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A cashmere sweater is a versatile, durable, seasonless investment that can last decades — as long as you keep the moths away. However, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming because of the premium pricing. The best cashmere sweaters come at a steep cost since the yarn is from the fluffy undercoat of cashmere goats. I’m here to help. Months of research — i.e., wearing and washing cashmere for this story — has made me quite capable of identifying the best sweaters.
Good news: Plenty of brands are now offering more affordable options. So, to make sure we’re balancing quality and price, my colleague Arielle Avila and I tried out sweaters from some of the top-budget brands as well as some luxury options to see how they stack up. We mainly considered each sweater’s feel, weight, and durability. (Note: We’ve been testing sweaters for as long as two years and as short as a couple of months. I’ll continue to update on that last point as time passes.) I also interviewed stylish folks to uncover which ones they thought are worth the cost or skimp on quality. Read on to see our picks from every price point.
Update on October 23, 2024: Updated prices and checked stock for all products.
What we’re looking for
Sizing
In our search for the best, we’re looking for sweaters with an inclusive range of sizing options.
Quality
As mentioned, the feel and weight are important when shopping for cashmere. The quality is reflected by grades: A, B, and C. Grade C is the lowest grade, measuring around 30 microns width per cashmere hair. Grade B measures around 18 to 19 microns width per cashmere hair. And Grade A, the highest, measures no more than 14 microns width per cashmere hair. (For context, the average strand of human hair is about 70 microns thick.) All that to say, the best quality cashmere is finer, resulting in the softest and most well-constructed sweaters. And though all cashmere will eventually pill, lower-quality cashmere is prone to pilling faster and more frequently. We noted the grade if that information is provided from the brand.
Style and details
Most cashmere comes in classic styles — crewnecks, V-necks, and turtlenecks — and neutral colors because they’re meant to be investment, long-lasting closet staples. But, should you want a more statement-making piece, there are plenty of options out there offering less traditional cuts, colorways, and patterns. Our list leans classic, but we also included some fun options we thought were worth it.
Price
As we’ve mentioned, cashmere typically costs more than other natural fibers. Despite that, we’ve included a range of affordable options that don’t sacrifice quality. We denoted the recommendations below as either $ (under $150), $$ ($150–$250), or $$$ (over $250).
Best cashmere sweater overall
Sizing: XXS to XXL | Quality: Grade-A | Style and details: Crewneck | Price: $
There’s a reason Naadam is a leader in the affordable cashmere space. It offers a wide selection of 100 percent cashmere fittings — including sweaters, cardigans, joggers, and even bike shorts — for a fraction of what you’d pay elsewhere. I tested the brand’s most popular sweater, which retails at $98. It’s soft without being mushy (an indicator of lower-quality cashmere), but it does have a bit of slickness to it. If you’re looking for a classic fit, this is it: a crewneck with ribbing at the neck, cuffs, and hem. I’ve had mine for about six months now, and it’s held up very well for the price. Avila, who also tried this one, says it does pill more than some of the other sweaters she’s tested, but it’s nothing a de-piller can’t handle. She also notes that the arms have stretched out ever so slightly, but that’s mainly because she likes to roll up her sleeves throughout the day. Experts we spoke to also praised the brand’s quality. Kate Mullin, director of brand marketing and global communications at Anine Bing, says “the quality, the color variety, and, best of all, the prices make them one of my favorite places to buy cashmere sweaters.”
Best less-expensive cashmere sweater
Sizing: XS to 3X | Quality: Grade-A | Style and details: Crewneck | Price: $
For an even more affordable cashmere sweater, the brand Quince (notably known for its soft sheets) offers $50 crewneck and V-neck options. As with Naadam, Avila tried the brand’s most affordable option. She’s had this sweater for over a year, and like the above, it’s pilled around the arms and waist. It has ribbing on the neck, cuffs, and hem. According to Avila, while the cuff ribbing on Quince’s sweater is slightly shorter, they are marginally tighter and don’t stretch out as much as Naadam’s. “It’s as soft to the touch, too, but Quince’s seems ever-so-slightly lighter in terms of weight,” she says, noting that quality-wise, it holds up next to the best-overall option. It’s comparable in sizing, too: Quince offers XS to 3X (sizes 1X–3X are on a separate product page), while Nadaam offers XXS to XXL. Where it does lack, though, is color options. Quince only offers 13 colorways (versus 25 at Naadam).
