Lambswool, and what it is
Lambswool is the wool taken from a lamb's first shearing. It is finer and softer than wool from an adult fleece, which is why it is used where a jumper sits closer to the skin and is worn without a shirt underneath. It is also lighter for the warmth it gives, so a lambswool jumper layers under a coat without adding bulk at the shoulder.
All three lambswool jumpers in this collection are knitted in Scotland, in 100% lambswool, in a regular fit.
The three styles
The Oxford Brushed Lambswool Jumper, style MK5100, is the textured one. It is knitted in 100% brushed lambswool, which lifts the surface of the yarn and gives the jumper its depth and its shaggier hand. The construction is seamless, so the silhouette stays clean, and it is finished with a ribbed collar, ribbed cuffs and a ribbed hem. It runs from XS to 2XL.
The Henley Lambswool Jumper, style MK5099, is the smarter of the three, with a buttoned Henley placket at the neck in place of a crew. It is also seamless, which keeps the line close and the bulk down, and it carries the same ribbed collar, cuffs and hem. It runs from S to XL. The Lambswool Crew Neck Jumper is the plainest, cut with a saddle shoulder, and is now down to its last sizes.
Knitted in Scotland
All three are made in Scotland. The Lambswool Crew Neck Jumper is knitted from yarn spun by Todd & Duncan, the mill at Kinross, which is named on that product because it is the one style where the mill is on record.
The wider Gloverall knitwear range is split between two countries: the lambswool jumpers are knitted in Scotland, while the Aran, fisherman, submariner and shawl collar styles are knitted in England. If where a garment is made matters to you, that split is worth knowing when you compare across the range.
Colours
The Oxford Brushed carries the widest choice, in nine colours: Black, Burnt Orange, Citrus, Green, Grey, Navy, Purple, Red and Seaglass. That is a broader and brighter run than the rest of the knitwear range, and the brushed surface holds colour with more depth than a flat knit does.
The Henley comes in four: Grey, Natural, Navy and Olive Green, all of them quiet enough to wear under a coat. The Crew Neck is in Burnt Orange.
Sizing and fit
All three are cut to a regular fit. The Oxford Brushed runs from XS to 2XL and the Henley from S to XL, so check the style you want rather than assuming the range is the same across all three. The seamless construction on the Oxford Brushed and the Henley means there is no shoulder seam to sit against, which some people find more comfortable under a coat.
Because lambswool is finer than a heavyweight wool, these sit closer to the body than the Aran or the fisherman jumper. If you want room for a shirt underneath, check the size guide against your own measurements first.
Looking after lambswool
Use a delicate wash, inside out, with similar colours. Do not tumble dry and do not bleach. Pull the jumper back into shape while it is still damp and dry it flat rather than hanging it, because wool held up wet will stretch under its own weight.
A fine knit worn next to the skin needs washing more often than a heavyweight one, so a gentle wash cycle matters more here than it does on a chunky jumper.
