Problems with cashmere

[pillowmysticals]

I'm presuming it's me? Since it is such a popular material at diverse price ranges..

I have never had a good experience with it. Do you have to pay a fortune to avoid that?
I buy only a few items each year, some in summer, a few in winter, so am not averse to the occasional flutter. But history proves me wring with cashmere. So far over the years I have purchased from Whistles (£170 range), M&S (£100), COS (£150 ish), White Company (£150) and Uniqlo (can't recall).

Considering many of these are still very expensive, almost all of them were problematic even though I took very good care of them. The Whistles for example became unwearable within 2 months, and I only wore soft things over it, kept it in a mothfree bag and tried to avoid it being chafed by anything. Sadly it shed and bobbled badly almost immediately, and now looks like someone indiscriminately attacked with a lady shaver.

The COS example formed two holes at the neck seam, the White Co forming a hole in the back and shedding which made me sneeze. The others just looked fed up quickly and never felt warm. I took care, as said, and very gently handwashed, lied flat, etc etc.

The only cashmere items I have ever had that kept it's beauty is a hat from Brora. This is used constantly through winter, handwashed and thrown around and STILL looks as plush, unbobbled and lovey as it did new.

Any advice? Would you avoid all high street cashmere? I would love a cardi from Poetry but am afraid of the same thing. Is there a price point where it doesn't degrade quickly?

This has made me think perhaps it's ok to machine wash on a delicate wash.

@TeaAndStrumpets you’re not alone… I also have a small pile ready to be repurposed. I bought some turtle doves and when I unwrapped them I realised I could’ve made similar in 20 minutes. 🤦‍♀️ A blanket sounds a superb idea!

It's gone downhill - maybe to try to keep the prices under £200. I have some wonderful cashmere cardigans bought from Jaeger about ten years ago - still good as new and incredibly warm. I had a lovely M&S sweater too but it was stolen - same, in that is was warm and washed so well - came up like new if I put it on the 15 minute cool cycle and then cold tumble dried it.

But recent buys from Brora and Pure have bobbled very quickly, and don't retain heat in the same way.

I now just look out for vintage. Though I do keep wishing Jaeger would reintroduce classic cashmere. They did the best.

I have a 40 year old jumper from Fenn Wright and Manson, and 20 year old jumpers from Boden back in the day. All are thick, soft, and as good as new. All have been machine washed on the wool cycle with the temperature switched to cold. I have recently (in the last 4 years) bought from M&S, John Lewis, and assortments of brands in TK Maxx. All recent stuff is thinner, and bobbles like mad even under the same care regime as the old ones. I'm now saving up to buy from Aethel, very £££, but looks promising. Will report back!!

GlomOfNit I was about to make a hot water bottle cover! Could I ask if you felt the cashmere first, or use as is? Also do you use a lining?

@TeaAndStrumpets Thats not actually true about cashmere made in China, they make some of the best and most respected cashmere in the world. They have some of the best process and technology , same as Mongolia.

Turtledoves...money for old rope! Oh the joy of repurposing ;-)

I bought a lovely Ballantyne cardigan from the 80s for a few quid on Ebay, so thick and cushy but many sizes too large. It was one of those bolero styles with a frill round the bottom and skinny sleeves. I removed the sleeves and repaired the slits, leaving me with a cosy cape and a pair of leg warmers. Probably won't wear the leg warmers in public but the cape is really snuggly!

Yes you are right and I apologise for my sweeping statement. The fact is there is a lot of cheap cashmere around and British made cashmere seems to have maintained high standards. They presumably have the knowledge and contacts to source the best fibres.

It is really difficult for the consumer to tell which foreign manufactured sweater is good quality. In the 1940s, 50s, 60s for example cashmere labelled "Made in the British Colony of Hong Kong" would be lovely - all the top American and British high end fashion retailers would have stuff made there. Nowadays, who knows?

Anyway it would be good to have any specific recommendations for good quality (non sweatshop) manufacturers, home or abroad.

@TeaAndStrumpets Yes I totally agree it is very hard for consumers to tell.

I have some beautiful items including silk lined beaded evening bags that have 'Made in Hong Kong' labels inside. I love thinking about who has previously used them and where.

Ooh yes, they are exquisite!

Cashmere just bobbles. It's the length of the fibers, you can avoid it a bit by blending with other things but do you want to? Your hat won't bobble because there's nothing brushing against it in wear, unlike arms / chairs etc.

