Viral video sparks scrutiny of women’s versus men’s knitwear materials

A viral video has raised questions about the materials used in women’s and men’s knitwear. According to The Guardian, the clip was posted on TikTok by Rachael Brownfield, a fashion content creator, and has drawn about two million views and nearly 10,000 comments.

Brownfield noticed that the American label was offering, under its men’s range, a jumper made wholly of merino wool for $95 (£71). An equally priced item in the women’s range contained only 30% wool. The two styles differ, but the brand promoted them side by side in a social media post. The Guardian said it had reached out to Abercrombie & Fitch for comment.

What the new data shows

The data platform Style Analytics later looked into the question. Its founder, Molly Rooyakkers, said she was “floored” by the results. Her team examined full-price knitwear on the US websites of six major brands, several of which also sell in Britain.

According to the analysis, jumpers for men priced below $100 are as much as five times as likely to be made entirely of natural fibres, including wool, cotton or cashmere. In the same price range, women’s jumpers were twice as likely to contain polyester. The gap between the two only closes once shoppers spend $100 or more.

Rooyakkers acknowledged the limits of the work. It is a snapshot of six brand sites on a single day, so it cannot show a full picture of the market.

Why the differences may occur

Roni Brunn, a designer and fashion educator, said trend cycles help explain why synthetics appear more often in women’s knitwear. Elastane, nylon and polyester are among the materials she named. Sizing is another factor. Brunn said elastane adds stretch, while synthetics can add fluidity and cost less.

Brunn also said brands have less reason to take risks with menswear. Because men’s styles tend to repeat from season to season, brands can order larger quantities of yarn and make production more efficient. She argued that women are more often exposed to fast-moving trends, which can push brands to cut costs.

Economic conditions add pressure. With consumer confidence low, brands are looking for ways to reduce expenses. Polyester, which is made from petroleum-derived materials, is cheaper to produce than wool or cotton. Brands also blend the two types of fibre, which can lower costs while still letting products be sold as high quality.

How shoppers can check labels

Shoppers are encouraged to read care labels closely. Terms such as “wool blend” can refer to products with as little as 15% wool. Gap’s CashSoft range, marketed as soft like cashmere, does not contain any cashmere. According to the report, it is made from a mix of cotton, nylon and acrylic.

Aja Barber, a sustainable fashion expert and writer, said many of the best-made clothes in her wardrobe are menswear. She said she turned to menswear because she is a plus-size person and fits fewer luxury womenswear styles. Brunn said men’s cuts do not always suit her, and she advised shoppers to consider how long a garment should last and whether they are willing to hand-wash it.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• The Guardian: ‘Pretty weird’: How a viral video shows a striking discrepancy in men and women’s knitwear

This article was written with the help of AI from reports by the outlets listed above. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.