Womenswear Articles       10/16/1997

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AllWomenMenHome  Eco-fashion Print This Page "The cotton sweater has evolved to the point that people think it’s right for any occasion."

THE COTTON SWEATER

When colorful stacks of cotton sweaters first appeared on retail shelves in the mid-70s, they caused a revolution. Sweaters, long relegated to winter wear, broke out of their traditional mold. Bright cotton sweaters fit the changing American lifestyle. Dressier than a sweatshirt but still casual and just as comfortable, cotton sweaters were designed for year-round wear. Best of all, they could be fearlessly tossed into the washing machine - an easy-care option that busy consumers applauded.

Between 1990 and 1996, the number of women’s sweaters made of 100 percent cotton grew by over 19 percent. In fact, by 1996, 38 percent of all the fiber in sweaters sold in the United States was cotton, up from 32 percent in 1990, according to the NPD Group. Although total sweater units sold in the U.S. in this period decreased by just over 15 percent, the market for women’s sweaters stayed steady.

If cotton sweaters were once revolutionary, their staying power is due in large part to a successful evolution. "The cotton sweater has undergone a radical change in the past few years," states Mary Jane Marcasiano, a knitwear designer known for using natural fibers. "It’s much less the casual lifestyle sweater we associate with cotton and much more of an integral part of the wardrobe that crosses over into other categories including evening."

Moving effortlessly from season to season, workday to weekend, cotton sweaters provide the versatility women now demand. According to Adrienne Vittadini, whose influential designs helped to establish cotton as a fiber of choice in the designer sweater market, the cotton sweater has become an essential, a "must-have," in a woman’s wardrobe.

"It can be layered in twin sets for cooler climates or worn as a sleeveless shell in warmer ones," says Vittadini. "The natural fiber is comfortable against the skin, is easy to care for, and it’s ideal for travelling as it really doesn’t wrinkle. In the 90s, we are seeing tremendous growth in the population in the southern part of the United States, and cotton clothing, especially cotton sweaters, are the most suitable for these areas and are what the consumer wants to wear."

For spring ’98, Marcasiano’s line includes cotton sweaters that are beaded, embroidered, and crocheted. While she favors mercerized, highly-twisted yarns for their refined appearance, she also works with bouclés, wrapped, and twisted yarns that give another textural dimension to cotton. Marcasiano also credits cotton/spandex yarns with dramatically expanding the designer knitwear market.

So popular are cotton sweaters, that you can seldom turn on the television without seeing celebrities wearing their favorites on talk shows and sitcoms. Marcasiano has had hits with two different designs: a multi-colored flame-stitch pattern and a two-color engineered stripe with a zip mock-turtleneck that she says "everyone has called for", including Sharon Stone.

Cameo appearances by their sweaters on shows like "Friends," "Cybil," and the short-lived "Relativity," have given a business boost to norma & hyla, a Chicago-based knitwear company owned by sisters Norma Sabesin Zeiger and Hyla Sabesin Finn. "It’s fun for us to see our designs on television," says Hyla. "It’s also fun for the buyers because it gets them excited." The small screen exposure has generated publicity, new accounts, and lots of phone calls from women around the country who want to know where they can buy the sweaters.

The same issues that helped make the casual cotton sweater a staple item in women’s wardrobes continue to impact consumer buying habits. Eighty-six percent of the women interviewed by the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle MonitorTM look for casual clothing they can wear year-round, while 64 percent prefer to wear one comfortable outfit all day long, rather than change for different events. Care and upkeep play into buying decisions, too, with 57 percent of women checking the laundry instructions before making a purchase.

"My customer has a definite opinion about what fibers she wants to wear," says Marcasiano. "There’s resistance to certain fibers and a positive reaction to others. One of the fibers that gets the most favorable response is cotton."

The most recent Lifestyle Monitor survey shows 61 percent of the women interviewed admit they avoid certain fabrics, with cotton being least likely to appear on their no-no list. In addition, 81 percent of the women say they are willing to pay more for natural fibers.

"A lot of our buyers are happy to buy something in cotton," notes Hyla Sabesin Finn of norma & hyla. "I can’t recall a time since we’ve been in business that somebody said they didn’t want a certain sweater because it was cotton or it was too casual. That’s never been an issue."

When it comes to all around wearability, you can’t beat a cotton sweater. "We do a lot of cotton sweaters that aren’t strictly casual," adds Hyla, "that a woman will wear out to a dressy event. It doesn’t even cross her mind that it wouldn’t be appropriate. I think the cotton sweater has evolved to the point that people think it’s right for any occasion." Now that’s versatility!

This story is one in a series of articles based on findings from Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™ tracking research. Each story will focus on a specific topic as it relates to the American women’s wear consumer and her attitudes and behavior regarding clothing, appearance, fashion, fiber selection and many other timely, relevant subjects.