https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:57:42 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950635 Thu, 23 Aug 2018 11:08:08 +0000 Aliona 1950635@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Suz, I wear an (almost 20-year) old Nordstrom camel V of my hubby’s too! Never pills (Nordstrom cashmere was fantastic quality back then). Your pink cashmere is gorgeous. Seeing it and reading La Pedestrienne’s comment about Everlane reminded me I ordered one of their pullovers a couple of years ago. As La Ped describes, it was thin, scratchy and ended up gathering pills and moths in my closet.</p> <p>La Ped, that’s good to know about alpaca. The pullover I’m knitting seemed so soft, but one can only tell in the wearing. I stopped work on it because it’s a thick yarn and I feared it would be too hot, even for me. I may go back to it as a test. I have a camel Eileen Fisher sweater that I bought as an experiment (I live near a company store, lucky me); that is a bit itchy.</p> <p>Peri, I’d have done the same these days. My final cashmere straw was a Nordstrom Signature navy cardi last year. I took a chance, figuring pills wouldn’t show too badly on a dark colour, but it was hideous after 2 wears. And Nordstrom cashmere used to be so good </p> <p>Christina and Jessikams, it is reassuring to know it’s not just me. Christina, I had the same problem with an Eileen Fisher pullover recently. I thought it would be a success — no pills after several wears — but it developed a mystery hole when I washed it. To be fair, I may have snagged it somewhere and the fibres finally broke in the wash. </p> <p>Thanks for your support, everyone. I appreciate the confirmation that it’s time for me to move on from cashmere! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950592 Thu, 23 Aug 2018 05:19:29 +0000 Jessikams 1950592@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I HAVE noticed that sweaters are often pilled even on the store racks, before any wear! So discouraging. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950366 Wed, 22 Aug 2018 15:18:55 +0000 Christina F. 1950366@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>it's not just you. I bought a cashmere sweater from AT that developed a hole after one season of light use and one hand washing. A second one I bought at the same time is still okay, though. Most cashmere I see in stores these days is paper thin and looks like it will develop holes. I am not adept at taking care of delicate clothes, so I'm definitely going to continue passing on cashmere unless I see a really high quality piece I must have. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950354 Wed, 22 Aug 2018 14:31:12 +0000 Peri 1950354@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm glad you posted this. I've had the same problem and wondered if it was because I always went for "budget cashmere"...nothing over $200. I passed on the Lafayette sweater from NAS that I kept eyeing because I couldn't justify the price for my lifestyle. Probably a good decision! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950338 Wed, 22 Aug 2018 13:46:28 +0000 LaPed 1950338@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'd never bought a brand-new 100% cashmere sweater til last year. Up to then, I'd only worn old hand me down cashmere from my grandparents. The new stuff definitely isn't as good, for all the reasons in the article Sarah links. Also, keep in mind the push to keep everything at an artificially low price point. I tried on one of Everlane's $100 cashmere crewnecks but it was tissue thin and rather scratchy (especially the cuffs, which were blended fibers), and decided it just wasn't worth it. The worst culprit, IME, are the cashmere blends -- cotton/cashmere or Merino/casmere -- they seem to pill almost instantly. </p> <p>Alpaca can be pretty itchy; alpacas grow two coats of wool, one fine and one of coarse "guard hairs" which ideally don't end up in the finished product but in reality they often do. Breeding and processing have definitely improved the quality of alpaca in recent years (vintage alpaca can be realllly itchy), but it can still be an irritating fiber for sensitive skin. </p> <p>There is some very good Merino out there but you have to be discerning, and you still wind up with duds from time to time, even from brands you trust. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950313 Wed, 22 Aug 2018 12:37:20 +0000 Suz 1950313@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm also disappointed in the quality by and large. I have a vintage cashmere sweater of my husband's that he passed down to me that is probably 40 years old and in fantastic shape! (It's so warm I can really only wear it for skating expeditions so it counts as "gear" but I will never get rid of it!)&nbsp;</p> <p>I did have luck with a few J. Crew items over the last five or six years. All three were "collection" (or higher end) sweaters that I got on sale. The pink tee does pill some under the arms, but it is still holding up. I love the colour so I am determined to wear it another season. The heavier one is also starting to pill now six years in, but I wear it constantly as loungewear and it is so incredibly soft and light. (No Find) The cabled one is quite light weight but seems to be holding up for now.&nbsp;</p> <p>Most other cashmeres, whatever the brand, have started to pill and go out of shape, first season, unless I barely wear them. Like others, I look for merino more often now. It's a little more durable -- though thin merinos can easily get holes from sources other than moths (like t-shirts, catching on something).&nbsp;</p> <p>That's a very interesting article <b>Sarah</b> posted.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950304 Wed, 22 Aug 2018 11:52:34 +0000 Aliona 1950304@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hmmm, I’ll have to pay attention to those points on alpaca, efbgen and bj1111. I started a knitting project a couple of years ago with local alpaca from a farm market, but never finished. If the moths haven’t found it by now, I should complete it to test the bobble and itch factor. </p> <p>Style Fan, I run cold too! Absolutely need my sweaters. Great point on vintage and moths. I haven’t shopped vintage (mine’s inherited) because the options are slim where I live. But from what I hear, critters can creep in even on new purchases, so that’s an ace tip. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950302 Wed, 22 Aug 2018 11:27:43 +0000 Style Fan 1950302@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have cashmere sweaters from 13 years ago and they are in great shape.&nbsp; No piling, no stretching out of shape.&nbsp; Beautiful condition.&nbsp; I have a merino wool sweater from 1985 that is in perfect condition.