Guide to Shopping For Cashmere, from the Experts at Harleys in Shorewood

We have blogged quite a bit about the virtues of cashmere--it is luxurious, warm, and wearing it adds instant sophistication--but we realized it would be good talk about how to buy it, not just why to buy it. So here are some tips from the experts at Harleys on what to look for when buying cashmere.

1. Give

A high-quality cashmere sweater will return to its original shape after gently tugging at the sides of the garment. So make sure to do the pull test next time you are shopping.

2. Weight

The heavier it is, the better it is. Why? Because it generally means the fabric was woven with a two-ply weave, which means that two yarns were twisted together, rather than just one. The result of a two-ply to weave is a sturdier fabric that will last longer.

3. Blend

A look at the label will tell you if the garment is 100% cashmere, but take it with a grain of salt. Labels don't always tell the whole truth. Some manufacturers will claim the garment is 100% cashmere, even though poorer quality wool was woven into it.

4. Color

Whiter cashmere generally requires less color processing, which means it was probably less damaged by artificial dyes. Generally, a cashmere garment that has been over-processed with color will be rough to the touch.