For those of you that love cashmere cardigans..

[sugar4eva]

After lifelong inability to wear lambs wool I gave discovered I can tolerate cashmere!!now on quest to build collection of cardis slowly as they are costly. Have seen boden and pure. Has anyone bought both as I would like to know which is best quality for my money! Boden have a tempting colour range for sure! Thankyou .

[sugar4eva]

Would also like info on any other good sites please!

[MadameOvary]

Scottish cashmere is the best - Johnstone's of Elgin for example. I caught the cashmere bug from a tour guide who knows where to find the good stuff. It washes well and doesn't bobble. My first cashmere cardi cost £2 in a charity shop and it was Scottish cashmere. I wore it until it fell apart and it never bobbled.

Now I get all my cashmere from eBay. You have to be careful but you can pick up some real bargains.

[sugar4eva]

Thankyou Madame .do you buy that brand via e bay?

[Nellymay]

Ive trawled cashmere on this site and came up with woolovers, Brora, M&S and Lewis's. I've ordered some cardigans from woolovers, it's their sale (they seem cheaper than others but get v good reviews) I'll let you know what they're like.

[AntoinetteCosway]

Did anyone see the BBC story today about cashmere? Apparently there is fraudulent stuff out there made of rat hair

[laska42]

I have several from John lewis .. they have all been great , one in particular I often seem to wear several times a week to work (a basic black round neck cardi ) ive had for about six years . it still looks great . . I dont hand wash them , delicates cycle in the machine 30 deg , 30 mins using Ecover delicates liquid

[Fozzleyplum]

I'm a cashmere addict (and wool makes me itch). I prefer Brora or Johnstons of Elgin, who apparently make up the garments for Brora. Whilst these brands might seem hideously expensive, the wool they use accounts for a large proportion of the cost and they are, imho, far superior to the likes of Boden and M&S. The reason, apparently, is that they use only the longer fibres, so the garments are less prone to bobbling and feel softer.

Having said that, I think you have to pick the Brora styles carefully, as some are a bit staid. I love the cowl neck jumper and the round neck cropped cardigans (the ones Nigella wears). Am slightly embarrassed to admit I have 4 of the jumpers and 3 of the cardigans. I always wait for the sale or buy off Ebay.

Pure Collection are also good, but not quite as soft or durable as Brora/Johnstons. I wash all mine by hand using baby shampoo, then spin them and dry them over a rack or the radiator.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Woolovers!

[JellicleCat]

Woolovers are cashmere merino mix, so a bit harder wearing but are inclined to bobble.
I like Boden, never had a problem with them and they wash well. The latest ones are not as good quality as they used to be, but still OK. I have worn one I bought last summer loads and it is standing up well.
Haven't tried Pure, but think they are similar to Boden in terms of quality.
Can't afford Brora or Johnstons, but would buy Johnstons if I could.

Have you looked at Uniglo?
You can sometimes get cashmere in Tkmaxx, as long as you are willing to rummage.

[mcgilly]

Brora, Elgin, vintage Hawick. Be very careful on EBay but I have done well.

I have a reasonable M & S jumper, a great John Lewis scarf ... My best pieces are Brora but the prices are so, so high now.

Woolovers can be fantastic and so soft but yrs they are a merino with 20% cashmere mix. I'm really happy with mine though and at a fraction of Brora prices.

[Gingefringe]

Be careful of EBay buys as they may be harbouring clothes moth eggs!

[Partridge]

Chinti and Parker do the best cashmere in really cool prints. The prices are eye watering but there are a few things left in the sale.

[mcgilly]

Woolovers also do a cotton/cashmere mix which may suit you OP? I haven't bought any of that though.

[Pagwatch]

Brora is the best IMHO.
I buy carefully, sometimes in the sales, and take good care of it. It's not cheap but if you can stretch to it, it's worth it.

[MissMilbanke]

Rat hair WTF >>>

[sugar4eva]

Have taken the plunge and ordered a Brora one in the sale! It's expensive at £129 but thought it should last and last! It's a heron blue so hope it works with cords and jeans and a navy vintage frock ! Thanks all!

[AntoinetteCosway]

I know, MissMilbanke - so revolting! Apparently a lot is also non-natural fibres too. Shame as I have a Pure obsession. Hopefully none of the dodgy stuff is in this country, though who knows?!

[enriquetheringbearinglizard]

sugar do get some of these www.amazon.co.uk/Stv-Cedar-Moth-Rings-Pack/dp/B000LNFIOY?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 and the spray that reinvigorates them.
Obviously you can put them in drawers if you fold your new purchase rather than hang it.

[sugar4eva]

Have looked at my only boden cardi in cashmere : it's made in china and am wondering re quality.

[mcgilly]

If you are not happy with your Brora cardigan, they have always been very good with returns for me.

A Made in China cardi is not necessarily poor quality ... Some beautiful vintage cashmere comes from Homg Kong and I would say most cashmere today comes from China. A couple, like Brora, are produced in Scotland.

[CointreauVersial]

Loving my stripy grey and black cashmere jumper, bought for £25 in the Tesco sale.

[BrennanHasAMangina]

Boden cashmere is crap, IMO. Brora is lovely and so is J Crew. You can get great deals on J Crew cashmere on Ebay.

[teta]

There is another thread on here about Uniqlo cashmere cardis and jumpers on sale for £29.99.I ordered the colour block ones this morning(uniqlo is meant to be reasonablequality).I really love the colour mix of these.

[nomoreminibreaks]

I have one of the cashmere cardigans from H&M that are £20 I think. It's my first cashmere thing and it's lovely.

Probably made out of rat hair though...

[williaminajetfighter]

John Lewis cardis are better than Boden, IMO. Cashmere is soft and washes well