How to choose the perfect jumper

Making sure your clothes are a perfect fit is a sure-fire step in the right direction for sustainability. Instead of plumping for five cheap sweaters that 'will do’, spend a little extra time and money on finding one high quality, timeless, well-fitting jumper that you love and will wear again and again.

For us, a good jumper amounts to a combination of several elements: the quality of the materials used to make it, the care that goes into its construction and a timeless cut and pattern.

What should I look for in a well-fitting jumper?

As a quick guide, this is how you can tell if a jumper is a good fit:

• The hem of your jumper should cover your waistband (at a minimum) or fall just below it.

• If your jumper has a shoulder seam then it should sit directly where the top of your shoulder bone ends.

• The sleeves should end at the base of your thumb if worn alone.

• The body should fit comfortably with a little extra material but if it billows at the hem it is too large, and likewise if you wear a shirt underneath and the buttons show through it is too tight.

As a rule, ‘slow fashion’ jumpers like ours are more likely to be a good fit off-the-peg, simply because the designers take more care to make sure that they hang well, are comfortable and flattering. This, combined with high quality materials, means that a House of Sustainability jumper should last you season to season and year to year.