Acrylic sweaters, your opinions

[Coho]

What's your opinion? Are they as warm or as durable as woolen sweaters? Thanks.

 

[Holdfast]

Horrid, horrid, horrid static.

 

[Shirtmaven]

I remember owning one back in my youth.. EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!
I remember makingout with girls in them. Couldn't wait to get those scratchy things off them.

 

[mack11211]

More durable, but you will wish they weren't...

Avoid.

 

[Roy Biggins]

I have a few that I have found while thrifting. Sometimes I will come across something that looks interesting and I cannot pass it up no matter what it is made of.

But most of the time it is best to avoid them.

Rarely, some acrylic sweaters will feel decent, that is usually when it is an acrylic/natural fibre blend.

I would say for $2 at a thrift store, yes; retail, no.

Also, acrylic is not more durable than wool or any other natural fibre in the sense that acrylic pills badly in most cases.

 

[B1FF]

You use it to scrub pots after wearing but before washing it.

 

[Coho]

Can someone explain why they're so bad?

 

[tiecollector]

I once wore a Target acrylic sweater with a short sleeve polo underneath. It was the most itchy thing ever especially when I put my elbows on a table. If you have long sleeves underneath then there is no problem.

I actually have an acrylic scarf that feels like cashmere. I have no complaints about it. It looks and feels fine.

Acrylic is cheaper too, so if you want one for casual wear... why not?

 

[Coho]

Yes, they're cheap, so I alway wondered, "what's the catch?"

Originally Posted by tiecollector

I once wore a Target acrylic sweater with a short sleeve polo underneath. It was the most itchy thing ever especially when I put my elbows on a table. If you have long sleeves underneath then there is no problem.

I actually have an acrylic scarf that feels like cashmere. I have no complaints about it. It looks and feels fine.

Acrylic is cheaper too, so if you want one for casual wear... why not?

 

[visionology]

I had two Acrylic scarfs that actually felt ok initially but they started to fall apart after the second wear and was left clinging all over my university coat. Was horrible trying to get it off. Never again.

Also acrylic sweaters are horrible, they feel cheap and aren't that warm. Even my girlfriend who usually is a big bargain hunter and doesn't mind some cheap stuff avoids New York & Co. now because she says its all acrylic stuff.

 

[tiecollector]

Yeah they aren't very warm at all. I use the rugby striped one I have for outdoor activities now.

 

[HomerJ]

Originally Posted by Coho

Can someone explain why they're so bad?

Acrylic can melt and severely burn your skin in a fire. That's the only time it's warm.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Vinyl-based acrylic will almost never fade in sunlight nor shrink. However, it also likes to pick up electrons and polarize your hair and do other weird triboelectric things to your clothing. Grown ups should have better options than this.

 

[overdog]

Once I tried to shop for women's clothes at H&M. Damn near every single piece of clothing had acrylic in it.

 

[Opermann]

Ugh. Acrylic should only be used for kids' clothes because they grow out of them so quickly. Otherwise stay at least 10 feet away.