their product!

I second that Duckworth recommendation.
But I also like Ibex.  I believe they went out of business for awhile?  I have two wool skirts from years ago from them but then I couldn't find them for awhile.
They don't sell skirts anymore but their prices are reasonable.
https://ibex.com/pages/supply-chain

Kootenaiclothing.com  out of Nelson bc has merino clothing.  Haven't bought any but checked it out and it looks like very good quality.  

Lee Jenkins wrote:

The purchase is a button-down shirt from Wool & Prince: https://woolandprince.com/
The care tag on the shirt is both humorous and accurate: "Sit back and let the wool do the work." I liked the shirt so much, I got another.

Hey those look great. I wonder how they hold up to working conditions outside. Sometimes I find that I don't buy "nice things" because I primarily want stuff I don't have to worry about if I'm out in the woods.

Two that I have used for work and play are C.C. Filson, www.filson.com. and Asbell wool, www.asbellwool.com. Both of these have provided long lasting functional clothing.

I bought two sweaters, both wool from Patagonia 20+ years ago, and they are among my favorite winter go-to’s; albeit a little bit moth eaten, but going strong!

So here is a company which i somewhat dream of wearing, i however wear an outdoor "work sweater" 95% of the time. These seem way to nice to wear chainsawing, and for firewood.

I managed to find one at our local free store and wore it for a few months and i ended up misplacing it out and about. It was a great hardy sweater and it was thick and tightly woven.

Here is the blurb from their website
Top 10 Reasons To Buy A Pollen Sweater

   -No pop bottles were hurt making Pollen sweaters.
   -You'll be helping sheep stay cool in the summer.
   -The pure wool stays warm even when wet.
   -Non-itchy, and soft enough to wear next to sensitive skin.
   -Machine washable and dryable at moderate temperatures.
   -We put the label on the inside, where it belongs.
   -Designed to layer smoothly under or over other garments.
   -No offshore sweatshops. Ours is here at home.
   -If it ever wears out, compost it.
   -Makes you 50% to 90% more handsome. (results may vary)

Kind of cheeky however i like what they are saying in it.

Pollen Sweater Co In Lund BC

 


Here is another company which maybe is iconic to the coasts of canada. I did not see them when i lived in central canada growing up. These are common with forestry people, carpenters, wood workers, fishers, etc.

I have two of these sweaters and wear them almost everyday. They are warm and comfortable.

Stanfields
 
 

I can't recommend a specific source at this point, but I bought a navy pea coat at a military surplus store in Dublin in 2003 or 04, and I still wear it working around the farm every day, from autumn till late spring. I've worn it doing field archaeology(not on the farm 😊), fencing,  logging,  building, and all of the jobs you'd expect on a smallholding, and it's still in completely functional condition. I wouldn't wear it out for a night on the town at this point, but I do wear it in to the shop occasionally. Iv'e had to repair a fair few seams over the years, the lining is in quite rough shape, and I've had to rebuild the pockets a few times (I tend to overfill them with gloves,hats,tools,etc), but it's still as warm, windproof, and water resistant as when I got it. I moved the buttons a bit, so that when it gets down below -20 or so, I can put on a jumper, but for the most part I don't need to. I like the fact that the thick wool acts as a bit of padding, so when pine branches I'm limbing before felling fall on me, it softens the impact, and the fact that it's fabric is so heavily fulled that needles won't get through it.

What about Pendleton Mills in Oregon?  Wikipedia tells me they've been around for 100 years, and they were known for high quality blankets.  I used to be able to find great quality skirts from them in PNW thrift stores, as that conservative pleated style went out for everyone but me...

I found the alpaca labels I mentioned above:

Here's the web link:
https://alpaca-109150.square.site/

Yay! Love to see all these Canadian options!

I second the recommendation for Stanfields - love their long underwear, it's smoother, denser, and feels more durable than a lot of other brands I've tried. I've heard great things about Egli's sheep skin hard hat liners. If I ever end up working up north in the winter again, with a month of lead time (hah!) I intend to buy one.

J. B. Field's Icelandic wool socks are awesome. Thick, cozy, and not restrictive at the top. I wear summer Blundstones all winter with those socks in them. My oldest are 3 years old, and just developed holes - but the holes are in the top, where a certain puppy chewed them, not from wear in the toes/heels.

