Where the Aran jumper comes from
The Aran jumper takes its name from the Aran Islands, off the west coast of Ireland. It was traditionally hand-knitted from undyed, unscoured wool, and it was first made by the islands' fishermen for warmth and protection against the harsh Atlantic weather they worked in. The cable pattern was worked into the knit itself, as part of the structure of the garment rather than as something applied to the surface afterwards.
Gloverall's Aran jumper, style MK5090, follows that same construction. It is a cable-knit jumper, made to layer under a coat through the colder months or to wear on its own. What has changed since the original is where the knitting is done, and that is set out plainly in the next section rather than left for you to work out.
This jumper is knitted in England
Gloverall's Aran jumper is knitted in England. It is not made in Ireland. Aran knitwear is closely associated with the islands the pattern came from, so if you have come to this page looking for an Irish-made jumper, this is not one, and we would rather tell you here than have you find out after it arrives.
What it is, stated in full: the Aran cable-knit pattern, knitted in England, in 100% Merino wool, with ribbed cuffs and a ribbed hem, in a regular fit, in sizes XS to 2XL. Where a garment is made matters a great deal to some buyers and very little to others. Both positions are reasonable. The point of saying it on the page is that you get to decide which one you hold before you buy, not after.
Comparing this with an Irish-made Aran jumper
If you are weighing this jumper against one made in Ireland, the difference we can speak to is the country it is knitted in. Gloverall's is knitted in England. We make no claim about how anyone else's jumper is made, what it is knitted from or where its yarn comes from, because that is not ours to state.
What we can set against your shortlist is this jumper: the Aran cable-knit pattern, 100% Merino wool, ribbed cuffs and a ribbed hem, a regular fit, eight colours and sizes XS to 2XL, knitted in England. Those are the facts, and they are the ones to compare. If the country of manufacture decides it for you, you now have what you need to rule this jumper in or out.
Construction and details
The jumper is knitted in England from 100% Merino wool. Cable panels run through the body, following the Aran pattern the garment is named after. Ribbed cuffs finish the sleeves and a ribbed hem finishes the waist. The cut is a regular fit.
It is made to be worn two ways: layered under a coat, or worn on its own. The same jumper does both, and the construction does not change between them. The style code is MK5090.
Sizing and fit
The jumper is sized from XS to 2XL and is cut to a regular fit. If you plan to wear a shirt or another layer underneath it, check the size guide against your own measurements before choosing your usual size. If you are between two sizes, the size guide is the thing to go by rather than the size you take in other knitwear, since fit varies from brand to brand.
Colours
The jumper comes in eight colours: Army Green, Black, Burnt Orange, Ecru, Green, Grey, Mushroom and Navy. Ecru is the closest of the eight to the undyed wool the original island jumpers were knitted from. Black, Grey and Navy are the quieter colours of the eight, and are the ones that sit least noticeably under a coat. Army Green, Burnt Orange, Green and Mushroom are the stronger colours, and show more of themselves when the jumper is worn as the outer layer.