You can get the shavers, I work with cashmere and we see that as standard.

Also you 100% get what you pay for. Cashmere is graded, the A is the best. Loro Pianca is buying that stuff, I'd imagine M&S is pretty far down the other end of the scale.

I could also talk to you about how it's spun but you'd fall down dead with boredom so I won't

Also - don't take too much notice of country of origin. I've got nightmare suppliers in Italy and nightmare suppliers in China. I've also got brilliant ones.

Mongolian vs Afghanistani sources are dependent on how the farmer treats the animal, how the fibers are stored / processed / spun etc etc. Obviously the Afghani sources are problematic atm.

Cashmere just bobbles. It's the length of the fibers, you can avoid it a bit by blending with other things but do you want to?

Depends on the fibre. I have a cashmere-silk blend cardigan and if I ever see that mix again, I'd probably buy half the shop, because it is the loveliest thing to touch.

I imagine the OP has long since decided to move on after suggesting she's not buying any new at the moment to limit consumption and waste. Good on her.

My pure cardigans that I bought at a sale a few years ago are still going strong

I have several cashmere pieces from Cos etc including for my kids. All go in the washing machine on the wool wash at 30, and in perfect condition still. In fact I am really bored of my Cos jumpers now as 5 plus years old and wear them constantly as so warm and cosy, and still good as new.

I have always found Pure cashmere (the make) to be good, though recently I've noticed that they do less of the thicker, more densely knit, and more of the lighter, looser knit.

Cashmere is a relatively delicate wool. Much as 100% cashmere sounds awesome and feels lovely, I think that a blended fibre is probably more robust. I bought a couple of cashmere-merino mix garments last year, and they have worn extremely well. One was a charity shop find, the other from Woolovers IIRC.

Agree with those who say a lot of high street brand cashmere is poor quality. M&S appears to be a noble exception to the rule. I stalk brands like Brora, Johnstons of Elgin etc on eBay as, even second hand, it’s usually great quality and wears well. Cold wash with something like Woolite or Stergene and store it with a few mothballs. Also, don’t wash wool or cashmere that frequently - air it between wears unless you have spilt something on it, obviously! Natural fibres are self-cleaning and don’t take kindly to being over-washed.

I’ve never had the problems you describe op and have a variety of cashmere from various places, vast majority second hand for ethical & financial reasons.

I machine wash on a cold quick low spin setting and air dry or finish on the wool-specific cold setting on my dryer.

I am paranoid about moths after a past infestation although it was mainly our carpets (real wool) they ate!

Can I put in a word for Chinti & Parker cashmere?

www.chintiandparker.com

Ludicrously expensive, much of it, but they have regular sales up to 70% off, sometimes 80%. Their cashmere never used to bobble - now it does a little, but easy to deal with. I wash it on a handwash programme and it keeps its shape beautifully. They do various weights. At the moment I'm nice and snuggly in this chunky number, which I bought vastly reduced in last year's sale (no way could I afford £350!):
www.chintiandparker.com/products/camel-chunky-rib-cashmere-sweater

I have a cashmere-silk blend cardigan and if I ever see that mix again, I'd probably buy half the shop, because it is the loveliest thing to touch.

@EBearhug , Joseph do a silk-cashmere mix, albeit at eyewatering prices. Usually 60% off in the sale.

I was going to put one of my Brora jumpers on Ebay the other day and it was so bobbly, in the end I didn't bother. I have two from Uniqlo which I've worn loads and which are still fine, one men's John Lewis, also fine, but the best of all (oddly) are the jumpers from Gap! Thick - much thicker than usual, with a saddle shoulder and big ribbing like a shetland jumper except cashmere. I wear them all the time and they're hands down the warmest, nicest looking and most robust of all. I wash them all the same, in the washing machine on a wool cycle with delicate laundry liquid and a low spin, and then dry flat. Never any problems with that

@notwavingbutdrowning1 Thank you.
Though my bank manager may not...

I have a lot of cashmere from high st to high end bought over many years in sales or at outlets or secondhand
older high st was better quality definitely but I do try and treat gently
I hand wash with woolite then rinse and spin on wool cycle and hang to dry on padded hangers
I de bobble once per season which is usually enough unless very pale colours
I assume it’s the friction but I notice it more when I’m heavier than I would like!!

Just machine washed my M&S and JL cashmere on a 30 wool setting and they came out a treat. Bit of bobbling on the JL which I need to sort.