<br />Now I bought a cashmere sweater 2 years ago and I am constantly combing out the piling. &nbsp;<br />I am constantly cold so I have to wear sweaters.&nbsp; I think I will wear polar fleece and look for vintage sweaters.&nbsp; Be careful of moths with vintage.&nbsp; Put in freezer for a while with lavender. &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950243 Wed, 22 Aug 2018 02:20:28 +0000 bj1111 1950243@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Alpaca can be very itchy to sensitive skin. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950239 Wed, 22 Aug 2018 02:11:25 +0000 Anonymous 1950239@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Alpaca can shed and pill badly too- sorry </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950237 Wed, 22 Aug 2018 02:07:53 +0000 Aliona 1950237@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sorry it’s taken a while to weigh back in. Thanks for all the ideas (and empathy)!</p> <p>Joyce, that’s a good tip about merino. We definitely get moth damage — even though I never seem to see the critters themselves.</p> <p>Thanks for the tips, Shiny. Our L&amp;T closed but I’ll check out BR for sure.</p> <p>Katerina — I know exactly what you mean. It’s such an upsetting waste of money, isn’t it?</p> <p>Adriana, I will report back if I find any winners.</p> <p>Sarah, that article is fascinating. I would never have guessed that about temperatures, but it makes sense. Thank you so much for sharing the link. I’m awfully sad for the goats. And yes, I have noticed the same thing about cashmere up until this decade — which again makes sense in light of the article you shared.</p> <p>I’m with you, Viva. I may take a chance on an item if it’s on sale. I see so many sweater styles that I love online, but the designers’ yarn of choice seems to default to cashmere.</p> <p>Exactly, Sterling and Cindy. </p> <p>Efbgen, alpaca is another yarn that I like and should probably investigate further. It seems like alpaca farming is on the upswing in my area. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950230 Wed, 22 Aug 2018 01:44:56 +0000 Anonymous 1950230@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I use to wear cashmere and merino wool. Then menopause hit and I can’t wear either in sweaters- I stick with cotton sweaters now but use cashmere, alpaca and wool with scarves and shawls for accessories- still get to enjoy lux feel but can put them on/ take them off easier </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950222 Wed, 22 Aug 2018 01:31:31 +0000 cindysmith 1950222@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Cashmere has been pretty unimpressive the last few years. It's ridiculous, the prices they put on it and it looks like crap before you get it home. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950157 Tue, 21 Aug 2018 21:58:07 +0000 Anonymous 1950157@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have stopped buying cashmere for all the reasons you cited. &nbsp;I stopped about five years ago when every single garment I picked up felt "icky." &nbsp;In some cases. the cashmere felt worse than really cheap wool. &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950051 Tue, 21 Aug 2018 15:30:11 +0000 viva 1950051@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Vintage cashmere is such a great bet and wonderful when you find it.</p> <p>I empathize with your frustration around cashmere quality, Aliona. I still will buy cashmere if it's on sale, but my expectations for longevity are quite low.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950049 Tue, 21 Aug 2018 15:22:23 +0000 SarahD8 1950049@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It’s partly to do with climate change: warmer temperatures—&gt; shorter hairs —&gt; more pilling. This article suggests that overgrazing is a problem too:<br /> <a href="https://qz.com/542511/climate-change-means-cashmere-and-other-quality-materials-are-in-trouble/" rel="nofollow">https://qz.com/542511/climate-.....n-trouble/</a></p> <p>I continue to wear a lot of cashmere, sourced almost exclusively secondhand. Definitely notice that nothing compares to vintage but even sweaters from ~10 years ago seem to hold up better than the most recent stuff. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950045 Tue, 21 Aug 2018 14:51:47 +0000 Adriana 1950045@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't have any cashmere. The price keeps me away. So no tips. But I'm on the lookout for new sweaters this winter. And the Filpucci (sp) ones from BR last year didn't survive one winter. And I washed by hand. Had to use my sheaving thingy a lot. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950041 Tue, 21 Aug 2018 14:43:25 +0000 Katerina 1950041@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don’t wear much sweaters, so I don’t have much experience. A couple of years ago, however, I bought two cashmere sweaters in a Ralph Lauren outlet, and they both were of disappointing quality, especially in relation to the price. Both were pilling a lot and totally lost their shape. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950029 Tue, 21 Aug 2018 13:56:26 +0000 shiny 1950029@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've been switching over to merino too. I have some from Banana Republic. And a couple from Lord &amp; Taylor, their house-brand sweaters.</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950025 Tue, 21 Aug 2018 13:12:54 +0000 Joyce B 1950025@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You are not pickly, you are discerning .<br /> The cashmere must be getting a lower/cheaper grade milling these days.<br /> My problem with merino is that it is a stronger moth magnet than any other wool/yarn. Good luck with your search. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-longer-buying-cashmere#post-1950016 Tue, 21 Aug 2018 11:45:55 +0000 Aliona 1950016@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>For decades, cashmere has been my go-to sweater fabric for drape, hand, and longevity. My classic cashmere (some from the 1940s) has survived moths and machine washing — and come through with grace, style and not a bobble in sight.</p> <p>But lately, even 100% cashmere pills like crazy. Last year’s purchases needed the sweater comb after a few wears. This year, the items are pilling on the racks before even escaping the store. Has anyone else noticed this, or am I ridiculously picky?</p> <p>I’ve tried many expensive brands and the problem seems universal. I’m starting to wonder if it starts at the source: Perhaps cashmere producers have engineered a more productive breed of goat to meet higher demand?</p> <p>Meanwhile, wool seems to be evolving in a brilliant way. I’ll be keeping my eye out for humane friendly mérinos — and would love some quality recommendations if you have any. </p>