Mountain Warehouse has inexpensive wool long johns that are decent quality for the price in their frequent 50% or more discount sales. They are I think 70% wool ? Good for the price if you need a bunch in a hurry, not as good quality as other options.

Smartwool is good, but very pricey. MEC's wool stuff is generally good, but watch the reviews. Not wool, but I am currently in love with their organic cotton tshirts. On clearance, they are the same price as normal tshirts ($12), but they seem to last well.

Erica Colmenares wrote:

Lee Jenkins wrote:

The purchase is a button-down shirt from Wool & Prince: https://woolandprince.com/
The care tag on the shirt is both humorous and accurate: "Sit back and let the wool do the work." I liked the shirt so much, I got another.

Hey those look great. I wonder how they hold up to working conditions outside. Sometimes I find that I don't buy "nice things" because I primarily want stuff I don't have to worry about if I'm out in the woods.

When I went to the PEP Jamboree at Wheaton Labs, I brought some of my clothes to test them out; including one of my Wool and Prince shirts.

The Wool and Prince (the only all-wool garment of the bunch) held up extremely well, in terms of temperature/comfort/smell, and continues to go through the wash just fine.

Circle R Lamb
https://circlerlamb.square.site/

Skeins of yarn, cones of yarn, raw wool, roving, pillows, dryer balls, batting for blankets and bed covers. Items at the bottom. Wooligan, open shawl style vest. Scarf, shawl, socks, insoles. Sheep/lamb skins.

I have a few of brands I like, mostly Australian.

Kookai is a flashy upmarket fashion brand that also happens to do solid good quality merino tops and dresses - mostly of the cropped/skintight/low scoop neck sort, but there are exceptions worth looking for. My favourites have all been found on ebay for between $12 and $30 with postage, so they end up pretty affordable. The best ones are long sleeved crew neck dresses or tops that are a double layer of fabric. I've been living in mine since moving back south to Victoria. Dresses for out in town, tunic and roll neck tops for weeding in. I'm looking at the sleeveless dresses for wearing to bed.

Ktena knitting mills does Merino Skins thermal underwear - my original pair is still warm and soft, a few holes and I replaced the waist elastic, but they're 6ish years old and were worn most days for most of the year for 4 of those. They're around $50.
https://ktena.com.au/

Smitten (Australian, in Tasmania) does high end merino, dresses, tops, thermals, lots of lovely stuff, $100 and up retail, occasionally comes up secondhand. So far good quality, though I think the Kookai fabric is softer.
https://www.smittenmerino.com/

Also worth checking on ebay, Country Road does nice long merino cardigans that make a fantastic dressing gown. Light and warm, mine was a bargain at $25 posted. Also lovely with a dress in town on chilly days.
Other fashion brands I've tried - Witchery does lightweight merino, more delicate. Metalicus is thin, wouldn't buy again. My Scope brand top is thick, a little prickly but warm and comfy. David Lawrence was ok but wouldn't bother again.  

I machine wash all of my clothes with wool detergent and sometimes on the wool wash - I do have a front loader though, not sure I'd do that in a top loader.

Hubby is fond of his Icebreaker (New Zealand) top, he's had it 15+ years and it's still very warm, with only a few small holes. I don't mind the brand but it's not warm enough for the price for me, even secondhand. Okay as a light weight mid season layer.

Gonna zombify this thread with a few other recommendations, all of which are machine-washable.

-Absolutely agree with the Costco hiking socks recommendation above. They’re very affordable, hold up well, and are very comfortable. My second-favorite wool socks (second only to my own hand knit ones!).

-Wool& makes dresses, shirts, pants and leggings, and loungewear in a fine-gauge merino knit. They are incredibly comfortable at a wide range of temperatures and layer nicely.  I’m saving up to buy more of them, as the one dress I have consistently gets the most wear of anything in my closet.

-I wear dresses and skirts more often than trousers/pants for a number of reasons. With that, having wool tights becomes an important accessory. Snag Tights makes some sturdy, comfortable wool tights that aren’t saggy or itchy like the wool tights I wore as a kid. I recommend going up a size on the wool ones they make, as they seem to run a bit smaller than their other lines.

Shawn Foster wrote:

-Absolutely agree with the Costco hiking socks recommendation above. They’re very affordable, hold up well, and are very comfortable. My second-favorite wool socks (second only to my own hand knit ones!).

