Feel cool in Cashmere

Cashmere is one of the most recognisably classic material the fashion world has to offer. It’s never  really goes out of fashion: velvet comes and goes, lamé has made a recent and surprising comeback, but at any period and during in any trend, cashmere is a reliable hallmark of quality and comfort used by the best designers to create luxurious and aspirational clothing and accessories, whether that’s soft, warm scarves or hardwearing but still luxuriously comfortable pullovers.

Finding a good piece of cashmere can be challenge though. The fact it is a classic fabric and an indicator of quality when it comes to clothes means that some labels use it badly in order to grant their designs cache. I know we are currently in summer but that also means is a good time to get in there early with warmer jumpers and scarfs for the winter. 

Here are some tips to help identify a good piece of cashmere, that could make the difference between snapping up a unique piece for your wardrobe and missing out a defining part of your new outfit.

Look at the Label

Look into the designer behind the piece: If they offer lots of other cashmere clothing, it could be a good sign that they know how to make the most of it as a fabric. If they don’t, this could indicate they aren’t very experienced with it and may not be offering the best cashmere clothes. 

As an example, let’s look at Chinti and Parker’s cashmere jogging pants. If you just saw this item, you might question if it was a good idea: you might not be expecting this style of clothing to be made in cashmere. Looking at the rest of Chinti and Parker’s site, though, you’d find a carefully chosen Athleisure line, and a dedicated cashmere shop, which indicates they have a lot of experience designing with cashmere in different styles and a strong leisure wear sense as well, making this a great buy.

Touch It

If you’re shopping offline, make the most of it. Make sure you’re touching an item before you make a decision: good cashmere should be soft, indicating it’s not been undermilled. If you buy undermilled cashmere, you’re not getting it at its best. If it’s as soft as cashmere should be, give a gentle stretch. It should spring back into shape easily, showing it’s not been overmilled either and is a truly high quality cashmere piece.

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