Best cropped cashmere sweater
Sizing: XXXS to 3X | Style and details: Cropped crewneck, ribbed at the neck and cuffs | Price: $
If you’re looking for a cropped option, two Strategist staffers recommend J.Crew’s Shrunken Crewneck. Our senior editor Hilary Reid, who owns this sweater in three shades, says the fitted silhouette, which really hits just at the top of your hip, is ideal for slightly tucking into a pair of pants. Last winter, it was one of Reid’s most-worn pieces, she says, adding that the cashmere has held up nicely after multiple dry cleanings with very minimal pilling. Our junior writer Bella Druckman is another fan who says it’s supersoft, like most of J.Crew’s cashmere offerings. Both Reid and Druckman told me that this sweater runs small, so you’ll likely want to size up. “I’m usually an extra-small in J.Crew tops, but I sized way up for this one and got a medium because I thought the smaller sizes fit me weirdly at the chest and waist,” Druckman says, adding that the medium leaves enough room to layer a turtleneck or a T-shirt underneath. It’s available in 12 colors, including black, navy, pink, and festive “Belvedere Red.”
Best cashmere turtleneck sweater
Sizing: S to XL | Style and details: Oversized turtleneck, ribbed at the neck and cuffs | Price: $$$
Mullin is also a fan of Naked Cashmere’s sweaters, and she’s particularly “obsessed” with the brand’s turtleneck. The sweater’s boxy fit and extra-long sleeves are offset by its slightly cropped length for a more elevated look. “It feels so luxurious from the sleeves to the neck,” Mullin says. It’s currently available in five colorways.
Best less expensive cashmere turtleneck sweater
Sizing: Unisex XXS to XL | Style and details: Turtleneck, ribbed at the neck and cuffs | Price: $
Uniqlo’s prices are slightly higher than those of Naadam and Quince, but they’re still affordable. Despite being a turtleneck, this one is lightweight. It’s perfect for wearing on its own on warmer days and layered underneath chunkier sweaters. Avila says the texture is more natural feeling (rather than having the slickness she found in Naadam’s and Quince’s offerings). At first, it was a bit scratchy, but she says after a couple of washes, the sweater has softened up. “I’ve had it for a little under a year, and it hasn’t pilled as much as my Naadam or Quince sweaters,” Avila says. One thing to note is that Uniqlo’s cashmere is seasonal (they’re rarely available for half of the year), so now’s the time to stock up.
Best luxury cashmere turtleneck sweater
Sizing: Unisex XXS to XL | Style and details: Turtleneck, ribbed at the neck and cuffs | Price: $
Rosie Assoulin, a women’s clothing designer based in New York City, turned us onto Nili Lotan’s sweaters, which she discovered when she lived in Tribeca near a Nili Lotan store. “During long, cold winters, I couldn’t find anything as comfortable as those cashmere sweaters,” Assoulin says. She has several different styles from the brand, but her favorite is this cashmere turtleneck. “Every time I wear it, it reminds me of those windy days in Tribeca. I could pull it up over my chin and my face. It was nice.”
Best striped cashmere sweater
Sizing: XS to XL | Style details: Crewneck with stripes | Price: $$$
After a few of her sweaters “were decimated by moths,” Reid bought this Kule cashmere sweater on sale. She says it’s the “softest, most substantial-feeling cashmere sweater” she owns. It has an “ideal and elusive crewneck fit: It’s cut comfortably close enough to wear on its own, but can still accommodate a shirt underneath without looking bulky.” It comes in a wide range of classic patterns of black, cream, brown, and navy stripes.
Best cashmere cardigan
Sizing: S to XL | Style and details: Crewneck button down cardigan | Price: $
Avila tested this State Cashmere button-down cardigan and says it’s been the perfect transitional piece from winter to spring. She’s worn it both on its own fully buttoned and layered it on top of tank tops or T-shirts on warmer days. Out of the box, Avila says it was incredibly soft but not mushy-feeling, and after wearing it about a dozen times, it hasn’t pilled yet. It comes in four sizes: small to extra-large. And even though she’s typically a size extra-small, she found that the small fit perfectly fine with a little extra room for layering. She owns the undyed white colorway, and it also comes in black, gray, beige, and baby blue.
Best plus-size cashmere cardigan
Sizing: XL to 3XL | Style and details: Ribbed crewneck | Price: $$
Lands’ End’s plus-size cardigan comes in sizes XL to 3XL. “After seeing some of my favorite straight-size influencers in cardigans, I went on the hunt for a plus-size version,” says Lauren Chan, founder of clothing brand Henning, and this Lands’ End cardigan checked all the boxes for her. She calls it “classic” and “simple,” and it “pairs super-well with either light-wash jeans or gray sweats — win-win.” Even better, it comes in eight colors.