I just looked on the Costco site. Do you mean the Kirkland Signature Men's Merino Wool Blend Sock?

Yes, the Kirkland Signature socks. Choose the appropriate gender for your foot size (I mean, gendered socks is just a silly idea).

While I see there is a thread about them, I am surprised no one has mentioned Darn Tough socks in this thread. They have become my go-to sock brand for year-round wear. They come with a lifetime warranty, and I have proven that they make good on it a couple of times. They make everything from ultra-lightweight no-show runner's socks to ultra-heavyweight boot socks with dressier socks thrown into the mix as well. Made in VT, USA.

https://darntough.com/

Thanks for all the great recommendations y'all

One of my favorite wool undergarments is Army (surplus) olive drab under-sweaters. It's a pull-over with button down v-neck. Great as an under-layer and as a top layer in warmer weather. I also found, what I think is, an Air Force blue wool pullover w/ button down v-neck; it's a bit thicker than the Army version and seems to have been intended as an outer layer as it has shoulder epaulets, but I find it works great as an under layer, too. Both sweaters are 'form fitted' and (bunched) at the waist and sleeve endings making it easier when adding other layers and tucking them into lower layers.

I also second the Navy Peacoat as outstanding - I still have my original-issue from when I joined the Navy in 1967, and, yeah, a little worse for the wear and numerous minor repairs along the way. Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'. It proved it's worth right out of the gate as I did bootcamp at Great Lakes Illinois (on the lake) in winter (Nov-Jan). NOTICE - I've seen a lot of peacoat wannabes in used stores and surplus stores. The 'real' one's have a smooth finish compared to the somewhat fuzzy finish on the wannabes. Can't speak to Navy peacoats issued since then...

So I have wanted some wool clothing, socks, etc. I am worried that they will be scratchy. I know they used to be so still have that concern. If there is a company that makes some of these, I would definitely look in to it. I do have some alpaca products as they are usually warmer than wool and soft.

I’m LOVING this thread!
I too have been looking for a high quality woolens. I must add that I do look for Made in the USA or Canada or Australia…
I just discovered Darn Tough socks, made in Vermont w a lifetime guarantee!!! They are so soft & comfy…
I’m going to look into the resources you all name. Thanks!

I second the recommendation on Darn Tough sox.

I have been wearing them for years.  I buy the knee high version for under my Muck Boots which I wear year round.  They stay up, they are not at all itchy for me.

Before they became popular, I bought cashmere sweaters at the thrift shops, any time I could find them, any size or color.  They are wonderful next to the skin.  If they are small enough to leave no air gaps, that’s the best!  If the underarm seams give way, so much the better.  I am down to one, as I have not found any in years.  I machine wash it, but I don’t dry anything in the dryer.  Just 15 minute air dry tumble to de-lint and soften from the washer, then clothes line or drying rack (or over the bannister, or back of the chair, etc😊)

I bought a couple (photo below) of these all wool very fine knit long sleeve under layer things.  They’re about like wool T-shirts.  I have no idea what they cost new, or who sells them.  I am here to say they are soft and don’t itch when worn next to my skin.  They do fine as a top layer, and could have silk liner underneath, but I don’t have silk long underwear anymore.  I could never get them long enough in the torso, and a gap somewhere near the waistline is abominable!- worse than no underlayer IMO.

Carla - about scratchy wool - totally a thing...except it's not a thing for merino.  I won't call merino luxurious in feel but it's entirely fine - at least as nice to touch/wear as a cotton t-shirt.

Both of these brands were already mentioned but I've got a couple of Swanndri jackets whose performance continues to impress me and several pairs of Icebreakers that I wouldn't live without for base layers.    Thankfully, there's a reasonable turnover in the secondhand winter clothes market here and I scored most of these things for a song by using a saved search on TradeMe.

That said, I bought a used Icebreaker 380 jacket last year because I wanted something a little nicer/more form fitting for the extremely rare occurrences that I go out in public in wintertime.  Wore it once and decided it doesn't hold a candle to my Swanni's so need to sell it.

