Cashmere

speaking of Quality....
...when you think of a piece of clothing that is of high quality, you probably think of something that feels fabulous to the touch, wears well, keeps its shape, and will last forever.

As the weather is slowly cooling down, and we near the start of my favorite season, Autumn, it's almost time to pull out those favorite sweaters.

One type of sweater that screams quality to me is a cashmere sweater. Sure, there are many sweaters out there that boast that they are a "cashmere sweater" ....only to reveal on their tags that they contain a mere 5% cashmere. 
What I'm talking about is a 100% pure cashmere sweater.

What exactly IS cashmere?
Cashmere is a type of wool that comes from the neck of the Cashmere goat. There is actually a Cashmere & Camel Hair Institute that aims to promote pure products.
According to this institute, found at cashmere.org, 

Cashmere is luxurious and fashionable and is also a durable and practical investment. Cashmere travels well and doesn’t wrinkle. It offers great insulation; is warm in the winter and cool in the spring. Cashmere is long lasting; it actually becomes softer with age and rarely pills after being worn and washed. It should last a lifetime.

Thus, choosing to invest in a cashmere item is choosing a quality piece that will last - a lifetime. Check out the above website for more commonly asked questions, information, and care for your cashmere.

One piece of info that this site confirmed for me was how to care for your cashmere knits/sweaters. You should NOT dry clean them. You should use a gentle detergent, or even a cashmere soap-JCrew sells some, and hand wash your cashmere sweaters. This will keep them in better shape than sending them off to the dry-cleaners, and it's much less expensive!!

There are several places to find cashmere items here in the Twin Cities. JCrew is one place that carries cashmere. 


I am loving this polka-dot version. Classic yet fun.
...and if you don't love this burgundy color, even though it is "the color of the season," there are several other color combinations to fall in love with. I honestly have a hard time deciding which one is my favorite!

Thanks to my time spent working in retail, I have discovered a "new" line of sweaters & knits: Autumn Cashmere. This brand is by no means "new," as they have been around since 1993, but new to me, as I have never seen or touched these fabulous knits before.

Their sweaters are fabulous, and mostly 100% cashmere, with some that are cashmere blends, but are appropriately labeled.

Hot Mama is carrying several styles this fall, as is Nordstrom, and a local St. Paul boutique Stephanie's.


Will you be adding a new cashmere piece to your wardrobe this fall?