Prepare your wardrobe for the colder months ahead with everything you need to know about styling, washing and storing your super-soft sweaters, cosy cardigans and fine knits.
As the temperature dips, our knitwear becomes an everyday luxury.
From super soft blends for layering to chunky cardigan shapes that keep you cosy, a collection of core knitwear offers style solutions from autumn to spring. But, with a quiet staying power that transcends the seasons, caring for your knitwear is essential to maintaining its integrity, vibrancy and longevity.
To help you make the most of your beloved knitwear collection, we’ve enlisted the expertise of Sussan Quality Assurance Manager Claire Mellios.
With plenty of styling tips to add a welcome dose of colour and texture to any look, she also shows us how to keep your sumptuously warm sweaters, delicate wool-blend pieces, and bold pullovers looking and feeling fabulous for years to come.
What are some of the knitwear highlights this season?
This season showcases beautiful vibrant colours, including stunning pink, berry and lilac shades. There is also a rich palette of new neutrals, including deep chestnut brown and saffron, as well as greens that vary from more vibrant shades to misty hues.
We’re also seeing knitwear come through as lightweight layering pieces, including polo necks, structured shackets, quarter zip fronts with collars, and surface interest, such
as cable knits.
What fabrics did you love incorporating into this season’s knitwear?
Sussan has an incredible range of Australian Cotton knitwear. Incredibly ethical and sustainable in its farming practices, we are so proud to have a long-standing partnership with Cotton Australia.
We also have many wool blends in the winter collection. Wool provides warmth but can be dense and heavy (and expensive) in 100% wool knits. Mixed back with acrylic for loftiness, viscose for drape, nylon for shape retention, or polyester for durability, wool blends are a great option for retaining the warmth and touch of wool.
Knitwear has long been a cornerstone of a cold-weather wardrobe, but what are some new ways you love seeing sweaters and cardigans styled this season?
This season is all about relaxed tailoring, so pairing a solid colour knit with more structured woven pieces creates a soft, textured contrast. It’s a simple way to elevate an outfit.
A warm knit can ensure the great outdoors are still great in winter; what styles and fabrics should we look for when it comes to more casual weekend wear and keeping cosy while braving the elements?
Knitwear keeps you warm by trapping pockets of air next to your body. There are fibres and blends and knit constructions that perform better than others, but generally, the chunkier the knit, the warmer the knit!
We have beautiful blended, soft-touch yarns coming through with a warm hand feel, such as the lofty button cardi and the cable mock neck pullover.
Cotton is an amazing all-season yarn. Plied up into a chunkier knit, it can be warm for winter and in lighter weights, it’s perfect for summer nights. Layering in winter is also a great way to keep warm; fine knit wool and wool blends are good at trapping heat against your body and keeping you warm.
Knitwear is a great workwear staple, easily layered over a blouse or shirt (and hung over the back of your office chair when the central heating kicks in); what styles do you see being seamlessly translated into workwear this season?
The knitted shacket is a great staple workwear piece. It’s comfortable and elevated and looks great with casual or dressier outfits.
The polo and mock neck styles, such as the statement batwing pullover, are perfect to wear under this season’s oversized coats. Tonal layering, such as a blue knit with a blue coat, is the key to combining and creating an on-trend look.
The rollneck silhouette has been around for decades but can still be intimidating to wear and style. What are your tips for incorporating this elevated essential into your everyday wardrobe?
Turtlenecks (folded neck) and mock necks (not folded) are very on trend this season. Pair your slouchier turtleneck with an oversized coat or puffer, and your finer knit turtleneck with a blazer.
Caring for knitwear requires a little extra time and attention to maintain longevity for seasons to come. How should we be washing our knits?
Washing brings your knitwear back into shape and refreshes the appearance of your garment. You don’t need to over-wash your knitwear. Spot cleaning and airing out can extend the time between washes and prolong the life of your knitwear.
If your knitwear does require cleaning, wash it by hand using cold water and eco-friendly wool wash detergent. Try not to rub, wring, or scrub your knitwear, as it can cause surface fuzzing. Let the garment soak in for 10 mins, rinse thoroughly with cold water and then gently squeeze out excess water by hand.
While hand-washing is preferable, I know it’s not always achievable! A cold wool wash cycle in your washing machine with like colours is also OK if you are time-poor. Avoid harsh detergents, bleach, and stain removers. Instead, use an eco-friendly wool wash to maintain the colour of your pieces, a gentle spin cycle to remove excess water, and do not overcrowd the washing machine.
Spot cleaning is essential to prevent stains and to extend the time between washes.
If possible, rinse any stains immediately with cold or warm water, but if that doesn’t work, try spot-cleaning. Apply some diluted wool laundry detergent to a clean, damp cloth
and gently tap the stain without scrubbing or rubbing it. Avoid harsh stain removers and detergents containing bleach, as they can ruin the surface and colour of your knits.
How should we be drying our knitwear to ensure we can still wear it year after year?
Drying your knits correctly is essential to maintain their quality and shape. Never wring or hang-dry knitwear, as wool stretches easily, especially when wet. Instead, roll the garment in a clean and dry towel before gently pressing it. Once the towel has absorbed the excess water, carefully ease your knit into shape and lay it flat on top of a dry towel or a drying rack.
Avoid placing your knit on top of a heater to dry faster, as too much heat can damage the delicate fibres and cause your knitwear to shrink.
If your knitwear can be ironed (always follow the care instructions), a light press will help bring the garment back to its “as new” appearance. I always iron my knits to keep them looking fresh and new.
Storing knitwear properly is also essential to maintain its shape and integrity; what are your tips for preventing them from stretching out of shape?
Store your knits folded in a drawer or shelf. Hanging knitwear can cause the shape and fit to distort. Always store your knitwear clean between seasons to prevent moths and leave some space between your folded garments.
The most sustainable thing we can do as consumers is care for our knitwear correctly to extend its lifespan, keep it looking good, and ensure we can wear it again season after season. If you have knitwear you no longer wear, you can also send it to our reuse partner Upparel who will repurpose or recycle your pre-loved knits.