It's a thing. Wool isn't wool isn't wool. Different breeds work for different purposes. Some, like merino and Icelandic, are lovely, against the skin. Others, like Jacob's... not so much. Other critters, like Angora or cashmere, mohair, (rabbits and goats), yak, and the various camelids all produce quite luxurious fibers that are typically labeled, on the tags. Unfortunately, beyond merino and Icelandic, most of the other sheep's wool types aren't labeled by the breed. That means choosing by label only is nearly impossible, and to know whether its a skin-soft fiber, one ends up needing to feel it. Even amongst same breeds, animals vary in their softness. This whole confusing system isn't exactly conducive to online shopping, unless you can find the many small businesses that thrive on folks who know their animal fibers. And, while there are many, and their numbers are growing, they're still a long way from 'mainstream' shopping. The very best source I've found for locating them, is etsy.com.  If you knit, crochet, weave, nålbind, or even sew, you can also find supplies there, from small business owners who are also often the producers &/or processors of the fibers.

I just bought two pairs of these from Woot. Out of stock there, but Amazon still has them. I wore them once to try, and found them very warm, thick enough, and elastic. I'm saving them for major outdoor adventures.
"Ultimate Socks Mens Snowboard Ski Merino Wool Warm Socks "
https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Socks-Snowboard-Merino-9-11-5/dp/B075G2BBHJ/ref=asc_df_B075G2BBHJ?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=79920880274382&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583520399287244&psc=1

From here in the Netherlands (western Europe) I don't like to order anything from America, Asia or Australia/NZ. So I order my merino wool (under-)garments from Dilling, a Danish company (here's their English site, for the UK: Dilling ).
Yes, the merino sheep are still in NZ, but the production of the garments is in Europe (Danmark, Lithuania and Ukraine).

An all Dutch and all wool product is the Jan Merino trui (Dutch word for sweater/ gansey). This is not merino (the Netherlands are not the right climate for merino sheep), so if you have a sensible skin it might feel a little itchy. Jan Merino

I am a knitter, so I knit my own sweaters, cardigans, vests, etc. There's a growing amount of producers here spinning and dyeing wool from Dutch sheep and selling it online. Fibershed Nederland has a good influence Fibershed NL

Ruth Meyers wrote:I just found a pair of serious alpaca gloves for just $20.  I've already misplaced the tag with the manufacturer's info, though.  Will look for it.

Via Etsy from Enchanted Meadows Paca, I got some alpaca socks. I think we've had them a couple years now for winter wear and they have held up nicely. I'm pretty sure it's a co-op thing too where many 'paca owners send their fiber then get back product. So other shops have essentially the same ones. My partner is somehow really hard on socks and these don't have a hole in them  yet, however they aren't as hard worn as his other ones bc these are special :D

https://www.etsy.com/listing/495467263/alpaca-socks-sm-md-lg-xl

S Ydok wrote:...My partner is somehow really hard on socks and these don't have a hole in them  yet, however they aren't as hard worn as his other ones bc these are special :D...

When holes start to appear it's time for the Sock Darning BB!
https://permies.com/wiki/105490/pep-textiles/Quick-darning-PEP-BB-textile#855242

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:

S Ydok wrote:...My partner is somehow really hard on socks and these don't have a hole in them  yet, however they aren't as hard worn as his other ones bc these are special :D...

When holes start to appear it's time for the Sock Darning BB!
https://permies.com/wiki/105490/pep-textiles/Quick-darning-PEP-BB-textile#855242

Pretty funny. I had been cruising that thread before you posted and was contemplating it lol

My favorite pair of socks is from Nordic Wools. I got them last summer and have taken them on long hikes a few times already. They hold up well. Made of 50% merino wool so they're absorbent but not itchy. The patterns are cute as well, if you're into that.

https://nordicwools.com/

Hi Sally,

Welcome to Permies.

I just traveled to Ireland, and I was determined to come home with a gorgeous cable knit sweater. I figured a good one was going to cost over $300.

I was shocked at the low prices, I think when they say "handmade" it's more like a human operated knitting machine, but you know what, these are 100% Merino wool sweaters and they are beautiful. I took my $300 budget and I got two sweaters for me and one for my husband!

All of the stores (which are in almost every city and village in Ireland) have this thing where if you spend more than 150 Euros they will ship your purchases to you. I did that and it showed up in less than a week! They use plastic envelopes but we have a way to recycle those now

https://www.aran.com is where I got myself a long "coat" that I think I'll keep at work to fight excessive air conditioning. I'll see if I can attach a photo.