Where do you get your cashmere?

[Atlas29]

I haven't seen this mentioned here, but I've been eyeing anything from arch4 (british brand) on net-a-porter forever - they are very pricey, but have the most perfect design, finally I just managed to get a thin sweater with a 50% discount during NAP summer sale - it looks absolutely stunning, just hope it will be holding up well. At the same time, I also ordered a chunky cashmere sweater by Lisa Yang (scandinavian brand) from NAP as well - and with a 60% discount, and it also looks sooo luxurious, perfect cut - but again, can't yet say yet how well it will hold up. Would be super interested to hear from anyone here if you've had any experience with these two brands - or even heard anything about them. I'm not an expert on cashmere, and just hope I didn't fall for false marketing - because both brands advertise themselves as being luxury high/best quality cahsmere (for ex., on their website arch4 is throwing around words like baby goat cashmere, the specific breed of the goat they use and even the specific age of the goat when they obtain the cashmere - I don't know, kind of makes me think they know what they're doing), both have quite a steep price tag, but I guess I will only find out if it's justified this fall/winter (too hot to even think about the sweaters where I am).

 

[na294]

Favorites:
Eric Bompard
Theory
Johnstons of Elgin (visited the factory some years ago and they were weaving Hermes blankets and Burberry scarves), their own brand is a great value
The Row though I just dream mostly but the few pieces I have are heavenly

 

[BigAkoya]

Hi! I realize this is a very old thread, but maybe someone will chime in.

I am on a cashmere sweater kick now, and specifically, I love N. Peal for classic pieces and La Ligne for fun stripes. I've been stocking up on their pieces. I also have LP, but comparing LP to N. Peal, I think I prefer N. Peal more as it feels softer and doesn't seem to pill (my LPs pill a bit).

I always dry clean everything, but N. Peal, LP, etc... all the brands swear you can wash your cashmere, even in the washing machine.

Okay... I'm game! Being on a cashmere kick and curious, I decide to machine wash a sweater to test it out.
I set it on delicate cycle and then laid it flat to air dry. I washed a sweater where I bought two of, so I could compare. The cashmere sweater came out from the washing super soft (nice surprise), softer than my other same sweater. No pilling at all. However, the sweater also shrunk a tiny bit.

An odd thing is there was a bit more shrinkage at the bottom where the bodice and waistband meet (e.g. where the stitching turns to a ribbed stitching for the waistband). I noticed that interface is a bit "ruffly" which really annoyed me as I like that interface to be flat.

So... I washed a second sweater as another test, but this time, after taking it out of the washing machine, I gently stretched the waistband to see if it would stretch out and then let it air dry flat.

Same result... a slightly ruffled waistband. Hate it!
I googled and there is no reference as to why the waistband area would shrink and what I did wrong.

If any of you cashmere experts out here machine wash your cashmere and have any insight, please share your thoughts.
In the meantime, I have officially concluded my experiment, and I am sticking with dry clean!

P.S. I know hand washing is best, but I do not want to hand wash (too much effort). I am wondering if it's truly possible to machine wash a cashmere sweater and have it come out looking perfect as it does when I dry clean.

 

[Passerine123]

I am not a cashmere expert but I do wash cashmere in our (Miele) machine. Cold wash, delicate cycle, low spin setting. I use a special cashmere detergent (from Eric Bompard) and wash the sweaters in a zipped net laundry bag.

So far, no damage and no shrinkage.

 

[blushnbellinlvoe]

Hi! I realize this is a very old thread, but maybe someone will chime in.

I am on a cashmere sweater kick now, and specifically, I love N. Peal for classic pieces and La Ligne for fun stripes. I've been stocking up on their pieces. I also have LP, but comparing LP to N. Peal, I think I prefer N. Peal more as it feels softer and doesn't seem to pill (my LPs pill a bit).

I always dry clean everything, but N. Peal, LP, etc... all the brands swear you can wash your cashmere, even in the washing machine.

Okay... I'm game! Being on a cashmere kick and curious, I decide to machine wash a sweater to test it out.
I set it on delicate cycle and then laid it flat to air dry. I washed a sweater where I bought two of, so I could compare. The cashmere sweater came out from the washing super soft (nice surprise), softer than my other same sweater. No pilling at all. However, the sweater also shrunk a tiny bit.

An odd thing is there was a bit more shrinkage at the bottom where the bodice and waistband meet (e.g. where the stitching turns to a ribbed stitching for the waistband). I noticed that interface is a bit "ruffly" which really annoyed me as I like that interface to be flat.

So... I washed a second sweater as another test, but this time, after taking it out of the washing machine, I gently stretched the waistband to see if it would stretch out and then let it air dry flat.

