Gran Sasso Knitwear Guide

1 | The Gran Sasso Knitwear Line-Up at OD's

Everything Gran Sasso makes is knitted, shaped and finished in Italy — but "knitwear" covers a wider spread here than most brands manage. The current range at OD's breaks down like this:

The first three families are where most buyers should start, and they're what the rest of this guide concentrates on. Browse them live at the Gran Sasso knitwear collection, the polo shirt collection and the T-shirt collection — or see everything Gran Sasso at OD's in one place.

2 | The Merino & Merino-Silk Story

Every Gran Sasso piece starts with fibre selection, and the brand's working principle is simple: precious yarn plus manual skill equals uniqueness. The wool knits at OD's are built on Extra Fine Merino sourced from New Zealand and Australia — a breathable, resilient luxury fibre that regulates temperature naturally: cool in summer, insulating in autumn.

Why it doesn't itch

The single biggest objection to wool — prickle — doesn't apply here. Gran Sasso's extrafine merino sits well below the micron count that causes itch (typically under 18.5 microns), which is why it's comfortable straight against the skin and suits wearers who've previously found standard wool uncomfortable. That's also why the zip-neck knitted polos work worn solo, not just as a layer.

The merino-silk mix

The grey long-sleeve zip polo in our buy strip is knitted in a merino wool and silk mix. Silk brings a light natural sheen, beautiful drape and its own temperature-regulating quality; merino brings the body and resilience. The blend reads slightly dressier than pure merino — it's the knit in the range that comes closest to formalwear without leaving knitwear behind.

How it's put together

3 | Crew Neck vs Zip Polo — Which to Buy First

If you're buying your first Gran Sasso knit, the realistic shortlist is two pieces: the merino crew-neck jumper or a zip-neck knitted polo. Here's how we steer it on the shop floor.

The case for the crew neck

The navy crew neck knitted jumper is the most versatile single garment in the range. It layers over a shirt for work, over a tee at the weekend, and under an overshirt or hybrid jacket when it turns cold. The fully fashioned, linked construction means no bulky seams under a jacket, and navy merino goes with effectively everything you already own. If you want one knit that earns its keep year after year, this is it.

The case for the zip polo

The zip-neck knitted polo — in plain merino or the grey merino-silk mix — is the sharper buy. The collar and zip placket give it the structure of a shirt collar without the shirt, so it reads smart on its own: dinner, the office, anywhere a crew neck over a tee would look too casual. The zip adds practical range too — closed to the neck in the cold, open a few centimetres when indoors. It's the knit we'd put a customer in if they only dress up a few times a month and want maximum effect per wear.

The honest steer

If the budget runs to two pieces, the crew neck and a zip polo don't overlap at all — between them they cover almost every occasion short of black tie.

4 | Mercerised Cotton Explained

Half the Gran Sasso polos and tees at OD's carry "mercerised" in the name — including our bestselling beige mercerised zip polo shirt. It's worth understanding what you're paying for.

Gran Sasso's own yarn library lists lisle yarn — mercerised cotton — for its subtle lustre and cool touch. As standard textile practice, mercerisation is a finishing treatment in which cotton yarn is processed under tension so the fibres swell and become rounder and smoother. The practical results, framed as general textile knowledge rather than a brand-specific claim, are:

• A subtle, refined sheen — not shiny, but visibly more elegant than matte jersey cotton.
• A cool, smooth handle — the "cool touch" that makes these polos comfortable in warm weather.
• Richer colour — treated cotton generally takes dye more deeply, which is why the navy, green and auburn pieces look so saturated.
• Strength and a cleaner surface — smoother yarn is typically more resistant to fuzzing than untreated cotton.

In wardrobe terms: the mercerised pieces are the warm-weather counterpart to the merino knits. A mercerised zip polo does in June what the merino zip polo does in November — smart-casual polish with zero effort. The mercerised tees do the same job at the casual end: an elevated basic that looks deliberate under an overshirt where an ordinary tee looks like an afterthought.

5 | The Heritage Behind the Knit — Italy Since 1952

The reason a Gran Sasso jumper feels the way it does is seventy-plus years of doing one thing in one place. The company was founded in 1952 by four brothers — Nello, Eraldo, Alceo and Francesco Di Stefano — in Sant'Egidio alla Vibrata, a small village in Abruzzo just south of the Marche border. Their ambition was straightforward: make the finest knitwear possible using traditional techniques and local labour.

