VESIKKO turtleneck, off-white
100 % alpaca submariner knit
25100 % Fine Special alpaca wool
Whether you’re sailing in autumn storms or perusing your favourite book in a lounge chair, you can always rely on Vesikko. Extremely stylish, but uncompromisingly practical. Pairs well with Japanese raw denim and hiking boots.
Vesikko sweater is designed to be a faithful and long-lasting partner. The development of this garment from a draft to the finished product was not a hasty project: this will stay in our collection forever, so we wanted to make it absolutely perfect.
- 100% Fine Special quality alpaca wool. Breathable, soft and warm. Check out the features!
- Gorgeous, durable and elastic 4-ply knit.
- Reversible sleeves with enough length to keep hands and wrists warm.
- The collar can be raised to protect the neck. Foldable both inwards and outwards.
- The material softens in use and reaches its full softness after a couple of wears.
- Made responsibly in Northern Europe.
| Color: Off-white |
The design of the sweater is based on the submariner, a turtleneck sweater originally worn by British submarine fighters, which has become a permanent classic of men’s style.
Instead of traditional lambswool, we made it from the Andean gold: 100% Fine Special quality alpaca wool. This rare, high quality fibre feels comfortable against the skin, is warmer than regular lambswool and stays clean even in heavy use, being naturally stain and odour resistant. The knit is a sturdy but pleasantly flexible 4-ply rib that has been used in our Shawl Collar cardigan for many years.
Alpaca, the Gold of the Andes
The material of this product – 100% Fine Special alpaca wool – is our most durable fibre quality.
Alpaca wool is one of the most extraordinary and rare natural fibres in the world. It’s not well-known by many, but once you get to know it, you’re hooked! Its exceptional breathability, excellent resistance to pilling, and beautiful, fluffy glow are something you just won’t find in other materials.
Unmatched warmth and breathability
Are you always cold, or alternatively, are you unable to wear knits because they are too hot? Alpaca is the perfect solution for both those problems: alpacas have adapted to different temperatures, as it is hot during the day and chilly at night in the Andean mountains where they graze. Over the millennia, alpaca wool has developed special properties in terms of both warmth and breathability.
Alpaca vs. Merino
We often get questions about the properties of alpaca wool compared to other materials. In comparison to merino wool, alpaca wool stands out especially for its superior moisture transfer qualities. Alpaca fibre is untreated and has a natural ability to absorb and transfer moisture effectively.
Commercial merino wool is treated to make it machine washable, in a so-called superwash treatment: the surface of the wool is coated with resin. The treated fibre loses much of its absorption capacity. The surge in the popularity of merino wool has made it increasingly challenging for a customer to discern between different levels of merino wool quality as there is now a vast array of merino qualities available in the market.
Alpaca wool – it only gets better with use
Most of our knits are densely knitted – we don’t cut corners on material use – so they need some time to soften up. This is necessary in order to make garments that last longer, and as you know, longevity is one of our core values. You can speed up the softening by brushing or steaming the knit, or ease it in by wearing a shirt underneath at first. Over time, the inside of the knit gets a soft, fluffy layer, typical for alpaca wool, making it feel really smooth and lightweight on you.
The secret to the smoothness of alpaca wool is in its fibre: it has fewer and tinier scales on its surface than other wools. Thanks to those smooth and long fibres, alpaca wool doesn’t pill easily, which our customers really appreciate.
We recommend your normal clothing size. The dimensions of the knit may appear snug, but fear not. The type of knit is significantly elastic, which is taken into account in the sizing of the product.
The model of the main picture is 188cm / 88kg and uses size L. The model of the second and third pictures is 177cm / 77kg and uses size M.
Dimensions and size
Note! There may be little variation in the dimensions of products made from natural fibers. However, the knit has good elasticity and the knit adapts to the wearer after a few uses.
Our customer service will be happy to advise you on choosing the right size.
Taking care of your Alpa® alpaca garment is super easy! You don’t have to wash it a lot. In fact, most times, just letting it air outside is enough to make it fresh again. If you wear another shirt under your knitwear, there will be even less need for washing.
If the garment gets stained or musty and is indeed in need of a wash, we recommend washing it by hand in cold water, using a gentle soap and squeezing it softly (avoid rubbing). After rinsing, roll it in a towel to get rid of extra water, reshape it and let it dry on a flat surface to avoid any unwanted stretching.
The whole washing from start to finish takes about 10 minutes – so it’s really easy to take care of your alpaca garment. Washing it once or twice a year should be enough in normal use.
Our cooperation with KASPERI, known for its high-quality backpacks and bags, is based on a common vision: we create uncompromising, high-quality products that denote timeless aesthetics, responsibility and longevity.
We met the KASPERI team at a fashion fair years ago, and we have admired each other’s products ever since. Our cooperation began with joint photo-shoots in stunning nature locations. Alpa’s knitwear has been the choice for the avid hiking entrepreneurs of KASPERI for many years, Janne and Michael, who have been sharing their adventures both on the islands of the Baltic Sea and in the fells of Lapland.
