Reading a knit blend before you commit to it

Why blends exist at all

Almost nothing is one fibre any more, and that is not a shortcut. Each fibre is good at one thing and bad at another, and a blend is somebody choosing which faults to keep.

Read the percentages in order. The first number is the character of the fabric; the rest are corrections.

What each one contributes

Viscose gives the fluid drape and the soft, slightly cool hand. On its own it stretches out and creases. Polyamide brings back the recovery, so a sleeve returns to its shape instead of staying pushed up. Polyester adds body and keeps the surface from pilling as fast. Acrylic is warmth per dollar and it holds colour well. Cotton is breathable and honest but heavy when wet, and it does not spring back.

What the mix tells you about the drape

High viscose with a bit of polyamide falls close and moves with you, which is what you want in a dress or a fine turtleneck. Acrylic-led blends hold their own shape, which is what an oversized sweater needs so it does not collapse. Neither is better; they are answers to different questions.

The part that shows up in month three

Pilling comes from friction, and it lands where a bag strap sits and under the arms. Denser knits pill less than loose ones in the same fibre. A fabric comb costs almost nothing and buys a knit another year, and it works better than any washing trick.