Acrylic?

Can someone explain this to me? Seems like everything is an acrylic blend these days. Even the expensive stuff.

I saw lots of nicer brands at NR of sweaters in acrylic blends. Including one cape/swing-styled short-sleeve cardi that I loved that cost a whopping $70. Then last week I was at Target and picked up a Mossimo grandpa cardi in an acrylic/wool blend. I love the way it looks and it was only $12.

What gives? Is acrylic an acceptable fiber to use in quality garments? How will it hold up over time? I bought the Merona cardi because it actually looks good on me (juniors sizing) and it's machine washable. Wearing it today and I love it:)

My experience is that acrylic looks and feels great for about a week then it starts to pill. I'm not surprised to find it in a $12 target sweater. I just bought a sweater at anthropologie on sale. I wore it out and it looked great, as I was putting it away I noticed it had acrylic. I'm not happy. It seems like a lot of better brands are slipping in cheaper materials.

I see it everywhere, too, and I hate it. IME it doesn't hold up well, and after a wearing or two is quite itchy. I wouldn't mind paying for it in a Target $12 sweater that I can wear a few times and feel I got my money's worth, but anything more expensive than that and I pass.

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Originally Posted by katydid1971

I'm not happy. It seems like a lot of better brands are slipping in cheaper materials.

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:yeahthat: I have a gap cowlneck sweater that is cozy but it is an acrylic blend. I usually check but didn't notice that one until I got home. I am sure it will pill once it is washed two or three more times.

I find acrylic tends to get very pilly under the arms in particular where there's more rubbing and friction.

Some acrylic blends seem to hold up better than others IME, but I'm not a fan of any of them. It seems more and more difficult to avoid though, even in the "better" brands these days. I really noticed it this past year while trying to rebuild some of my wardrobe in the post pregnancy phase of my life. While I saw acrylic at old navy, Kohls, etc. before, it seems to be in everything now, even the 50 dollar on up sweaters.

Acrylic makes me sweat so I cannot wear it. I hate how it is in nearly every sweater this year. I agree that it has crept into the more expensive stuff too.

Catherine

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Originally Posted by katydid1971

It seems like a lot of better brands are slipping in cheaper materials.

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:yeahthat: I've found a lot of acrylic and polyester lately, even in expensive brands. I feel the overall quality level is dropping. Clothes used to last a lot longer a few years ago.

I hate wearing synthetic blends, so I now check labels at the store. The good thing is that between that and that I also avoid "dry clean only" I'm shopping a lot less!

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Originally Posted by katydid1971

My experience is that acrylic looks and feels great for about a week then it starts to pill. I'm not surprised to find it in a $12 target sweater. I just bought a sweater at anthropologie on sale. I wore it out and it looked great, as I was putting it away I noticed it had acrylic. I'm not happy. It seems like a lot of better brands are slipping in cheaper materials.

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:yeahthat: a little is ok with the right other materials, but at a Certain point, it gets rough and pilly. I don't like it. Even higher end brands are doing this. I bought a 100% acrylic sweater from BCBG Max Azaria that was originally over $200. I go it for $40, it looks nice, but am surprised by the fabric content.

I avoid it for the most part because of the pilling issue. I own 2 sweaters that contain acrylic, 1 of which I got for dirt cheap. I see tons of higher end brands that contains acrylic. When shopping for sweaters, I always check the fabric content and put it back on the rack as soon as I see acrylic as a material unless it was really cheap.

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Originally Posted by ett

I avoid it for the most part because of the pilling issue. I own 2 sweaters that contain acrylic, 1 of which I got for dirt cheap. I see tons of higher end brands that contains acrylic. When shopping for sweaters, I always check the fabric content and put it back on the rack as soon as I see acrylic as a material unless it was really cheap.

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That was me too, until I got the floral Anthro cape that's half wool and half acrylic, but still on the fence on that one. The grey le canvas poncho is a merino acrylic blend (don't remember ratio) and it feels nice, never would have known about the acrylic! Will be sad if it pills!