Not All Cashmere Is Equal - These Four Brands Get It Right

"It's important to remember that not all cashmere is the same, and quality can vary substantially. We want our pieces to feel special, so we work with only the best materials. Cashmere is an extraordinary natural product that performs far better than anything man-made. It's still a hard-to-obtain yarn, so it raises questions about lower-priced options suddenly available everywhere."

"High-quality cashmere comes from the downy undercoat of Himalayan goats, molted in spring and then painstakingly combed to cull the finest fibers. It is scarce, labor-intensive, and precious by definition. At Cutler, French uses four times the customary amount of yarn to craft his separates, and has developed cashmere wrapped silk threads for ultimate softness."

"At Extreme Cashmere, Saskia Dijkstra flaunts a modern mastery of shape and color. There are bandana scarves, short-sleeve crop knits for spring, buttoned Henleys, oversized high-collared sweaters - enough pieces to create an entire, many-layered wardrobe, and in more than 30 fresh shades like chartreuse, orange marmalade, and latte cream."

While established luxury brands dominate the cashmere market, smaller labels are gaining recognition through commitment to quality and innovation. Cutler, a London-based brand, uses four times the standard yarn amount and develops cashmere-wrapped silk threads for enhanced softness, working with Savile Row tailors. The brand emphasizes that cashmere quality varies substantially, with genuine high-quality cashmere sourced from Himalayan goat undercoats through labor-intensive processes. Extreme Cashmere, led by Saskia Dijkstra, takes a different approach, showcasing modern design mastery with over 30 color options and diverse silhouettes including bandana scarves, crop knits, and oversized sweaters. Both brands maintain restricted production, ensuring exclusivity and justifying luxury positioning in the competitive knitwear market.

Read at Elite Traveler