Same result... a slightly ruffled waistband. Hate it!
I googled and there is no reference as to why the waistband area would shrink and what I did wrong.

If any of you cashmere experts out here machine wash your cashmere and have any insight, please share your thoughts.
In the meantime, I have officially concluded my experiment, and I am sticking with dry clean!

P.S. I know hand washing is best, but I do not want to hand wash (too much effort). I am wondering if it's truly possible to machine wash a cashmere sweater and have it come out looking perfect as it does when I dry clean.

Yes! You can! I do it all the time! Do you have a setting on your front loading washing machine labelled wools? I use the the handwash setting for silks but I use the wool setting for heavier items like sweaters because I find it rinses better the heavier items. Must turn garment inside out and place in a zipped up mesh bag. Delicate detergent ( I use tide free and gentle) COLD WATER. (Any heat will warp and shrink the fibres) RRemove promptly and gently reshape garment before drying flat on rack.

 

[maryg1]

Ballantyne: I can find great deals on simple design, which is what I’m after
Johnston of Elgin: I only got a scarf for hubby and it’s amazing, just like their service. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to find in Italy so I have to wait for sales on their website.
A question: I’ve seen some secondhand clothes marked as “Johnston cashmere” not Johnston of Elgin. Is it the same brand?

 

[BigAkoya]

@Passerine123
Thank you for your reply. I did everything you did except the spin cycle! You said low spin, and my delicate setting's default spin is low (e.g. level 1). However, I was worried my sweater would come out all wet and soggy, so I changed it to level 2. I think that was a mistake! Okay... I am going to try it again with level 1 spin cycle.

Thank you!

 

[morejunkny]

Hi! I realize this is a very old thread, but maybe someone will chime in.

I am on a cashmere sweater kick now, and specifically, I love N. Peal for classic pieces and La Ligne for fun stripes. I've been stocking up on their pieces. I also have LP, but comparing LP to N. Peal, I think I prefer N. Peal more as it feels softer and doesn't seem to pill (my LPs pill a bit).

I always dry clean everything, but N. Peal, LP, etc... all the brands swear you can wash your cashmere, even in the washing machine.

Okay... I'm game! Being on a cashmere kick and curious, I decide to machine wash a sweater to test it out.
I set it on delicate cycle and then laid it flat to air dry. I washed a sweater where I bought two of, so I could compare. The cashmere sweater came out from the washing super soft (nice surprise), softer than my other same sweater. No pilling at all. However, the sweater also shrunk a tiny bit.

An odd thing is there was a bit more shrinkage at the bottom where the bodice and waistband meet (e.g. where the stitching turns to a ribbed stitching for the waistband). I noticed that interface is a bit "ruffly" which really annoyed me as I like that interface to be flat.

So... I washed a second sweater as another test, but this time, after taking it out of the washing machine, I gently stretched the waistband to see if it would stretch out and then let it air dry flat.

Same result... a slightly ruffled waistband. Hate it!
I googled and there is no reference as to why the waistband area would shrink and what I did wrong.

If any of you cashmere experts out here machine wash your cashmere and have any insight, please share your thoughts.
In the meantime, I have officially concluded my experiment, and I am sticking with dry clean!

P.S. I know hand washing is best, but I do not want to hand wash (too much effort). I am wondering if it's truly possible to machine wash a cashmere sweater and have it come out looking perfect as it does when I dry clean.

I wash my own sweaters all of the time, especially because I don’t like the feel of the dry cleaning finish on my knits. Cashmere in particular “blooms” when hand washed which is what makes them so much softer after the first wash.

If you really don’t want to hand wash, put the garment in one of those mesh bags first. The agitation from the washer will “felt” the garment no matter how gentle your delicates cycle. Roll the sweater in a towel when it comes out of the machine. But to reshape when drying, you will have to “block” the sweater. This may be more than you want to undertake, but here is a link:

How To: Blocking 101 | Knitting Tutorial

Wet blocking is one of the most transformative processes in knitting. During its first wash, a knitted garment will undergo a profound change — for a woolen handknit, the fibers will plump up and cohere into a beautifully even and sturdy fabric. Thus, your project is never truly finished until...

brooklyntweed.com

I know there is a lot of ire about how Unilever handled The Laundress recall, but irrespective of the detergent used, the care tips on their site are solid.

How To Clean and Preserve Precious Wool & Cashmere At Home

Mic drop moment: Wool and cashmere can be washed at home. In fact, washing your knits can actually be better for them than dry cleaning, which can potentially strip fibers of their natural oils responsible for keeping them soft and supple. So cozy up to our cleaning and care tips and solutions...

www.thelaundress.com

The ruffling is happening because the cashmere is relaxing when it gets wet, and the ribbing of the waistband pulls the fabric in more so than the other part of the sweater. By blocking when the sweater is wet, you are forcing it to stat in the shape you want while drying.

