The Most Warm and Comfy Women’s Wool Sweaters

One of the best things about the weather cooling down is that it allows you to pull out your coziest women’s wool sweaters. Wool pullovers are a cold-weather essential for some women since they do such a great job keeping you warm and comfy during the worst weather.

One key thing to remember when shopping for woolen sweaters is that layers are your best friend if you want to avoid that itchy feeling that sometimes comes with yarn. If you are looking for styles that give you that cozy winter feeling, keep reading to see some of the most comfortable wool sweaters for women available.

Women’s L.L.Bean Classic Ragg Wool Sweater

Women's L.L.Bean Classic Ragg Wool Sweater

L.L. Bean’s Classic Ragg Wool Sweater is a lovely fair isle design made from premium lambswool. Since it is lambswool, you can expect it to be slightly itchy.  Some people don’t mind the feel of lambswool, but you will probably have to wear an underlayer and not wear it directly against your skin. It is a warm, cozy, attractive, midweight knit that can be worn dressed up or down.

Available from L.L Bean

Women’s Traditional Aran Sweater

Women's Traditional Aran Sweater

This beautiful Traditional Aran Sweater is one of the Irish Shop’s best options if you want a comfortable women’s wool sweater. This timeless design is perfect for staying warm and looking great on those cold winter days. The honeycomb stitch pattern is made from soft 100% merino wool that comes in a lovely variety of cream, blue, and green colors.

Available from The Irish Store

Carraig Donn 100% Soft Merino Wool Irish Jumper

Carraig Donn 100% Soft Merino Wool Irish Jumper

If you are looking for an Irish wool sweater, the Carraig Donn 100% Soft Merino Wool Irish Jumper is a great option to take a look at. It is a cable knit design made from 100% super soft Merino. The relaxed fit, rolled neck, and side slits make this a comfortable and stylish addition to any wardrobe.

It comes in six lovely colors that are perfect for fall weather. Since it is made from Merino, this design is soft and warm without feeling itchy. It pairs well with jeans or can be dressed up if needed.  The high-quality yarn comes from Ireland and has enough thickness to keep you warm on a cold night.

Available from Amazon

Invisible World Women’s 100% Alpaca Wool Half-Zip Norwegian Pullover

Invisible World Women's 100% Alpaca Wool Half-Zip Norwegian Pullover

This Invisible World Women’s 100% Alpaca Wool Half-Zip Norwegian Pullover is a high-quality, beautifully patterned design that is a luxurious option for a cold day.  This design is made from Alpaca fiber, which is known for being lighter, warmer, and more durable than sheep’s wool, and it can be as soft as cashmere.

Alpaca’s other benefits include being hypoallergenic, good and staying warm if it gets wet, and no pilling.

Available from Amazon

Everlane The Oversized Alpaca Crew

Everlane The Oversized Alpaca Crew

Another great alpaca option is the warm, plush, and airy Oversized Alpaca Crew from Everlane. Like the Alpaca sweater listed above, it is also very soft, long-lasting, and can resist pilling.

It’s also not too heavy or bulky, so it doesn’t feel overwhelmingly warm in the way some oversized options can.   If you are looking for a cozy knit, you will want to check out this crew from Everlane.

Available from Everlane

Woolovers Lambswool Crew Neck

Woolovers Lambswool Crew Neck Jumper

A great retailer to get many different styles of wool sweaters in various designs is U.K brand Woolovers. Since this pullover is lambswool, it is a little bit coarse, but totally fine if you wear a turtleneck or long sleeve t-shirt underneath. Woolover sweaters are usually very durable and high quality for a reasonable price.

Available from Woolovers

Dale of Norway Women’s Geilo Sweater

Dale of Norway Women's Geilo Sweater

If you are looking for a heavy-duty skiing pullover, you will want to look at this The Dale of Norway Women’s Geilo Feminine Sweater. Dale of Norway sweaters are known for being very high quality, usually quite a substantial weight, and very warm.

The Geilo design is 100% wool and has Norwegian Fair Isle patterning and a high neckline with a quarter-zip placket. These are of high quality and will last forever. The only thing to note about this design is the sleeves are a bit long, but they can be rolled up.

Available from Amazon

Pendleton Women’s Shetland Crew Pullover

Pendleton Women's Shetland Crew Pullover

Pendleton is another classic brand that sells easy-to-wear classic sweaters that look great on everyone. For the quality and durability you are getting, they are reasonably priced and tend to last a long time.  The Pendleton Women’s Shetland Crew Pullover is a looser traditional fit women’s design that comes in lovely colors.

Since it is the coarser Shetland wool, it will need to be worn over another layer, but it will provide exceptional warmth and durability. The Shetland washable wool is quite nice, and it may become softer and less scratchy with washings. If you like to stay warm and cozy during those cold months, then this is the sweater for you.

Available from Amazon

What to Look for:

The wool sweaters you can buy these days are slightly different from the scratchy style many people traditionally associate with wool sweaters. These days you can purchase soft knits that can be worn against the skin with little to no itchiness. Or you can still get Shetland or lambswool that you can wear with a base layer that is warm and cozy and has all of the benefits of wool, such as being able to retain heat, breathability, and temperature regulation.

Types of wool: There are a lot of different types of wool. The following are some of the most common for sweaters:

  • Merino- One of the world’s most common types of wool. It comes from Merino sheep and is generally finer and softer than traditional lambswool.
  • Alpaca- Strong, lightweight, warm, and soft. Generally, to be considered wool, the fibers must come from sheep. Cashmere and Alpaca don’t come from sheep and are technically considered hair but are often categorized as a type of wool. Alpaca hair is strong, silky, warm, and durable. It is also hypoallergenic, so if you’re allergic to wool, try alpaca.
  • Lambswool– Durable fiber that comes from a lamb’s first shearing. It is smooth, strong, hypoallergenic, and breathable and helps your body regulate temperature.
  • Shetland -Comes from Shetland sheep. It is durable and hardy, it does tend to be quite itchy; but you can layer it over a shirt and then avoid skin-on-skin contact.

Fit-  You probably already know how you like your sweaters to fit. If you are layering your tops, you may want a looser, oversized fit. Many women buy men’s pullovers to get that oversized look and feel if they find women’s designs to be a little bit too fitted.

Care– Almost all wool will need to be either hand-washed or dry-cleaned. There are some merino options that you can throw into the washing machine (check the label), but don’t put a wool garment into the dryer unless otherwise noted by the manufacturer. The best practice is to lay it out flat to air dry.

 

 

 

Molly London
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