Change the Game

Being an online-only company’s great. Well, almost all of the time it is. But every now and then we get thrown a tricky assignment, like trying to convey the next-level texture of our new Shetland Jumper to people who can’t give it a little rub IRL. To you, the unfortunates who can’t let their fingers distil the combination of softness and shagginess to their brains, who can’t hold it against a cheek and take a moment… to just be present.

But hey, the internet’s got its upsides, so we’re going to lean on those, starting with a video we made all about this sublimely characterful yet comfortable wool. Try to imagine the unimaginable. The show starts now.

You’ve got an eyeful now, hopefully, you’re starting to get the message: the texture of the Shetland Jumper’s something else. We distilled all the character of those itchy old sailors’ pullovers of yore and then pushed the snug levels up to 10.

Needless to say, your actual good old analogue fingers would beat us when it comes to conveying the Shetland’s feel, but we’re doing our best.

By the way, here's one of the loveliest sights you'll see this year. And Lake Torrassa in the Spanish Pyrenees is in the background.

Softness, fluffiness and comfiness all come together to make this pullover a sensory masterpiece with buckets of comfort and personality.

Well, that’s a secret, but since we don’t keep anything from you lot, here’s the recipe:

First of all, there's the raw material. What we needed was a high-quality wool, with rustic charm and an authentic feel. After a lot of thought, we fixed on wool with a 25-micron diameter, thick enough to work with this 'bushy' look, without being too rough or itchy. A perfect compromise between softness and character.

After shearing, sorting and washing the wool, there's an extra special stage called 'carding' - which we opted for, naturally. Carding aligns the wool fibres and removes impurities before spinning. In the old days, this was done by hand using dried thistles but the machines took over the task a good century ago. We could have combed it too, to give it a finer, more homogeneous look, but we preferred to spin it directly. A little trick that gives the Shetland more volume and that extra special bounciness.

Finally, there's the knitting stage. Knit selection’s a high-stakes world because carded wool can quickly become a pilling nightmare. We chose a dense, tightly knit jersey, which’ll keep the pilling to a minimum, and those bobble blues at bay. The other advantage of this knit stitch is that it’s tight enough to keep your jumper from sagging over time.

You’re the directors in this carefully woven metaphor — it all comes down to those co-creation questionnaires we ask you to fill out. You were clear on one point when it came to the Shetland: you wanted a well-cut jumper, or no jumper at all.

Thanks to the expertise of our wool expert partners at Malhas Ribeiro in Portugal, we've been able to take advantage of a so-called ‘fully-fashioned’ knitting technique. In concrete (or rather soft, comfy terms) the body of the jumper’s assembled in a circular fashion, meaning no more side seams.

It's no secret: side seams are where a lot of knitwear goes to the dogs. No side seams, no twisting. No twisting, no problem.

Our 'saddle sleeves' deserve some limelight too. Like their cousins, the raglan sleeves, these go all the way up to the neckline, but end with a thin band on the shoulder. They’re hard to beat when it comes to freedom of movement, and as a bonus, you’ll be able to raise your arms without showing the whole world your stomach.

Let’s have a little summary:

• Sublime wool, produced and treated to create a characterful yet cosy jumper.
• A subtly tailored fit that’ll mean your Shetland will sit happily with anything from a smart coat to your oldest jeans.
• It’ll stay looking good, thanks to that dense, tight jersey stitch.
• Thanks to our Portuguese wool wizards it’ll keep its shape, and won’t go round the twist. Obrigado!
• The saddle sleeves’ll keep you happy on the move, and keep your post-lunch tummy under wraps, should you need to wave.

We picked five winning colours, but if we’re honest, the carded wool’s doing a lot of the work on making them look this good. We can’t take all the credit. With its fluffy, ruffled texture, it lends a lighter, airy quality to the dyes, and the result is pretty damn nice. At least we think so.

• A deep navy that’s got a touch of true nautical shimmer, thanks to that fluffy wool.

• A punchy yellow that's sure to liven up any outfit. Don’t blend into the crowd this winter.

• A more understated beige marl that really shows off the wool’s finer qualities. Take a closer look.

• A forest green that matches the texture of the Shetland Jumper perfectly. If you get close enough, you can almost hear the wind in the heather...

• A grey marl, for those of a classic leaning who fancy something that’ll go with anything.

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words. If that’s the case how many words is a lingering caress of the Shetland Jumper worth?

We've done our best to give you a feel for this woollen wunderkind, just to keep you going until you can get your hands on one. Slipping it on doesn't just mean slipping into an exquisitely warm, cosy pullover… it also means enhancing an outfit. Making it stand out. Making it unique. With its texture and character, the Shetland can turn your painting slacks and a greying white tee into an assertive, considered look. More character. More personal.

That's the role of the Shetland Jumper: to add a little soul.

This remarkable take on the classic Shetland jumper will be available for preorder from next Tuesday at the great price of 99€. A jumper of this quality, made from 100% virgin wool and assembled in Portugal doesn't normally come at such a fair price, so you’ll be hard-pressed to find it anywhere else.

So business as usual: If you're worried about missing out, you can always sign up for the notification below and we'll send you a note on the big day and we'll even open the doors to the sale an hour before everyone else. That way, you'll be sure to be among the first to receive your parcel.

If it doesn't work out fear not, returns and exchanges are easy and the cost of the return is on us.

Need to know anything else? Drop it in the comments below or check our international Instagram page for the answer. Possibly.

Thanks,

The Asphalte Team