 

[BigAkoya]

Yes! You can! I do it all the time! Do you have a setting on your front loading washing machine labelled wools? I use the the handwash setting for silks but I use the wool setting for heavier items like sweaters because I find it rinses better the heavier items. Must turn garment inside out and place in a zipped up mesh bag. Delicate detergent ( I use tide free and gentle) COLD WATER. (Any heat will warp and shrink the fibres) RRemove promptly and gently reshape garment before drying flat on rack.

Mine has a delicate setting, no wools, which I used. The sweaters I tested were both light sweaters, not chunky ones.
Perhaps the chunky ones come out better and any shrinkage is minimal.

I did exactly what you did... flipped it inside out, put it in a mesh bag, and I used Woolite with cold water.
@Passerine123 said low spin (level 1 in my washer), but I used level 2 spin, so that might be one reason.

Thinking now... maybe I also put too much detergent. I only washed one sweater, and I used the recommend fill line. Maybe I will use half the amount.

I am impressed both you ladies do this regularly without any problems.
You have inspired me to try one more time, adjusting my process per both your suggestions.

Thank you both, and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

 

[BigAkoya]

I wash my own sweaters all of the time, especially because I don’t like the feel of the dry cleaning finish on my knits. Cashmere in particular “blooms” when hand washed which is what makes them so much softer after the first wash.

If you really don’t want to hand wash, put the garment in one of those mesh bags first. The agitation from the washer will “felt” the garment no matter how gentle your delicates cycle. Roll the sweater in a towel when it comes out of the machine. But to reshape when drying, you will have to “block” the sweater. This may be more than you want to undertake, but here is a link:

How To: Blocking 101 | Knitting Tutorial

Wet blocking is one of the most transformative processes in knitting. During its first wash, a knitted garment will undergo a profound change — for a woolen handknit, the fibers will plump up and cohere into a beautifully even and sturdy fabric. Thus, your project is never truly finished until...

brooklyntweed.com

I know there is a lot of ire about how Unilever handled The Laundress recall, but irrespective of the detergent used, the care tips on their site are solid.

How To Clean and Preserve Precious Wool & Cashmere At Home

Mic drop moment: Wool and cashmere can be washed at home. In fact, washing your knits can actually be better for them than dry cleaning, which can potentially strip fibers of their natural oils responsible for keeping them soft and supple. So cozy up to our cleaning and care tips and solutions...

www.thelaundress.com

The ruffling is happening because the cashmere is relaxing when it gets wet, and the ribbing of the waistband pulls the fabric in more so than the other part of the sweater. By blocking when the sweater is wet, you are forcing it to stat in the shape you want while drying.

Thank you so much for this detailed response!
I read your post literally seconds after you posted it. However, why did I not respond until now?
Because... for the past few hours, I have been reading your links, researching, and googling about cashmere/wool felting!
Felting is new to me, so I wanted to learn more.

You are 100% correct. I think I felted my sweaters.
I think my sweater shrunk (e.g. "felted" due to the scales of the cashmere locking up during the wash which made it tighter/smaler).

Your post inspired me to try and fix my sweater.
So... I just gently handwashed one of my shrunken sweaters to see if I could unfelt it. Since it was already clean, I just soaked it to make it wet, no detergent. I then squeezed out the water, no twisting. Next, I stretched out the sweater gently to see if it would unfelt, and I especially stretched the waist area a bit more. I read unfelting is hard to do, so we will see.

I didn't block it as I know that would be too much effort for me. The sweater I washed is a fine knit cashmere from N. Peal. I would say it is similar to Loro Piana's regular cashmere knit, so it is not a chunky or ribbed knit. I wonder if the fine knit (vs. chunky knit) causes more felting. My sweater is now drying flat on a sweater drying rack. I can't wait for it to dry and see the results!

I hope my sweater will unfelt. I hate the waist, it looks so cheap now, so I will have to donate it if it does not unfelt.
If it does not unfelt, my machine wash days may be over!

If I decide to hand wash, is there any chance of felting as well? If no, I might give that a shot as the handwash I just did was not that bad. If there is still a chance of felting, I think I will skip the DIY ideas and just keep dry cleaning.

Thank you again, this has been really helpful.

 

[Cavalier Girl]

I'm still wearing TSE from 30 years ago. I have no idea what the quality is now, but back then, you could buy 8 ply cashmere sweaters that were warmer than fur. No pilling at all. My granddaughter covets them more than my purses or jewelry.

