Women’s Jumpers Often Contain Less Wool Than Men’s at the Same Price, Style Analytics Data Suggests

women’s knitwear pink tax wool content, Digi Mart USA News: A viral video has drawn attention to a striking difference between men’s and women’s knitwear sold at the same price. Fashion content creator Rachael Brownfield noticed that Abercrombie & Fitch was selling a 100% merino wool jumper in its menswear section for $95 (£71), while a women’s jumper at the same price was made of only 30% wool.

The styles differ, but the two were marketed alongside each other in a social media post.

In a TikTok video viewed about two million times, Brownfield questioned why a synthetic women’s jumper should cost the same as a pure wool men’s jumper. The Guardian reported that it had approached Abercrombie & Fitch for comment.

Previous examples of gender-based price differences, where women’s products cost more, have included deodorant, razors and dry-cleaning services.

Data platform Style Analytics then examined full-price knitwear on the US websites of six major brands. Its founder, Molly Rooyakkers, found that men’s jumpers under $100 were up to five times more likely than women’s to be made of 100% natural fibres such as wool, cotton or cashmere.

In the same price bracket, women’s jumpers were twice as likely to contain polyester. The gap closed only at $100 or more.

Rooyakkers acknowledged the data is limited, as it is a snapshot of six brands’ sites on a single day.

Designer and fashion educator Roni Brunn said trend cycles and sizing can lead to synthetics such as elastane, nylon and polyester being added to women’s knitwear. Brands are under cost pressure in a weak economy, and petroleum-derived fabrics are cheaper to produce than natural fibres.

Brunn also said menswear tends to involve fewer style risks, allowing brands to buy yarn in bulk and optimise production.

Shoppers are advised to read labels carefully, as terms such as “wool blend” can mean the wool content is as little as 15%. Aja Barber, a sustainable fashion expert, said the trend cycle pushes women toward lower-cost products.

Brunn advised shoppers to consider how long a garment should last and whether they are prepared to hand-wash and de-pill it.