Alternatives to wool.

[Irena]

I have a small problem - I am allergic to wool. I want to make and wear vintage suits and jackets, but I don't know what to use other than wool. Skirts are no problem, as slips and stockings prevent irritation, but those wool collars are horrible. I don't like to wear scarfs, either.

Do you have any solutions for me?

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I have a small problem - I am allergic to wool. I want to make and wear vintage suits and jackets, but I don't know what to use other than wool. Skirts are no problem, as slips and stockings prevent irritation, but those wool collars are horrible. I don't like to wear scarfs, either.

Do you have any solutions for me?

Hmmm would have to check with Lauren on this, but logic tells me that you could make a contrasting collar accent of something like say satiny, so that the wool wouldnt be against you, but the bulk of the collar would still be the wool....


Lauren?

 

[Tin Pan Sally]

It might not be the wool you are allergic to.
Check this article out: http://www.textilelinks.com/author/rb/990227.html

 

[Irena]

It's the wool.

It might not be the wool you are allergic to.
Check this article out: http://www.textilelinks.com/author/rb/990227.html

Tried it.

 

[Kathleen Klein]

allergic to wool

You may do a velvet collar which many wool suits had
then. Some nubby silk can look very much like wool.
Or cotton velvet which can be pre-washed to shrink
and washed instead of dry-cleaned.

 

[Irena]

Thank you for all your help!

I think I'll be trying the collar of a different fabric. Next step: find a good suit pattern.

 

[magneto]

I have a small problem - I am allergic to wool. I want to make and wear vintage suits and jackets, but I don't know what to use other than wool. Skirts are no problem, as slips and stockings prevent irritation, but those wool collars are horrible. I don't like to wear scarfs, either.

Do you have any solutions for me?

If you are mostly into '40s fashions, I know I have seen pictures from the period of women wearing suits with the shirt/blouse collar open and *out* over the collar of the jacket...that would keep the wool away from your skin? I agree with the suggestions for velvet coat/jacket collars, very traditional.

I do have a '40s wool jacket myself that has a wool collar, but with another "inner collar" of this grosgrain-ribbon type material (faille?) over it, covering the wool, so it's nice and comfortable and I don't feel scratchy wool around my neck. Or you could use, say, a non-wool brocade for trim, make (or line) the collar and cuffs out of that? Brocade seems to have enough "body" to be collar material on a wool suit...?

(I don't sew much, so welcome any corrections).

 

[Irena]

I would love to have an entire suit of brocade - but I have nowhere to wear it.

Perhaps a cream-colored wool with a light-colored brocade collar - you could always line the collar with something else.

 

[Lady Day]

Acrylic

Its like the tofu of the textile world. It can be silky, or denim like, or cotton-esque. It can be a lot of things, except breathable

Ask at your local fabric store for wool alternatives, and Im sure they will show you some acrylic blends. Like acrylic/cotton blends may work for ya.




LD

 

[Tourbillion]

You can always use another fabric, like linen in the summer. There are silk suitings that would work as well.

You can use cashmere for winter, it is from goats, not lambs, so there shouldn't be an allergy problem. Even merino scratches me sometimes, but cashmere scarves are wonderful. You can get suiting and coat materials too. Camel is expensive, but you can try to see if you can tolerate that too.

Check out http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com/catalog_itemdetail.aspx?ItmID=934 for a nice fall Escada cashmere fabric, only $20/yard instead of $200.

Gabardine is the big problem, you can try a rayon/polyester blend. Some of them are pretty good fakes.

 

[colleency]

Linen suits can be beautiful.