Not a necessity.

Wool is itchy in general for me so I have to wear a turtle neck. Cashmere next to skin is so comfy for me.

Best buys these year were a cashmere sweatshirt and joggers. I wore those practically everyday during a month of travel and are now my preferred flight uniform.

Now that the Scottish store in SF is gone, I’ve given up on cashmere. That was quality cashmere.

No, I wouldn't categorize it as a necessity :). But it's soft, warm, and cuddly, if you live in a cold climate and can tolerate it. I have one thick basketweave cashmere sweater that is gorgeous, but I find it kind of hot, so I don't wear it too much.

Rachy--I'd forgotten about the store in San Francisco. Wasn't there one in Carmel as well? So many good places gone now. Sad.

I wear it but it’s not something I couldn’t easily live without.

Hmm I've never actually owned any cashmere, so it's been helpful to read this thread! I'm in the same boat as you Carol - wondering whether I should bother 'investing' in cashmere when it's dryclean/ handwash only (thanks for the opinions pointing out how it could be useful for the cold & damp UK climate, but maybe less so for my currently hot & humid HK 'winter' lol).

My skin is fairly sensitive, so I think I'll stick to cotton & merino wool (not all wool is non-itchy, but I've had the highest success rate with merino so far). Viscose blends can work but I find rayon to be naturally cooling (so not as great in a 'warm' jumper). Modal blends too.

Definitely not a necessity and over-pushed by retailers. So much poor-quality cashmere out there, too. Even the good cashmere pills like crazy and is too hot for this menopausal hot-flash girl!

Sorry to be grumpy!

I think it's really choose-your-own-adventure, with a hefty nod to the climate you're living in. I wear cashmere when I have the perfect alignment of cold day + a specific 'occasion', like going out to dinner, or visit friends, or see a performance. Otherwise, I nearly always grab cotton, or merino wool on very cold days.

I've had a number of cashmere sweaters over the years, but the two that have lasted are Lands End, and J Crew**. I purchased both secondhand, and they have really held up so far. In addition, I have a couple of sweaters that are merino wool/silk/other textiles, blended with cashmere, which makes it a little less delicate. Banana Republic and Talbots, again, purchased secondhand, in impeccable condition.

Because I shop secondhand, I don't know how any of these brands are doing now, if you were to shop new. I would examine online reviews carefully.

**This is the only J Crew cashmere sweater I have encountered in the past decade, that didn't develop small holes or really bad pilling, within 4-5 wears and a couple of careful handwashes.

I read about halfway through responses a couple weeks ago, then got lost in the holidays. I will read the rest soon, and get back, even if in just one general comment. Thanks for your thoughts!

I love cashmere. I wash it in the washing machine (in a mesh bag) and lay it flat to dry. Never had a problem. I love it because it (like merino) is antimicrobial and can be worn multiple times without smelling. It is incredible at regulating body temperature, so it keeps me warm when I need it without me overheating when I don't. I can wear it as a shell under a blazer in all but in July and August. I find cotton doesn't keep me warm in the winter and retains moisture, so if I sweat, it lingers and then I get cold. Acrylic makes me overheat and then I sweat and again get cold.

BLUF: for me it is a necessary material because it is just so darn functional.

EDIT: While my cashmere shells are not good in July and August, my cashmere cardigans are FANTASTIC for carrying around to combat the intense AC in the stores! I always travel with one.

Not a necessity, but sure is nice! I like it as a percentage of a mixed fabric. I’m absolutely head-over-heels in love with a bunch of 55% cotton/25% nylon/17% rayon/3% cashmere sweaters I’ve been wearing on repeat since I discovered them, and one of my favourite coats of all time was a wool/cashmere blend.

My experience with cashmere has definitely been hit and miss, but the cashmere sweaters I now own (all by Boden) are excellent and were not more expensive than other knits. I find that I tend to overheat in poly knits, so I prefer to wear breathable merino, cashmere and cotton knits.

Mohair and angora make me itch. I have cold winters so even those feel good on very frosty days. I am wearing wool again but stocking up on cotton sweaters which are new to me and feel right in spring in this climate. They probably would also be good for fall but I haven’t figured that out yet. In my old 4- season climate wool was getting too warm. Cotton sweaters were too warm. It is green all year in Kansas now.