What sets the company apart in 2026 is what it never did: outsource. Every stage — spinning, knitting, dyeing, finishing — remains under Italian control at Gran Sasso's own facilities. The brand sits in the upper-premium tier of Italian knitwear, and its founding maxim still appears on its communications: "Quality is always fashionable."

This page is the buying companion, not the biography — the full story, including the Canali-designed factory, the craft academy that saved the rimaglio linking technique, and the brand's published sustainability programme, is in the main Gran Sasso brand guide.

6 | Gran Sasso Sizing — Get This Right First Time

The sizing question is the one we answer most by phone, so here it is in full. Gran Sasso uses European sizing, which tends to run slightly smaller than UK high-street brands — slimmer through the body, in the Italian tradition. The cut is slim but never restrictive: shoulder alignment follows natural stance, and the seamless linked construction gives generous mobility through the armhole.

The golden rules

• Buy true to size for refinement — the trim, Italian silhouette the knit was designed around.
• Size up for comfort layering — if you'll wear the knit over shirts, or simply prefer an easier fit.
• Between sizes? Go up. Natural fibres like merino have slight give but hold their structure — a knit that starts tight stays tight.
• Knitwear should breathe — you want skim, not cling.

What's actually on the rail

Checked against live stock data on 10 June 2026: the core knits run a genuinely wide size range. The navy crew neck jumper and the grey merino-silk zip polo both run M to 6XL, and the beige mercerised zip polo runs M to 5XL. Extended sizing at this quality level is rare — most premium Italian knitwear stops at 2XL — and it's a major reason Gran Sasso has a loyal following at OD's.

Each product page shows live availability per size. If your size shows out of stock online, call 01744 730985 before you give up — we can check what's on the floor at 44 Barrow Street and what's due in.

7 | Caring for Fine Knitwear

A Gran Sasso knit is designed for decades, not seasons — but only if it's washed like knitwear, not like a T-shirt. The rules below follow Gran Sasso's own care protocols for merino and fine natural fibres.

Washing merino & merino-silk

• Hand-wash preferred — lukewarm water, maximum 30°C, with a neutral wool detergent.
• Machine only on a gentle wool cycle at 30°C maximum — extrafine merino tolerates it, but hand-washing still extends lifespan. Silk-mix pieces should be hand-washed only.
• Never wring or twist — massage gently, rinse, then roll in a towel to remove excess water.
• Soak briefly — no longer than five minutes; colour stability depends on short immersion.

Drying & storage

• Dry flat on a clean towel, away from heat and direct sunlight, reshaping while damp — standard practice for all fine knitwear, and the single biggest factor in keeping its shape. Never tumble dry.
• Fold, never hang — long-term hanging stretches the shoulders permanently.
• Store folded in breathable cotton bags with cedar or lavender sachets between seasons; never plastic.
• Rest the garment — 24 hours between wears lets natural fibres relax and recover their shape.

The mercerised and interlock cotton pieces are easier company: a gentle 30°C machine cycle is fine, reshape while damp, and iron lightly while slightly damp for a crisp finish. Light pilling on wool knits is a natural characteristic of soft fibres, not a defect — lift it gently with a cashmere comb or fabric shaver, never by hand.

8 | Where to Buy Gran Sasso — Why OD's

OD's Designer Clothing is an authorised UK Gran Sasso stockist. We've traded from 44 Barrow Street, St Helens since 1992 — call 01744 730985, Mon–Sat 9–5 — and hold a ★★★★★ 4.6 rating from 2,388 Reviews.io customer reviews. Gran Sasso is stocked in depth here: knitwear, polos, tees and the technical pieces, in store and online, sourced directly from the brand's Italian production network.

Three of the most-bought Gran Sasso knits right now — live prices and stock, straight from the shelf:

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See the full range: Shop all Gran Sasso at OD's →

• Authorised UK Gran Sasso stockist — knitwear, polos, tees and technical pieces
• Feel the merino before you buy at 44 Barrow Street, St Helens — sizes on the rail, fitting room on site
• Extended sizing in depth — core knits run M to 6XL, checked live
• Straight answers on fibre, fit and care from a team that sells Gran Sasso daily
• Fast UK delivery and standard 14-day returns
• Stock checked by phone in seconds — 01744 730985 before you travel

9 | Frequently Asked Questions