I’ve long searched for a heavy cotton sweater. Aran knits, Fisherman Sweaters, Turtlenecks —all sorts. Basically a chunky knit with a high neck that I can layer under all my favorite outerwear. The thing is, I try my best not to buy animal products, and even when I used to, I always found wool itchy. The perfect heavy cotton had seemingly eluded me.
That was until Bleu de Chauffe sent me over one of their Cancale Sweaters for review. Made in France from 100% marine-grade cotton, the Cancale is a tribute to the history of seafaring sweaters – without the itch. Here’s my honest take on the Cancale, which you may have already guessed is pretty darn positive.
By the Numbers
- Name: Bleu de Chauffe Cancale Sweater
- Materials: 100% cotton (marine-grade)
- Made in: France
- Fit: Runs slightly large, go TTS or size down 1 for a slimmer fit.
- Details:
- Hand-grafted collar
- Unique geometric weave between sleeve and cuffs, body and waist.
- Reviewed in Ecru but available in a variety of colors
- Available for $206 from Bleu de Chauffe.
First Impressions
Cold-Conquering Cotton – Bleu de Chauffe’s Cancale Sweater. This thing is a beast. Upon taking it out of its packaging, I got that instant feel of quality. Super neat knitting with varying patterns, robust neckline, and a hefty hand feel. I was happy with the Ecru colorway, too, which has that slight yellowy tinge of vintage fishermen’s sweaters without looking too retro.
Bleu de Chauffe ships products in a cardboard box with fully recyclable packaging which is always a nice touch.
Fabric & Construction
The Cancale sweater is knit from cotton double yarns with a traditional beaded rib stitch. As well as being super strong, this beaded approach looks amazing and offers a lot of visual appeal – something that is often lacking in cotton sweaters. It’s one of those knitting techniques that makes you marvel at the micro-engineering of knitting.
The Cancale is made by a family-run knitting business in Normandy that’s been making fisherman’s sweaters for generations. From afar, this chunky sweater looks simple. Which is great – it’s designed to be a wardrobe staple. But up close, you can see the hours of work that went into crafting it. It’s clear to see that Bleu de Chauffe wanted this to be something you would wear forever – like the maritime sweaters of old.
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The geometric woven welts that sit between the body and the waistband, as well as the sleeves and the cuffs, are crucial details. These welts act as ornate borders that separate parts of the silhouette. But the star of the show is that hand-grafted neck. It sits at a nice mid-height but isn’t constantly clinging to your neck, which on a turtle/roll neck gives me a very horrible sensory overload. The below video has glimpses of the literal graft that goes into hand-grafting this neck to the body of the sweater, as well as the aforementioned geo-welts:
While cotton knits are typically comfier than woolen ones, I’ll admit that the Cancale wasn’t 100% itch-free. The cotton is slightly rough and stiff at first, which allows the sweater to hold its shape but does give rise to some itch factor the first couple of wears. After 5-6 wears, though, the Cancale had ‘broken in’ and the cotton softened up.
Hand-grafted-collar
In terms of warmth, I have found that the Cancale actually hit that goldilocks territory where it keeps you warm but doesn’t make you hot. I’ve worn it with a Whitesville undershirt underneath (yep, a short sleeve! It’s that comfy after a few wears), plus a jacket on top and I’ve been super comfortable in around 40°F. It would defo hold up to colder temps, too. I know I’ll be rocking this in the most frigid days of January/February, perhaps with another layer underneath and a down coat.
Fit, Sizing, & Aesthetic
Bleu de Chauffe Cancale Sweater, ctyled with Kapital coverall and orSlow Fatigues
Bleu de Chauffe designed their Cancale sweater to be roomier than traditional fisherman’s sweaters which start super tight and loosen up over time. They wanted to create a ready-to-wear menswear staple, so a wider and straighter cut was deployed.
I tried this in a medium and large, and the medium just edged it. This means I technically sized down. I took into account that the knit will stretch with time, though. Cotton knits are known for stretching, and while this has a more stretch-resistant stitch, I didn’t want to take any chances. I also prefer a slimmer, more cropped fit on my sweaters and sweatshirts. If you’re interested in a Cancale but in doubt, go true to size — the Large still looked great and I could have made it work for sure.
Original Measures of my Medium:
- Original Pit-to-Pit: 20″
- Original shoulder width: 17″
- Original Length: 26″
Measures after 10 wears:
- Pit-to-Pit: 23.5″ (+17.5″)
- Shoulder width: 18.5″ (+8.45%)
- Length: 26″ (no change)
Long story short, these stretch out widthways around one whole size, so my recommendation would be to size down one size and wear it in —much like a pair of sanforized jeans.
I touched on the collar in the previous section, but I really do like the mid-height and width of the neck opening. It’s easy to chuck this on and off, and the collar feels super strong.
I’ve found styling the Cancale a breeze. I’ve mainly stuck to workwear, pairing it with a denim coverall for a traditional look, but you could easily smarten it up with some pleated trousers. I don’t currently have a long coat like a trench or a balmacaan, but if I did, that would be the ultimate partner for this Sweater. A belted overcoat of some description.
Final Word
I feel like all my reviews are super positive but I really can’t pick many faults with the Cancale Sweater other than it not being as soft as I would have liked at the start. The first couple of wears were a bit scratchy. But I literally write for a website known for specializing in raw denim — crunchy, starchy, and borderline uncomfortable garb is part of my modus operandi. Much of the best clothing in the world needs breaking in, and this broke in quickly.
If you’ve tried a few wool sweaters and have found them to be itchy, perhaps a bit too hot at times, then I would heartily recommend giving this Bleu de Chauffe piece a go. I’d say the same if you like the look, but not the feel, of high-neck sweaters, the high neck of the Cancale really doesn’t interfere.
Available in Ecru, Grey, Burgundy, and Navy for $206 at Bleu de Chauffe.
