Men's Quarter-Zip Jumper: Origins, Fabrics and How to Wear It
A high zipped-collar jumper born in the 1930s, the quarter-zip has become a classic. Its origins, fabrics, the Le Laboureur Burel and ecru jumpers, the Museum Garments Sailor Sweater, styling tips and a size guide.
The pull camionneur, known in English as the quarter-zip jumper, is a jumper with a high collar closed by a zip that runs from the neck to the top of the chest. Born in 1930s sportswear and later adopted by working trades, it is now one of the easiest jumpers to wear in a man's wardrobe. This guide covers its origins, its fabrics, how to wear it and how to choose your size, with two Le Laboureur models: the ecru quarter-zip and the brown Burel jumper.
What is a quarter-zip jumper?
The quarter-zip is recognised by its collar: a high collar that closes with a zip running a quarter or half of the way down the chest. Zipped up, it protects the throat like a roll neck; unzipped, it folds down and frees the neck. That adjustment is the whole point: you raise or lower the zip depending on the weather and the look you want. In French it is called pull camionneur, literally the "lorry driver's jumper".
"Half-zip" is also used when the zip goes further down. "Trucker sweater" is mostly a literal translation used by French brands; in English, quarter-zip is the established term.
Where the quarter-zip comes from
According to Citizen K and Madame Figaro, the zipped-collar jumper appeared in the 1930s, as the zip became widespread. It started as sportswear and outdoor wear: you opened the collar when you were warm and closed it when you were cold. The Guardian dates the zip's arrival on knitwear for weekend wear to the 1970s. In France, the jumper was then adopted by manual trades and lorry drivers, which gave it its French name. Sources disagree on when the link with drivers began (Le Figaro mentions the poorly insulated lorry cabs of the 1950s) and none cites a period document: the name comes from the trades that wore it, but the garment came first.
The quarter-zip has crossed the decades since. In the 1950s, Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly wore it off set; in France, Jean Gabin did too. Martin Margiela put it in his menswear collections in the late 1990s, and in 2003 Andrew Lincoln's character wears one in Love Actually. In December 2025, Chanel's Métiers d'art show opened with a quarter-zip, a sign that the piece has moved from the workwear wardrobe into fashion.
Quarter-zip fabrics
The quarter-zip is a knit, and the result varies a lot depending on the fibre and the way it is knitted:
- Heavy wool: the workwear version, warm and hard-wearing, often in a chunky rib.
- Felted wool: the knit is washed hot so that it tightens. It becomes denser, more wind-resistant and holds its shape better.
- Lambswool and merino: softer and finer, they make a dressier jumper that sits easily under a jacket.
- Cotton: for spring and autumn, lighter but less warm.
Blends with synthetic fibres lower the price and make care easier, but they insulate less well than wool and often pill sooner. Before you buy, the composition label tells you most of what you need to know.
The Le Laboureur Burel quarter-zip
Le Laboureur, the workwear workshop founded in 1956 in Digoin, in Burgundy, has made its classic quarter-zips in Tunisia since the early 1990s. In 2022, the brand set out to make this jumper in France again. The result, designed with knitwear designer Nathan Tordjman and architect Thomas Mustel, is the Burel quarter-zip.
According to Le Laboureur, its yarn is 100% French wool: 20% shredded offcuts of the workshop's Burel wool cloth, 30% other recycled wool and 50% naturally brown virgin wool. The wool is undyed: the brown is its natural colour. The jumper is knitted in one piece, with no seams, at about one and a half times its final size, then washed at 60°C without chemicals. This wash felts the knit, which softens, becomes denser and, according to the brand, stands up well to later machine washes.
A note on the name: at Le Laboureur, "Burel" is the name of a range and of a natural brown colour, that of the French wool cloth used for its jackets. It is not Portuguese burel from the Serra da Estrela, a cloth woven and then fulled. The word also exists in Old French, from around 1150, for a coarse woollen cloth, related to "bure", the fabric of monks' habits.
The Le Laboureur ecru quarter-zip
The ecru quarter-zip keeps the brand's classic shape: high zipped collar, ribbed hem and cuffs, and a small Le Laboureur label at the hem. Its light colour makes it the easiest piece in the selection to pair: it lifts brown or black trousers, a moleskin jacket or raw denim. The composition and origin of this model are listed on its product page.
