Sub Zero Cardigan

Name: Sub Zero Cardigan
Brand: Vollebak
SKU: SWH038BLKXSM
Price: 595 GBP
Availability: InStock

A heavyweight cardigan that performs like a puffer jacket in sub zero conditions.

£595

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Model is 5ft 11 / 180cm with a 38 inch / 97cm chest, and wears size Medium.

Made with 1.3 kilos of superfine alpaca and lambswool
Tested in sub zero conditions
Tailored for a regular fit

Is it possible to design a cardigan that can outperform most puffer jackets? We decided to find out by building the first Sub Zero Cardigan. While the average cardigan weighs under 500 grams, at 1.3kg our Sub Zero Cardigan weighs nearly as much as our Titan Puffer.

Engineered from two incredibly powerful natural insulators – lambswool and superfine alpaca wool – the Sub Zero Cardigan is designed to keep you warm even in sub zero temperatures. We know this because we’ve tested in the same way we test our puffer jackets. By taking it to a cryochamber.

Tailored for a regular fit, it comes with a thick shawl collar that can be raised and fastened at the throat like a built-in scarf, five large bioresin buttons big enough to be done up even with freezing hands, and ribbed cuffs and hem to trap warm air at the wrists and waist.

Technical Details

Yarn made in Italy: 50% superfine alpaca, 50% organic lambswool

Undyed and organic

Wool sourced from South America

Mulesing-free

Knitted in London

Twisted bouclé yarn for an irregular, bobbled finish

Shawl collar with throat fastener

Ribbed cuffs and hem for a snug fit

Two chunky hip pockets

Five button single breasted construction

Material is Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified

Constructed with a 1.5 gauge knit

Cardigan weighs 1300 grams

Hand wash only

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BUILDING A CARDIGAN THAT CAN OUTPERFORM MOST PUFFER JACKETS

Is it possible to design a cardigan that can outperform most puffer jackets? We decided to find out by building the first Sub Zero Cardigan. Engineered from two incredibly powerful natural insulators – lambswool and superfine alpaca wool – the Sub Zero Cardigan is designed to keep you warm even in sub zero temperatures. So we tested it in the same way we test our puffer jackets, by taking it to a cryochamber.

You normally test arctic vehicles or missile components in cryochambers. Not cardigans.

WE TESTED IT IN AN INDUSTRIAL CRYOCHAMBER

You normally test arctic vehicles or missile components in cryochambers, not cardigans. But while the average cardigan weighs under 500 grams, at 1.3kg our Sub Zero Cardigan weighs nearly as much as our Titan Puffer. So we put our test subject in the cardigan in the chamber and told them not to move. With the thermostat set to -6°C, our test subject’s arms, chest, back and neck remained comfortable and warm for over half an hour while standing completely still. We only had to take them out as we hadn’t given them any gloves.

WE STARTED WITH ALPACA, AN ALL-NATURAL SUPERMATERIAL

Alpaca wool is one of the most extraordinary natural materials on the planet. It’s as soft as cashmere, warmer than sheep’s wool, and contains no lanolin so it’s hypoallergenic. Native to the Andean plateau of South America, alpacas have evolved over millennia to survive the harsh conditions of the mountains where altitudes vary between 3,500 and 5,000 metres, and intensely hot days are followed by sub zero nights. Their fleeces have become a livelihood for native Andean communities, providing them with a constant source of warm clothing and income.

While the average cardigan weighs under 500 grams, at 1.3kg our Sub Zero Cardigan weighs nearly as much as our Titan Puffer.

WARM IN THE COLD AND BREATHABLE IN THE HEAT

Alpaca fibres are hollow. So when it’s cold they are highly effective at trapping and retaining heat. When it’s hot, they quickly absorb and wick away sweat much faster than other natural materials, with some studies showing alpaca fibres outperforming Merino wool fibres by more than 80%. This makes alpaca wool one of the most versatile and adaptive natural materials on the planet. The hollow fibres also give it a high ‘thermal capacity to weight ratio’, so even a small amount of alpaca wool keeps you warm. And we used loads of it.

BLENDED WITH ORGANIC LAMBSWOOL FOR STRETCH AND DURABILITY

Examine a fibre of lambswool under a microscope and you’ll notice that it appears coarser than alpaca, with more pronounced scales on the surface. These scales latch onto each other and lock the fibres together, giving lambswool its springy quality. Alpaca has a higher tensile strength than wool, but its smoother fibres give it a lower elasticity, meaning that it doesn’t retain its shape as effectively when stretched. So we use a 50:50 blend of superfine alpaca and organic lambswool to combine the best qualities of each natural material.

The Sub Zero Cardigan is so thick and warm it can double as a duvet.

MADE IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE ITALIAN ALPS

The yarn in our Sub Zero Cardigan is spun by Sesia, a carbon neutral mill in the foothills of the Italian Alps. Known for their responsible approach to fashion, they specialise in organic natural materials and hold multiple ethical and environmental accreditations from bodies including OEKO-TEX, ICEA, and the Better Cotton Initiative. The wool is certified free from the harmful practice of mulesing and the yarn is left totally undyed, so the colours seen in the finished product are a reflection of the natural fleeces of the alpaca and the sheep.

WE MAKE THE BUTTONS FROM PLANTS AND VEGETABLES

The cardigan fastens at the front with five buttons that we designed to be big enough to be opened and closed easily, even in the cold. The top button fastens the shawl collar tight around the neck, effectively turning it into an in-built scarf. And we made the buttons from a natural, non-toxic and water-based material we produced by combining plant and vegetable waste with a polyester resin used by the aerospace industry.

WE FINISHED IT WITH RIBBED CUFFS AND HEM FOR MAXIMUM WARMTH

Air trapped in woollen clothes needs to be close to your body in order to stay warm, so we tailored the Sub Zero Cardigan to be worn with something like our long sleeve 100 Year T Shirt. And we finished it off with a stretchy ribbed knit at the cuffs and hem like you’d find on a bomber jacket, to make sure warm air can’t escape at your wrists or your waist.