If you’ve been following our moves through the years, you know December means it’s Merino Wool sweater season. Loop & Weft's continued devotion to crafting some of the best sweaters, is a concoction of the finest materials and second-to-none construction, seldom seen these days. The sweaters are produced by an older gentleman in his 70s, with decades of experience producing some of Japan's meticulously produced knitwear pieces out of a small factory near Yamanashi, Japan. Knowing that these sweaters have been given the individual care and attention of this sole craftsman, we like to put them on the pedestal that they deserve. The Lambswool itself is from Australia, sourced from the Australian city of Geelong (a rich pasture area along the Southeastern Coast of Australia renowned for its prized Lambswool). The wool itself is shaved from a baby lamb, specifically lamb that is up to six months in age.
Why 6 months you ask? There are two very good reasons for this. Baby lambs provide exceptionally soft wool that feels incredible from the first wear. The other reason is the color, the depth and quality of the color of the wool is superior when compared to the wool of adult sheep. As the wool is derived from a baby lamb, the microns of the wool are extremely small which allow for an incredibly soft feeling and particularly warm knit - hence the description, extra fine Merino wool.
Featuring dropped shoulder construction, the true old-school detailing comes in the form of dial-linking the shoulder seams. As opposed to trimming the excess ends of each panel and over-sewing like most traditionally made sweaters, Loop & Weft go a step further by individually linking finished sleeve and torso panels. Not only does this result in cleaner sewing lines, but also just stronger integrity along the entire construction.
Taking the form of a 1980's Nautical Birdseye Sweater, this particular fabric features a textured, diamond-shaped pattern that resembles the way a bird's eye looks. The pattern is created by using a specific type of knitting technique, which involves knitting some stitches while slipping others to create the diamond shape. Available in Navy and Mocha, these Winter-ready tops will simply put you on the fast-track to ultimate coziness this season.
