Buying Men’s Knitwear Online in the UK: What to Check Before You Order
Key takeaways:
- Buy by garment measurement, not by letter: a published size table, measured flat, is the single most useful thing a knitwear listing can give you.
- Read the composition line exactly: it tells you how the knit will feel and wash — and an honest listing states it in full, percentages included where they are published.
- Decode the fit word: slim, regular and relaxed are three different garments wearing the same size label.
- Check the delivery and returns facts before the price: free tracked UK delivery, a stated dispatch window and 30-day returns are what make an online knitwear order low-risk.
WARDLEY London is our own store — prices and product facts below are taken from our own listings.
Why does knitwear go wrong online more than other clothing?
Because knitwear stretches, drapes and relaxes in wear, the difference between the size you ordered and the size you needed is larger than with a shirt or a pair of trousers — and because you cannot feel the cloth through a screen, the written facts carry the whole decision. The good news is that the facts which decide a knitwear purchase are all checkable before you order. There are five of them.
Check one: are garment measurements published?
A serious knitwear listing publishes the measurements of the garment itself — length, chest, shoulder and sleeve for every size — measured flat, with the maker’s tolerance stated. Our Fair Isle Quarter-Zip Jumper (£59) is listed that way: length 69–77cm and chest 102–118cm across sizes S–XXL, tolerance 1–3cm. Measure a jumper you already own, laid flat, and compare like with like. Our Fair Isle choosing guide works through the method in full, and the size guide collects the tables. If a listing gives you only S/M/L with no numbers, you are guessing — and with knitwear, guessing is how returns happen.
Check two: what does the composition line actually say?
The composition is the knit’s character, written down. A cotton-rich knit — the Fair Isle above is 95% cotton, 5% elastane — feels soft and structured and washes gently at 30°C. A synthetic knit can be the right choice where it is chosen deliberately: our Limehouse Fisherman Rib (£59) is 100% polyester, stated on its page, because a chunky rib at that weight needs the resilience. What matters is that the line is there, in full, before you pay. Where no percentages are published for a cloth, we say so on the page rather than inventing them — treat any listing that is vague about composition as a listing that is vague about everything.
Check three: which fit is it — slim, regular or relaxed?
The fit word changes the garment more than the size letter does. In our own range, the Marylebone Roll Neck (£59) is a slim, fine ribbed knit made for layering under a jacket; most of the range is regular; and the Limehouse above is relaxed with a dropped shoulder, cut to be worn loose. Buy the fit for the job: slim under tailoring, regular as the default, relaxed for weekends. If you are between readings of the size table, email support@wardleylondon.co.uk with the size and measurement you are considering before you order — a two-minute email is cheaper than a return.
Check four: what are the delivery facts, in numbers?
Knitwear is seasonal; a jumper that arrives in three weeks has missed the weather it was bought for. Read the delivery line as numbers, not adjectives. Ours: free tracked UK delivery on every order, dispatched in 1–2 working days, delivered in 6–10 working days from order, with tracking on every parcel. Whatever store you buy from, look for the same four facts — cost, dispatch window, delivery window, tracking — and be wary of any page that offers only the word “fast”.
Check five: what happens if it is wrong?
Thirty days, unworn, is the returns window to look for — ours is 30 days, and the returns policy states the detail. A proper returns window is what turns the first four checks from a gamble into a system: measure carefully, read the cloth, choose the fit, and know that a mistake costs you a re-order, not the money.
The Black Friday note
Until Sunday 29 November 2026, 23:59, two items in a basket take 15% off automatically and three or more take 25% off — no code. Free tracked UK delivery on every order; dispatched in 1–2 working days, with delivery 6–10 working days from order, and 30-day returns.
Frequently asked questions
Should I size up when buying knitwear online?
Only when the fit word says slim and you plan to layer over shirts. For regular fits, buy your measured size — the garment measurements, not habit, should decide.
How do I wash knitwear bought online?
Follow the instruction on the product page — ours state it per garment. The general routine is in our winter knitwear care guide.
Where do I start in the range?
The men’s knitwear collection is organised by family — cable, Fair Isle, roll neck, cardigan, quarter-zip — and the quarter-zips have their own shelf.
