Synthetic fabric once common in sweaters

ORLON

This acrylic fiber, developed by DuPont in the 1940s, was often blended with wool to add durability and reduce wrinkling in mid-century knitwear.

This clue points to "ORLON," a synthetic fiber that was widely used in mid-20th-century sweaters and knitwear. It’s a brand name for acrylic fiber developed by DuPont, known for being lightweight, warm, and resistant to wrinkles—qualities that made it a popular alternative to wool. The clue relies on recognizing "synthetic fabric" as a hint toward man-made materials like Orlon, which was a household name in its heyday. If you’ve ever heard of vintage sweaters or retro fashion, this term might ring a bell.