Another take: the Museum Garments Sailor Sweater
The Sailor Sweater from Museum Garments starts from the same idea, a jumper with a high zipped collar, but takes it somewhere else. It is knitted in fisherman's rib in RWS-certified merino lambswool, spun in England by Z. Hinchliffe & Sons, and made in Portugal. The fit is boxy, the YKK zip in matt silver metal, the ribbing wide. It comes in navy and charcoal. For the brand and its sizing, see our Museum Garments guide.
How to wear a quarter-zip jumper
A quarter-zip is adjusted like a shirt collar. In Le Figaro, Gauthier Borsarello sums up the two ways to wear it: unzipped over a white T-shirt, or collar up for a dressier look, with the advantage that it does not enclose the neck like a roll neck. A few pairings that work:
- Over a white T-shirt: zip open, the white showing at the collar. The simplest outfit, with jeans or work trousers.
- Over a shirt: shirt collar out or tucked in, for a sharper look. An oxford, like those from Kamakura Shirts, works well.
- Under a jacket: the press recommends a slightly loose blazer. A work jacket does the same job: the Burel jacket with the Burel jumper makes a tonal outfit, while the black moleskin jacket contrasts with the ecru.
- With work trousers: the quarter-zip is still a workwear piece and sits naturally with a pair of moleskin largeot trousers. See our largeot guide.
For trousers, raw denim also works, such as the DN.20 from Ateliers de Nîmes. To keep things clean, stick to one heavy piece per outfit: a felted Burel jumper under a wool cloth jacket is already a full winter outfit.
Quarter-zip size guide
Le Laboureur sizes its quarter-zips by chest measurement, taken under the arms at the widest point, with your arms by your sides. The brand advises relying on this measurement rather than the size you usually wear in other brands. Here is its conversion:
| Chest (cm) | Standard size | Le Laboureur size |
|---|---|---|
| 84 to 92 | S | 1 |
| 92 to 100 | M | 2 |
| 100 to 108 | L | 3 |
| 108 to 116 | XL | 4 |
| 116 to 124 | 2XL | 5 |
| 124 to 132 | 3XL | 6 |
Source: Le Laboureur size guide, checked in November 2026. Some ranges overlap: depending on your build and how much room you like, you may hesitate between two sizes. The Museum Garments Sailor Sweater has a boxy fit, wider across the chest: refer to its own size guide. If in doubt, the team at our Rennes store can advise you.
For the jacket to go with it, see our Le Laboureur guide. For the trousers, see what is a largeot.
Quarter-zip: the details
Definition: a jumper with a high collar closed by a zip down to the top of the chest. In French: pull camionneur.
Origin: 1930s sportswear, later adopted by working trades, including lorry drivers, hence its French name.
Le Laboureur Burel jumper: 100% undyed French wool, knitted without seams, felted at 60°C.
Museum Garments Sailor Sweater: RWS merino lambswool, fisherman's rib, boxy fit, made in Portugal.
Sizing: by chest measurement in cm.
Shop the quarter-zip at AURA
Le Laboureur quarter-zips and the Museum Garments Sailor Sweater are available in our Rennes store, at 2 rue Châteaurenault, and online with delivery across France and Europe.
Shop the full Le Laboureur selection →
Quarter-zip jumper: frequently asked questions
Why is it called a "pull camionneur" in French?
Because this zipped-collar jumper, born in 1930s sportswear, was adopted by manual trades, including lorry drivers. The name comes from those who wore it; no period source dates that link precisely.
What is the difference between a quarter-zip and a roll neck?
A roll neck is fixed and always wraps the neck. The quarter-zip's collar closes with a zip: you wear it closed like a high collar or open and folded down to free the neck.
How do you wear a quarter-zip?
Unzipped over a white T-shirt for a simple outfit, over a shirt for a sharper look, under a loose blazer or a work jacket, with jeans or work trousers.
Is the Le Laboureur Burel jumper made in France?
Yes, according to the brand: its yarn is 100% French wool and the jumper is presented as entirely French-made. The brand's classic quarter-zips, on the other hand, have been made in Tunisia since the early 1990s.
How do I choose my quarter-zip size?
Measure your chest under the arms. At Le Laboureur, 84 to 92 cm is a S, 92 to 100 cm a M, 100 to 108 cm a L and 108 to 116 cm a XL.
Where can I buy a quarter-zip jumper in Rennes?
At AURA, in store at 2 rue Châteaurenault and online at aura-estore.com, with delivery across France and Europe.
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