The beanie
December 2017
December 2020
Switch to electrically treated wool to reduce pilling and prevent shrinkage in the washing machine.
Change in knitting stitch: ribbing instead of stockinette stitch for greater elasticity, less pilling, and fewer snags.
Addition of multiple strands of spandex to minimize stretching over time.
Adjustment to the shape to make it rounder and less pointed.
February 2022
Production relocated to France.
Switch to a wool that is not machine-washable but is softer.
“Pre-shaped” structure that stays in place better on the head and is less prone to losing its shape.
Elastane yarn removed (no longer necessary).
Slightly longer to provide good coverage for the ears.
Wool keeps you warm because its fibers trap nearly 80% air. For this hat, we use fine merino wool: with a diameter of just 19.5 microns, it makes for a hat that’s soft as well as warm.
The yarn for this hat comes from Biella Yarn, a renowned Italian yarn manufacturer. We also use this yarn for our scarf.
This beanie is made at the Jean Ruiz factory in Roanne, with whom we have been working since 2022.
Techniques That Ensure Quality
Knit as tightly as possible
The stitches are knit as tightly as possible to minimize pilling and give the hat more structure.
Knit as tightly as possible
Loose-knit ribbing
Loose-knit ribbing
To ensure this hat fits securely on any head, we chose a naturally stretchy knitting stitch: ribbing. And to minimize stretching, we set the machine to knit only every other needle—in textile jargon, this is called “skipping.”
Knit as tightly as possible
Loose-knit ribbing
Sweet, warm, and from your region
To ensure this hat keeps you warm without itching, we chose extra-fine merino wool and designed a wide brim that covers the ears well, with a ribbed knit stitch that adds texture to the fabric. It’s all made in Roanne, one of the cradles of the French textile industry.
In detail
Rib-Knit
In addition to being stretchy, this knitting stitch creates a nice texture.
Wide cuff
And adjustable, to fit different head sizes and styles.
How to Wear It
A few ideas if you're stuck
Composition
100% virgin wool
Origin and Certifications
- Wool: Our supplier sources wool from these four production regions: Australia, South Africa, South America, and New Zealand. For this production batch, the supplier does not know which of these four types of wool was used. We have implemented measures to better trace the origin of the wool with this supplier for future productions.
- Spinning mill: Poland
- Dye: Italy
- Knitting: France
... not made from French sheep's wool? Because, unfortunately, it's not as fine as wool from the Southern Hemisphere, and because the French wool industry has almost completely disappeared. We explain all of this in more detail on this page.
How This Product Will Age
How do we know this? We ask our customers for their feedback on the product one year after purchase. And if the product is less than a year old, we provide our predictions based on some unsolicited feedback and our experience with similar products.
This beanie will stretch very little thanks to the natural elasticity of the wool and the knit structure. It won't develop holes because of the thickness of the fabric. It may occasionally pill slightly in areas subject to friction... but nothing that a quick pass with a lint shaver can't fix. The two biggest risks are 1) moths, if they take up residence in your closet, and 2) your washing machine, which could cause your hat to shrink (so be sure to wash it by hand).
Care Instructions
Please note: This hat cannot be machine-washed on a standard cycle. But anyway... there’s no need to wash it: since wool is naturally antifungal and antibacterial, it doesn’t retain odors. If necessary, air it out from time to time. If you really want to wash it, wash it by hand or in the washing machine on the wool cycle (not the delicate cycle!).
Reviews of this product
The standard practice is to send review request emails a few days after the purchase. We wait a month—the minimum amount of time needed to form an informed opinion.
Customer Review Policy
When do you ask customers for reviews?
We’ll send you a review request one month after we receive your order. We believe this is the minimum amount of time needed to have worn and washed an item several times and to form a truly informed opinion. After that, all your reviews are published within a week, whether they’re positive or negative.
Do you request reviews for 100% of the products ordered by customers?
We used to do that at first, but then we realized we were starting to send way too many emails to certain customers who shop with us regularly. In short, we were spamming them a bit. Plus, it was starting to take the team way too much time to respond to reviews—since we want to reply individually and privately to almost everyone who leaves us a review. Today, we no longer ask for reviews on products that meet the following two criteria: 1/ There are enough reviews posted on the site for potential buyers to form an informed opinion about the product. 2/ We on the Loom team have read enough reviews to understand how to evolve the product into the next generation.
Just a quick thought: What proof is there that we aren't manipulating reviews by giving 5-star ratings to everything?
Honestly: nothing—we’re just giving you our word. Just like with everything else, actually: where we manufacture our products, where our wool comes from, our lab test results, and so on. The only times we might edit what you write is if your message contains spelling mistakes (and even then, quite a few slip past us) or if it’s racist, homophobic, etc. (but that’s never happened so far).
Asking for feedback after just one month isn't enough to know if the clothes are really durable, is it?
You're right—that's why we send you another email asking for a review one year after your purchase—we even ask for a photo to see how your garment has aged. We use the responses to improve our clothing and to provide information on “how this product will age” on our product pages. To avoid unnecessarily bothering our customers, we don’t ask for reviews on 100% of the products ordered: as soon as we have enough data to understand where we can improve, we stop asking for reviews after one year.