Good Cashmere

[Melisande]

I'd wear it.

so would I

 

[luckyme]

kristensen du nord


silk-lined stuff from this fall

love. love. love that grey sweater.

 

[RachelleChar]

I thought I would update! The cardigan below arrived today and it is beautifully soft, although I admit I'm not a cashmere expert!

ooh i would love to hear more about the cashmere from Pure... they look good and reasonably priced! does it pill??

 

[lozenges62]

^^
They do pill a little but I have a little brush for removing pilling and that seems to do the trick.

 

[mauro]

all cashmere will pill to a degree. There are many variables. Buying the purest, longest yarns aren't always the best answer but if helps. the down side is you will have to pay.
I would suggest if you can't afford the higher end cashmere companies then buy a blend with nylon, silk, or wool which will help strengthen the yarn hence preventing pill.

Best,
Mauro

 

[dazzling85]

Bamford has lovely cashmere but a bit $$$$
Crumpet also have very nice cashmere and is sold on net-a-porter.

 

[MsTulle85]

I have a good collection of Yum Cashmere... great for basics and light pull overs in winter. I'm going to spoil myself this winter and invest in some more cashmere

 

[William_St_Girl]

YUM cashmere... I've never heard of it... think it's google time!

nor crumpet!

Im finding that most cashmere from designers and brands in not actually that good... It may be supper soft but its not quality so like people say it piles quickley and ends up in a state... Im def finding that more traditional mills and paying a bit more for the material rather than the name is the best way forward to get the softest hardest wearing more luxurious cashmere... It should soften up with time!

 

[CarolineRose]

I really like the Saks store brand- tons of colors and shapes and really soft! It's not too expensive and there's usually a moderate discount during the sales. I have three- navy, heather grey, and a soft yellow, and they're lovely. The navy is stretched a bit and pilling some around the hem, but that's my fault because I wore it almost every day over my t-shirts for seven months when I was on foreign exchange in Germany and freezing my butt off- I didn't really take care of it so it's amazing that it's held up so well! The other two are still in excellent condition since I am much nicer to them

 

[oopsnow]

Hi bumping an old thread. But desperately need recommendations for a good cashmere wrap. Most of the brands mentioned have more in the way of sweaters? TIA!!!!!

 

[William_St_Girl]

where do you live... buying it online is never that easy?

BRORA are one worth looking at though!

 

[oopsnow]

where do you live... buying it online is never that easy?

BRORA are one worth looking at though!

thanks for the tip!

I live in Asia, I'm afraid, so can buy only online That's why I'll have to rely on recommendations!

 

[Caramel]

I'm wondering if any of you out there (Scandinavians in particular) have any experience with cashmere from http://www.life-is.dk/? They claim to have superior quality and only use the longest fibers, high ply, etc, but I they are relatively low priced at around $200 for a sweater, so that makes me wonder...I like a lot of their styles though and would love to get something from there if the quality is decent.

 

[eizhowa]

I'm wondering if any of you out there (Scandinavians in particular) have any experience with cashmere from http://www.life-is.dk/? They claim to have superior quality and only use the longest fibers, high ply, etc, but I they are relatively low priced at around $200 for a sweater, so that makes me wonder...I like a lot of their styles though and would love to get something from there if the quality is decent.

I have no experience with the brand unfortunately, but I can tell by the pictures that the garments are very thin. I don't know if that is something you would prefere or not.

holy Moley Just saw this one on their site and I am in love So pretty in both grey and black.

The prices are great, but remember you still have to pay VAT and the customs fees (which are a pain in the behind).
(source:Life-is.dk)

 

[EvaH]

Some really interesting tips from Bruno Cucinellu on how to care for our cashmere garment:
Source: WSJ April 2011