On those adventures, the properties of alpaca wool have convinced them of its uniqueness. Together we came up with an idea to implement new, more robust knit designs: KASPERI’s people take care of product sketching and product philosophy – we bring on board our world-class material and know-how in knitting production and design.
The first fruit of our work is now complete. It’s Vesikko, the perfect Submariner knit, the undisputed captain of our knitwear collection. While the coarse sheep wool might have been sufficient for the submarine crew on British submarines, we wanted an update – thus was born the supreme alpaca wool submariner. The name Vesikko dates back to the Second World War and the Vesikko-submarine of the Finnish Navy, which is now on display and open for visitors at the Suomenlinna Museum in Helsinki.
This Alpa® knitwear piece is responsibly manufactured in Lithuania at the production facilities of our long-term partners. Our partners have decades of experience in manufacturing high-quality knitwear products, and together we have uncovered the secrets of knitting with the rare alpaca wool.
Delivery methods and shipping costs
Free Standard Shipping for orders over 200€. All the orders are shipped from Finland. EU customers are free of any customs or duties.
You will receive a tracking link in your order confirmation email to follow your order.
Denmark, Sweden
PostNord 2-4 working days 5 €
DHL Express 1-4 working days 30 €
Germany, Belgium, Netherlands
GLS, 3-5 working days 5 €
DHL Express 1-4 working days 30 €
Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain
GLS, 3-6 working days 10 €
DHL Express, 2-4 working days 30 €
Switzerland, Norway
GLS, 3-5 working days 10 €
DHL Express, 2-3 days 30€
Please note that when ordering outside the EU, you are responsible for possible duties / taxes when receiving the products.
United States and Canada
DHL Express, 35 € 3-5 business days.
Please note that when ordering outside the EU, you are responsible for possible duties / taxes when receiving the products.
UK
GLS 5-6 working days 10 €
DHL Express, 2-3 days 30€
Due to recent changes in UK import VAT rules after Brexit we only deliver orders exceeding 135 pounds to UK
Please note that when ordering outside the EU, you are responsible for possible duties / taxes when receiving the products. Duties and taxes are NOT included in the shipping costs. Please refer to your local custom officials to calculate these costs for your order.
Finland
Posti packet delivery 1-2 days – 5 €
Matkahuolto packet delivery 1-2 days – 5 €
Matkahuolto home delivery 1-2 days – 10 €
Pickup from Alpa store (Helsinki, Tampere, Jyväskylä) – Free
Please note that when ordering outside the EU, you are responsible for possible duties / taxes when receiving the products. Duties and taxes are NOT included in the shipping costs. Please refer to your local custom officials to calculate these costs for your order. Value added tax 25.5% is deducted from your order total automatically.
Rest of the world
Contact customer service info@alpaknitwear.com for shipment details. We are happy to arrange it to you!
Duties & Taxes:
Please note that when ordering outside the EU, your local delivery duties and taxes are NOT included in the shipping costs. Please contact your local custom officials to calculate these costs for your order. Value added tax 25.5% is deducted from your order total automatically.
- Shipping in 1-2 days
- Fast shipping and free returns in EU
- Responsible production – all knits made in EU
- 100 % satisfaction guarantee
DKThe Ultimate Submariner knit
It’s exactly what I expected when I purchased the Vesikko, great fit and if I had one criticism, it seemed a little short for a tall man at first…but it’s not! Fits perfectly. The knit really does soften after a couple of wears and is very soft around the neck…although if you have a couple days stubble on your neck, it tends to scratch on the yarn and fluff up a bit! Overall, absolutely worth every penny. Extremely warm, comfortable and I shall be buying another colour!
DKSoft, fit and warm
My new VESIKKO turtleneck, off-white is SO nice to wear!. It’s heavy because of it’s soft wool knitwear. Due to the knitting pattern it’s smooth and body fit. It’s just like I hoped: The classic british navy sweater with turtleneck, not itchy from ordinary wool, but soft from the alpaca wool.
NLVESIKKO turtleneck, navy
I received my beautiful sweater just in time for Xmas. The quality is super. The Alpaca wol is really great quality and comfortable to wear. I would highly recommend these products. I was complimented on it by a stylist from a A brand out of the blue when I first wore it. Lauri also personally followed up with me on shipping when I asked him about timing (As just before the holidays that is always a challenge).
DKBeautiful knitwear
I am so happy that i bought this Submariner. The Off-White is beautiful. I was surprised by how heavy this knitwear actually is. And by how warm it is also. It was a bit itchy at first, but as advertised, it gets softer and softer the more one wears it. The sleeves have a perfect length (THANK YOU !), as also has the turtle neck which allows to unroll it up to the ears if you want to. The fabric seems incredibly solid, but still i do not let my cat express his satisfaction on it… I gather this submariner is one of those clothes you keep and use during years and years, if not decades. Since I bought this one and am so happy with it, i have also ordered the new Crew Neck and i can’t wait to try it.
BE