 

[Peridot_Paradise]

Yes! You can! I do it all the time! Do you have a setting on your front loading washing machine labelled wools? I use the the handwash setting for silks but I use the wool setting for heavier items like sweaters because I find it rinses better the heavier items. Must turn garment inside out and place in a zipped up mesh bag. Delicate detergent ( I use tide free and gentle) COLD WATER. (Any heat will warp and shrink the fibres) RRemove promptly and gently reshape garment before drying flat on rack.

I literally wash my wool and cashmere the same way but then I place them in the drier for 10 mnts under “delicate” setting to remove the access water and than air dry

 

[QuelleFromage]

Wanted to pop in to share a discovery around cashmere care: SOAK. I found it through The Wirecutter. It's a "no-rinse" wool (or silk) cleaner and I've used it to fairly quickly hand-wash quite a few cashmeres now. Made my favorite giant The Row sweater super soft. I just wash in cold water, blot in a big towel, and then dry flat on a rack. Takes minutes (except for the drying part! That Row sweater took more than a day!).

Also a vote here for Majestic Filatures cashmere t-shirts and pulls, which are very casual styles. Mine are holding up super well (with aforementioned SOAK) and not pilling.

So far on my cashmeres the pilling-est are Lisa Yang - very disappointed in her quality. Joseph pills a lot too, and so much that once you comb it off it becomes thin...which is disappointing as I love their designs. My Row pieces are kind of 50/50. My Bompards pill but it comes off easily and they last well. La Ligne I only have one cashmere piece and it's only mildly pilling, but it's not as soft as I would like. So far, my Loro is not pilling 🤞 hope it stays that way!

 

[Lanier]

I hand wash my cashmere with Eucalan Delicate Wash. My favorite cashmere is by the Elder Statesman!

 

[BigAkoya]

Wanted to pop in to share a discovery around cashmere care: SOAK. I found it through The Wirecutter. It's a "no-rinse" wool (or silk) cleaner and I've used it to fairly quickly hand-wash quite a few cashmeres now. Made my favorite giant The Row sweater super soft. I just wash in cold water, blot in a big towel, and then dry flat on a rack. Takes minutes (except for the drying part! That Row sweater took more than a day!).

Also a vote here for Majestic Filatures cashmere t-shirts and pulls, which are very casual styles. Mine are holding up super well (with aforementioned SOAK) and not pilling.

So far on my cashmeres the pilling-est are Lisa Yang - very disappointed in her quality. Joseph pills a lot too, and so much that once you comb it off it becomes thin...which is disappointing as I love their designs. My Row pieces are kind of 50/50. My Bompards pill but it comes off easily and they last well. La Ligne I only have one cashmere piece and it's only mildly pilling, but it's not as soft as I would like. So far, my Loro is not pilling 🤞 hope it stays that way!

Hi! I agree with you on Lisa Yang.. big disappointment for me, and I do not buy her pieces anymore. I put Lisa Yang and Khaite together, more fast fashion than quality cashmere.

I put N. Peal in the same league as Loro. N. Peal is a UK luxury brand, and they focus on cashmere. I bought a lot of their pieces, and not one piece has pilled. I am very impressed, it is also very soft. some pieces softer than Loro Piana. N. Peal has their own goats in Inner Mongolia which has the best cashmere and they also select the long fibers.

I live in the US, but not in NYC. There is a N. Peal in NYC, and you can bring your cashmere pieces to that boutique, and they will clean it for free! They also accomodate bespoke requests. I purchased a big shawl cardigan, and I wanted to add a belt to create a more structured look. They were able to knit a matching belt for me (took 4 weeks). You can also order pieces in other colors too. I really like this brand.

Here is the cardigan I purchased that I had a belt added. They have beautiful sweaters too.

Women's Shawl Placket Cashmere Cardigan Ecru White

Oozing luxury and opulence, this jacket/cardigan is sure to be a wardrobe favourite! Featuring Milano stitch, a generous shawl collar style and two useful patch pockets. Made from 100% organic Mongolian cashmere. Available in Ecru White. Receive complimentary delivery and bespoke wrapping on all...

us.npeal.com

On SOAK, did your cashmere waistband area ruffle? That's the most annoying part for me. For now, I'm sticking with dry clean. Do you also SOAK fine knits? This would be finer cashmere knits like a classic roundneck that has a waistband at the bottom. I would think chunky knits would be fine since it's so chunky and not "smooth" so to speak.

Thanks for sharing about SOAK. Maybe I will cave and handwash. Gah! It's so much effort, but maybe it's easier with SOAK since I can just roll up the sweater and not have to rinse. I am sure it will be fine for my chunky knits, so maybe I will try one of those next and not a fine knit cashmere. Going to order a bottle of SOAK now! Thanks again.