Your grandfather knew it all his life: you can’t beat a good wool sweater for functional, comfortable warmth in chilly weather. Sure, you introduced him to fleece, arguing for its ability to retain warmth without feeling scratchy, not to mention that it is made out of recycled pop bottles. Grandpa, however, stuck to wearing wool—sometimes heavier and scratchier wool sweaters for the coldest days (no jacket needed), sometimes a finer merino wool cardigan for around-the-house comfort. Aside from the scratchiness of heavier wool, which was resolved by wearing a comfortable cotton layer underneath, and the difficulty of cleaning wool clothing, Grandpa had a point. Wool was durable and kept him comfortable, seemingly in a wide range of weather conditions. As for sustainability, it doesn’t get better than making good use of the fibers growing on living animal. Not only is it a natural protector and temperature regulator for the animal and therefore for us, it grows back quickly, too.

Enter Woolrich’s Granite Springs Wool Zip Neck Sweater, a garment that offers the best of wool and man-made fabrics to create a versatile, comfortable mid-range sweater that you can toss in the wash.

Specifications

• 70% lambswool / 30% nylon, 7 gg
• Machine wash
• Zip neck with Trailhead fleece inner comfort collar
• Plaid jacquard-knit internal sweat patch
• Rib-knit collar & cuffs
• Fully fashioned
• Body length: 27½”
• Price:  $89.00