Fall Cottons: Turtlenecks & Long-Sleeve Polo Shirts

Fall Cottons: Turtlenecks & Long-Sleeve Polo Shirts

When the leaves start to change, and the weather grows colder, and the days longer… you know it’s sweater weather! (But don’t forget about turtlenecks!) Whether you prefer the traditional roll-collar turtleneck or a modern, looser fitting mock turtleneck, The Lanam Shop proudly offers both styles in a range of seasonal colors. Greens to match any tweed, wine and neutral browns correspond with all things fall. We offer a shade to correspond with your favorite flannel-finish sport coat, or one of our cashmere sweaters you have had for years. Our men’s cotton turtlenecks are a Lanam Shop staple and not to be overlooked.

Traditionally cut through the body (with ample neck room) our turtlenecks might just be the highlight of fall… aside from apple picking, of course. Crafted by hand in Peru from fine extra-long staple Peruvian Pima Cotton, our men’s turtleneck shirts have a delicate softness others lack. Decadently soft, yet remarkably durable, these turtlenecks can withstand brush up against coarse tweeds without pilling. The secret is the extra-long staple cotton fibers used to spin the yarn. Longer, softer, and stronger fibers make for incredible yarn. We only use top quality Peruvian Pima Cotton grown on high-altitude coastal plateaus. Hand-picked and made into hand-crafted turtleneck shirts, the labor intensive manufacturing process produces an unrivaled result.

In addition to our classic range of turtlenecks, we also offer a complete collection of men's long-sleeve cotton polo shirts. Our pure cotton long-sleeve men's polos come with a pocket or without a pocket, we have a range of styles and colors that are sure to correspond with any wardrobe. Our long sleeve polos are crafted with a subtle jersey stitch and feature trim detailing around the front, back, and sleeve panels. Mixing form and function, these extra rows of stitching help provide added durability to the finished garment. Refined and elegant, wear them on their own, under a jacket, or with your favorite sweater. The soft, breathable Pima cotton will help regulate body temperature and prevent you from overheating. An excellent choice, any day of the year!

Though we traditionally associate cotton polo shirts with the summer, our long-sleeve options are an excellent choice for polo enthusiasts, living in cold weather places. Our traditional all cotton turtlenecks are a go-to shirt during the colder weather. But still, many out there do not wear cotton during the winter and opt for a warmer material, like our Viyella sport shirts. An excellent choice, of course! Cotton is always a great base layer and can be paired with a warmer material, like wool or cashmere, to help insulate and keep you comfortable.

Our sweaters are never itchy, something we pride ourselves on. But in the event they were (or you own a scratchy sweater you bought at another store) our long-sleeve Pima Cotton polo shirts and timeless Pima cotton turtleneck shirts are extra thick, meaning they have the ability to truly block the wool fibers from scratching up against your skin. 

By now you might be asking yourself, “but doesn’t The Lanam Shop’s Collection of Pima Cotton breath really well? Moreover, won't the inherent cooling properties of Pima Cotton make me even colder?

Those are great questions! Yes, our collection of Pima Cotton is designed to breathe and Yes, the inherent cooling properties of cotton are directly applicable, but they will not make you colder. Our Pima cotton encourages heat and moisture to move across (and through) the all-cotton material, radiating heat. But these elements can diffuse inwardly, or outwardly. When you wear one of our long-sleeve cotton shirts under a warm sweater, two main cavities form: the first is the space between your skin & the shirt and second is the space between your shirt & the sweater. Sweaters work by trapping body heat, preventing it from radiating away into the atmosphere. Wool makes for a far better insulator than cotton.

The jersey stitch allows for even movement of heat across the surface and through the Pima cotton material. As heat moves away from the skin, it warms the shirt and eventually the shirt will start to move heat into the space between the shirt and the sweater. As this happens, heat is taken away from the first space, so your body produces more. The heat cannot escape the wool sweater at the same rate as it can escape the cotton shirt; it acts like a brick wall. Eventually, the bulk of the heat will end up between the cotton shirt and the sweater. When this happens, heat will slowly diffuse back into the first, giving you the sensation of radiant warmth. Overtime, heat will diffuse from the first area into the second and from the second into the first. This natural cycle will sync with your natural body heat rhythm over the course of the day. Because we use all natural fibers, there is no spandex, polyester, or other synthesized materials to slow this cycle down; interference causes you to overheat. In the summer, the ability of heat and moisture to spread across the surface promotes evaporation, sending a cooling sensation back through the shirt, to your skin. Heat is constantly moving away from the body, whether it's summer or winter. Trapping the head will radiate warmth back and letting it escape will have a cooling effect.

The secret sauce that makes this work properly and keeps you comfortable throughout the day is the extra-long staple cotton fibers used to make all of our men’s Pima cotton products. The cotton fibers are durable, conduct thermal (hot and cold) transfers well, and are soft to the touch. Since we have knitted to be slightly thicker than their shirt-sleeve counterparts, the rate of movement across the cotton, in both directions, is more aligned with your body’s natural rhythm.