FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (May, 2020)
Long overdue, here is a list of frequently asked questions that I have received by email over the years, and the best answers I have:
Q) What are the sweaters made of?
A) The sweaters are made of 100% natural wool, cerillo and merino.
Q) What is the "Signature Sweater"?
A) Back in April of 2013, I had a private meeting with Mr. Glaser. Although he had seen some examples of my sweaters in Los Angeles, I had never met him in person. He is a very nice fellow and very accommodating, and agreed to endorse these sweaters personally. Each sweater will have a professionally printed sewn in tag bearing the signature of Mr. Glaser.
Q) Is this sweater an exact copy of the one from the TV show or the movie?
A) It is not made to resemble the movie sweater. It is made to resemble the TV sweater, as closely as possible. See the pictures on the ordering page to compare.
Q) Do you make the sweaters?
A) No. If I tried to make these sweaters, they would have 3 sleeves! They are made for me by a small knitting mill, where they actually shear their own sheep for the wool, and dye the wool themselves.
Q) Can the sweaters be made in a different color?
A) Unfortunately, not at this time. We keep sweaters in stock, ready to ship, so they are all the same design, whether the Starsky style or the Marilyn style.
Q) Why is there a slight variation in the color?
A) see answer above. The knitting mill dye their own wool, and as in any garment manufacturing, it is impossible to keep the colorways exactly the same from batch to batch.
Q) How does the sizing work? I cannot find a size that fits me well.
A) On the ordering page, there is a sketch showing how to take 3 measurements. These measurements are entered into the "webform" on that page, and I send them to the mill owner. We also ask you for your height and weight. This is the most accurate way to get the correct size to you. Since wool is not an exact science, no 2 sweaters, even in the same size category are the same. The mill owner will measure out and find the best sweater to fit. Sometimes, in extreme cases, they go the extra mile, AT NO EXTRA COST* to alter a sweater to fit (example: shortening the sleeves a bit). The sweaters are meant to be worn big, so if you are between 2 sizes, go bigger.
Q) Where did Mr. Glaser get his original sweater? And what ever happened to it?
A) Mr. Glaser was very accomidating. He told me he bought it on Olivera Street in Los Angeles in the early 70's. I have no idea what happened to it.
Q) I read somewhere, that there are extra hidden charges for your sweaters. Is this true?
A) Absolutely not! The prices posted are the prices including shipping. I add on nothing to the posted prices. The only thing you may or may not pay is an import duty and/or VAT (import tax) which will vary with your country. I have no control over this.
Q) I would like to order 2 sweaters. Can I get a discount for 2 at the same time to the same address?
A) Yes, I calculate that at the time of ordering.
Q) How long does it take to get the sweater? How are they shipped?
A) We use DHL express for all points except to the USA, where it can be sent via FEDEX, UPS or USPS, depending on the region. It usually takes 5-7 working days to get the sweater, but as Christmas approaches, I encourage people to order in well in advance.
Q) I am a knitter. Can I make my own sweater? How can I get the pattern?
A) By all means, I encourage anyone who can knit to make their own. After all it keeps the spirit of the show alive and well. The pattern was made available by several knitting companies back in the 70s and can sometimes be found on Ebay for a few dollars. A few things to consider however. These sweaters are double knit. Very think. They weigh about 6 pounds (3 kilos). That's a lot of wool. The sirdar pattern is for a single knit version, which is much thinner. Also, a 5 or 6 ply wool would be required. I called a very famous wool manufacturer in Canada, and they quoted me about $90 for material, with no guarantee of fit and finish.
Q) How do I pay?
A) Paypal is best. 100% secure and in most cases instant. I can no longer accept money orders. In some cases I can accept VISA or Mastercard directly, through the SQUARE payment system.
Q) How do I clean the sweater?
A) I recommend dry cleaning only. NEVER PUT IT IN A DRYER. NEVER! IT WILL SHRINK.
Q) I got my sweater, but there is no belt with it. What do I do?
A) Simply contact me by email and we will get one out to you ASAP. Customs opens every package. Sometimes the belts are lost.
Q) I got my sweater - it has a chemical smell. What is that?
A) It could be the smell of the dyes (our wools are hand dyed) and it will dissipate with time. It could also be a disinfectant spray employed by some countries on import of packages and goods. If the smell is strong, take it to a local dry cleaner.
Q) I got my sweater and there are little bits of grass or wood in the wool. What is this?
A) All sweaters are cleaned and inspected before leaving the mill. The wools we use are all natural - the mill shears their own sheep, and the wool is spun and dyed on premises - no Walmart wool here. So, its possible that there is a little bit of grass or wood fibre mixed in with the wool. The wools are washed before dying but not every little spec can be removed.
Q) I got my sweater and its damaged: what do I do?
A) Send me an email right away with a picture of the damage. If it was damaged in transit, our carrier will pay for the replacement. If it was defective when it left the factory, we will replace it upon return of the defective one. However, if you had it a month, played football in it, and it starts to unravel, I'm sorry but I cannot take it back.
Q) I received my sweater and its just not to my liking. What can I do?
A) Normally I do not take returns unless the sweater is damaged due to manufacturing defect. However, there is the odd case, where, at your expense, you can return the sweater with a return merchandise authorization (RMA) number for a full refund. But this only happens in very select cases. If your sweater is too big or too small, because you supplied me with incorrect measurements, it will not be taken back. Also, be aware that if we do decide to take back a sweater and refund you, no other merchandise will be dispatched to you under any circumstances. We are not Walmart or Amazon, and have no budget to take back garments and then try to resell them.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING.