At $49.90 SGD, the Uniqlo Extra Fine Merino Wool Sweater is as affordable of a merino wool sweater you can get, but just how much quality are you getting? The short answer is you get what you pay for and the long answer is, well, that’s what this article is for so let’s get to it.
Micron
The sweater is knitted from 100% merino wool. Uniqlo says that their wool is sourced from a number of regions that are known for quality wool, including Australia, South Africa and Argentina. Maybe I’m a cynic, but “number of regions” can literally mean anywhere and if it’s really from Australia where most merino wools are from, then they would mention it in the product description given how marketable it is so the fact that they don’t suggests that it’s not from Australia.
Anyway, when we’re talking about wool, you’ll often hear the word “micron”. Micron simply refers to the unit of measurement, whereby one micron equals one millionth of a metre or one micrometre. It indicates the diameter of a fibre and the lower the micron, the finer and softer it is. For reference, a human hair can be as thin as 50 microns, your super 100 wool suits are 18.75 microns, cashmere is around 14-19 microns, and merino wool is around 15-22 microns. According to Uniqlo, this merino wool is 19.5 microns, so it’s fine, but not the finest, kind of middle of the road in terms of merino wool. Overall, I’d say with a slightly fuzzy finish, the sweater feels decently soft.
Gauge
Because of its relative fineness, the gauge will also be naturally higher. Gauge refers to the number of horizontal stitches per inch and the finer the fibre, the higher the gauge, and the more luxurious the sweater. The gauge on this sweater is 21 and for reference, a similar knit from luxury brands like John Smedley is 24. So, only a little less, which isn’t too bad for a mass market brand.
Knit
The knit is pretty basic. Sweaters like these are usually a single jersey knit, meaning the fabric has flat vertical loops on the front and horizontal ribs on the back. The result is a lightweight sweater that’s somewhat stretchy vertically and super stretchy horizontally. I tried stretching both the body and the collar ribbing 50 times each and they bounced back immediately every time so I don’t expect the sweater to go out of shape anytime soon. Also, the knit has no patchy areas which is always a good thing.
Washing
The main tradeoff of having a thin sweater like this is that you’re sacrificing durability. It’s loosely knitted so don’t expect it to last as long as your chunky knits, but it’s not like it’ll fall apart in weeks. Most of the wear and tear will happen when you’re washing it so the trick is to not wash it so often. You wouldn’t have to anyway since wool is naturally antimicrobial. Uniqlo says the sweater is machine washable but I don’t trust my washing machine, even if there’s a wool setting, so I just go with hand washing 99% of the time. Also, pro tip. Avoid using powder detergents. They tend to weaken wool fibres which causes holes to develop. Liquid detergents, on the other hand, are much gentler. Even better if it’s specifically formulated for wool. Fortunately, this sweater didn’t shrink, but more on the measurements later.
Pilling
Another aspect of durability is the pilling. Understand that regardless of price or quality, all wools will pill. Uniqlo says that the sweater has an anti-pilling treatment and in my experience it kinda works. The fabric and the ribbed hem doesn’t change much in the first 20 rubs, but beyond that, it starts to get fluffier though there still weren’t any pillings even after 50 rubs. Interestingly, the ribbings on the cuffs stayed pretty much the same no matter how many times I rubbed them. Still this doesn’t mean that the sweater won’t ever develop pillings because the anti-pilling treatment will eventually wear off and that’s when it’ll start to pill.
Construction
On the inside, the sweater has a typical sweater construction. It’s neatly sewn, but there’s really nothing much to say about it. If you’re interested in how it’s made, the tldr is that the individual panels like the sleeves and body are knitted on a flat bed knitting machine, then linked together on a circular dial linking machine.
Fit
In terms of size, I went with, surprise surprise, a women’s S. Compared to the longer men’s version, this has a more cropped look. The fit is trim throughout the body and slim on the arms — ideal as a light layer over slim tops or under a slim jacket. I’d say it’s more of a spring / autumn sweater, definitely not a sweater to keep you toasty in harsh winters. I also wouldn’t wear this as a base layer because of how cropped it is, but if you’re getting the men’s version, I suppose you could, though the wool feels slightly itchy against the skin.
Verdict
So, at 49.90 and 59.90 SGD for the women’s and men’s sweaters respectively, is this sweater any good?
In terms of construction and material, there’s nothing much to fault it for. Rather, I think it’s more of whether you’re looking for this specific type of sweater, that is, a thin, loosely knitted sweater made from relatively fine and soft merino wool, one that’s affordable, good as a light layer but not so much for warmth, perhaps because you easily overheat. If that’s you, then it’s hard to find a better alternative at this price point. But if you’re looking for something finer, chunkier, softer, more relaxed, more exotic or more luxurious, there are other wool sweaters out there that would better fit the bill, and this is definitely not it.
Until next time, stay subtle.