Brunello Cucinelli's cashmere collection goes well beyond the clothes made by his label. The fashion designer has a closet filled with cashmere blazers, sweaters and scarves, including pieces picked up from his travels to the Kashmir region of south Asia.
Mr. Cucinelli takes good care of his cashmere collection, believing the pieces can be handed down for generations. He has pieces that are more than 30 years old. "A cashmere knit is like a book," he says. "It is something to save and go back to time after time. It is the feeling of an embrace." Indeed, when cashmere is well cared for and stored, Mr. Cucinelli says, "its look can improve and the feel can become even softer." After each washing, the cashmere fibers get wider and more open.
But the designer, who is based in Solomeo, Italy, doesn't send his cashmere sweaters to the dry cleaner unless there's a tough stain that requires a specialist. While he sends coats and pants to the dry cleaner, he favors washing the rest at home by hand. Never wash cashmere in a machine, he adds. It "accelerates the aging of the fiber."
When cleaning cashmere at home, Mr. Cucinelli generally fills a container with warm water for pieces that are one solid color. For pieces that are printed or have more than one color, he uses very cold water.
Then, he takes a tablespoon of gentle hand soap or a soap that's specifically created for knitwear and dilutes it in five liters of water. (If you're using a fabric softener, he says, try a natural one such as white vinegar, as chemicals could alter the texture of the garment.)
Mr. Cucinelli soaks the garment in water for two to three hours "without moving it," a step that allows the fibers to open. Then he gently squeezes the water out without twisting the cashmere, which he notes would stretch the fiber too much. He repeats this step until all soap and water are gone.
The designer always lays the piece flat on a soft towel to dry. If he chooses to iron the piece at the end, he places a soft cloth on the piece so the iron is not in direct contact with the cashmere. Also, he uses the iron's steam setting to avoid harsh direct heat.
When stored, cashmere needs air, Mr. Cucinelli notes, "so it can 'breathe' because it is a natural fiber." The designer prefers to store pieces in a colorless cardboard box with cedar disks inside. A lightweight fabric bag also works, but a box gives material more room to breathe, and the cedar disks deter moths while adding a subtle scent.
If a spill happens while Mr. Cucinelli is out, he is careful "not to intervene right away, as you may worsen the situation by rubbing the stain too much." Instead, he waits until he can hand-wash the garment or, if the stain is bad, he takes it to a cleaner that specializes in treating cashmere.

Posted via Mobile Device

 

[EvaH]

And another article on how to differentiate good quality cashmere from others:
Source The sceptical shopper

Yet even cheap cashmere can feel lovely. It’s hard to know, as you queue at the till, whether your bargain will pill or sag within days. (Pilling afflicts expensive cashmere too, though it should stop after the first wash.) But there are subtle signs of quality, and once you’ve got your eye in, much of the cheaper cashmere on the market starts to seem a false economy.

Look for tension in the knitting: stretch a section and it should ping back into shape. Hold it up to the light and you shouldn’t see much sky: paradoxically, the best cashmere, though made from the finest hair, has a density to it. Examine its surface: fluffiness suggests the yarn was spun from shorter, weaker fibres and will pill. Be sceptical about softness, too. Over-milling can make a garment too soft and silky, and therefore prone to bobbling and losing its shape. More expensive cashmere may be harder to handle in the shop, but will ease up with wear and hand-washing. The best cashmere actually improves with age–so long as the moths don’t get to it.

Posted via Mobile Device

 

[softgrey]

^^Thanks Eva...
That is quite useful info and what I had discovered for myself after years of personal experience but it's good to be validated...


i was lucky enough to get to a Christopher Fischer sample sale the other day and picked up 10 new yummy scrumptious cashmeres...

there were definitely sweaters i put back because no matter how soft and yummy they felt at the moment, i could tell they would not hold up well and would pill like crazy...
conversely, i had to really push my friend into a really great sweater because she just kept whining that it wasn't soft enough but i know with certainty that it will wear beautifully and she will be thanking me later...


the best bit is that i got two really thick and cosy grey cashmere cardigans, which i have really missed in my wardrobe for years...
it's finally about time...

and i got this amazing cropped ivory waffle knit that is sort of a cape shape with shawl collar and a horn toggle at the neck...
should be great for next fall with my junya ruffled camo skirt...


now i just have to find room for them in my closet...

 

[softgrey]

When stored, cashmere needs air, Mr. Cucinelli notes, "so it can 'breathe' because it is a natural fiber." The designer prefers to store pieces in a colorless cardboard box with cedar disks inside. A lightweight fabric bag also works, but a box gives material more room to breathe, and the cedar disks deter moths while adding a subtle scent.

hmmm...
i think that moths can get into boxes and they like the little corners to lay eggs...
*can't tell you how many i have found in my shoe boxes!!!
...

i think i am going to store my cashmere in pillow cases this season...

 

[laika]

the cedar blocks are the best moth deterrents I have found, and they really do smell good.

10 new yummy scrumptious cashmeres

 

[EvaH]

I recently purchased a lot of cashmere jumper/sweater so I will be trying this storage technique ! Do you guys think the plain ikea box will be enough? I would have preferred box I can hung in my wardrobe like clothes cover but I don't even know if they exist or where to find them..
Anyone tried his cleaning method? Did it work for you?