Best cashmere shawl
Sizing: One size | Style and details: Shawl | Price: $$
Strategist contributor Diksha Basu first put this oversize J.Crew wrap on our radar. Unlike the other dozens of shawls she’s tried, this one is both durable and stylish. “I have spilled hand sanitizer on it, my kids have touched it with fingers sticky with apple juice, Goldfish crumbs have adorned it,” she says. “I just wipe things off with an unscented baby wipe and the shawl looks good as new.” The piece transforms “harried morning school drop-offs” and chilly outdoor-dining outfits “from shabby to chic with my favorite amount of effort, both for what I put on and for maintaining its condition: almost zero.” As for its feel, it’s “soft and light, almost like muslin, but in a way that seems like magic, it’s not flimsy at all.” Maguy Le Coze, co-owner of Le Bernardin, is also a fan because its roomy oversized fit means she can “wrap it around my shoulders and cover my upper arms.”
Best cashmere polo sweater
Sizing: XS to XL | Quality: Grade-A | Style and details: Open collar with no buttons | Price: $
In addition to testing the crewneck, Avila tried Quince’s polo sweater. It has the same lightweight and buttery softness, just with a different cut. She’s had it for a little over a year and wore it plenty through last fall and this spring. “I found myself reaching for it through this past fall, even on those unusually warm days, because it’s breezy and has a somewhat less conventional cut,” Avila says. “After a couple dozen or so wears, it has pilled very slightly around the arms.” But since it’s such a good price, she says it’s still worth it. Like the brand’s crewneck, this sweater is available in sizes XS to XL but in just eight colorways.
Best sweater made with recycled cashmere
Sizing: XS to XXL | Style and details: Crewneck with tubular stitching at the neck, cuffs, and hem | Price: $$
Tricot’s sweaters, made out of 65 percent recycled cashmere and 35 percent virgin cashmere, were originally recommended for our article on the best men’s cashmere sweaters. Avila tested the brand’s standard crewneck, since she’s been on the lookout for a more sustainable (but affordable) option. It’s quickly become one of her favorite crewnecks. Compared to the other picks on this list, it’s thicker and natural feeling without being scratchy (like Uniqlo’s was at first). “It’s boxy without drooping, so it doesn’t look ill-fitting on me — an issue I’ve had in the past with slightly oversize pieces,” she says. “I also appreciated the longer ribbing at the neck, hem, and sleeves. It makes a normal crewneck feel a touch more elegant.” It comes in a wide range of 21 colors and sizes XS to XXL.
Best splurge-worthy fun cashmere sweater
Sizing: XXS to XXL | Style and details: Crewneck with checkered pattern design | Price: $$$
Two experts we spoke to called out Leret Leret because it offers sweaters with a range of patterns. “They design really playful cashmere sweaters with fun prints if you’re looking for something a bit more unique than a classic cashmere sweater that is still high-quality,” says stylist Savannah White. Nicole Berrie, founder of Bonberi and author of Body Harmony, also likes its “quirky” designs. “It’s the best gift for someone who values quality and that ‘It’ factor,” she says.
Best less-expensive fun cashmere sweater
Sizing: XS to XL | Style and details: Crewneck, color-blocked design | Price: $$$
Megababe’s founder Katie Sturino turns to Garin for her cashmere sweaters because it offers a mix of everyday neutrals as well as colorful patterns. Her personal go-tos are its fun designs, like this crewneck with space details. It’s worth noting that the sweater isn’t the cheapest on the list, but design-y cashmere tends to run into the hundreds of dollars and this happens to be on the lower end, making it a solid mid-priced option. “I’m also a huge fan of the brand for their commitment to sustainability,” Sturino adds. “Each sweater is animal- and ecofriendly and 100 percent biodegradable.”
Some more women’s cashmere sweaters we’ve written about
Our experts
• Mina Alyeshmerni, owner of online boutique Maimoun
• Chloe Anello, former Strategist writer
• Diksha Basu, Strategist contributor
• Nicole Berrie, founder of Bonberi and author of Body Harmony
• Maxine Builder, Strategist editor
• Lauren Chan, founder of clothing brand Henning
• Bella Druckman, Strategist junior writer
• Maguy Le Coze, co-owner of Le Bernardin
• Sabine Le Guyader, co-founder of Lady Grey Jewelry
• Lilli Millhiser, stylist
• Sonia Beyda Mosseri, founder and designer of NYC-based brand Still Here
• Kate Mullin, director of brand marketing and global communications at Anine Bing
• Dominique Pariso, Strategist writer
• Dominique Porter, founder of sleepwear line the Glad Hours
• Hilary Reid, Strategist senior editor
• Titilola Sogunro, fashion blogger at Titi’s Passion
• Katie Sturino, founder of Megababe
• Torie Tilley, founder of jewelry brand Common Era
• Savannah White, stylist
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