My First Pure Cashmere Sweater

Originally Posted by furo

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He boasted that true Loro Piana cashmere sweaters are about some of the only ones better than Purple Label. I'd suspect that Cucinelli has got to be at least on par with LP.
FTFY. When you make a claim that your stuff is better than virtually all cashmere out there except perhaps one company then you aren't admitting anything. You are boasting.

so does anyone know the quality of Corneliani, Canali and Pal Zileri cashmere sweaters?

Why are you guys obsessed with various RL sweaters? They fit ****** and are pretty overpriced.

Originally Posted by Big Punisher

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Why are you guys obsessed with various RL sweaters? They fit ****** and are pretty overpriced.

The fit of mine is perfect, I couldn't ask for a better fit.

I thought it would be a poor fit at first, but after wearing it for a couple hours, it naturally shaped to my build.

Originally Posted by furo

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The fit of mine is perfect, I couldn't ask for a better fit.

I thought it would be a poor fit at first, but after wearing it for a couple hours, it naturally shaped to my build.

Let me guess. It was tight at first but then after half the inside shedded off it started loosening up. Was that it?

May be of interest... Cashmere - The Sceptical Shopper

Originally Posted by The Contrarian

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Let me guess. It was tight at first but then after half the inside shedded off it started loosening up. Was that it?

Actually it seemed too large at first since I normally wear size small and this was a medium.

Originally Posted by barcol

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May be of interest... Cashmere - The Sceptical Shopper

Solid article. Many good points in there that I was unaware of. I'll have to run a couple of those tests on my sweater.

Originally Posted by FIHTies

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FTFY. When you make a claim that your stuff is better than virtually all cashmere out there except perhaps one company then you aren't admitting anything. You are boasting.
The guy at RL "admitted" LP makes nicer cashmere than RL does. You do not boast that "the other guy's product is better than mine," you admit it. If the question had been with reference to the entire world of cashmere and the answer was "we make the finest cashmere you can buy, except for this one other brand," that would be a boast. His specific wording -- "are about some of the only ones" (in particular, only) -- gives you some wiggle room, but I'm amazed you took the time to "correct" something that was more right than wrong.

god this forum gets bogged down by idiocy sometimes...

Originally Posted by modern_leifeng

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god this forum gets bogged down by idiocy sometimes...

but only sometimes

Lighter weight RLPL cashmere knitwear is designated "platinum" and is single-ply spun of superfine cashmere. There are only a handful of companies spinning superfine cashmere, thus its premium over typical two-ply knitwear of the same styles.

In cashmere knitwear related threads no one ever seems to mention construction. Most Scottish machine-knit, plain two-ply knitwear is fully full-fashion knitted. That means each panel (front, back, sleeves) is knit to shape and then seamed together with yarn similar to that of the knit. As an example, the sleeve is knit so it will gradually decrease in diameter to the cuff. That is not the case with a sleeve that is cut to size. That is oft not the case with similar expensive Italian cashmere knitwear - often the side and sleeve seams are not full-fashion. That's simply a shortcut. If the ribbing of a sleeve has a diagonal intersection at the sleeve inseam it's not full-fashioned, or knit to shape. Full-fashioned sleeve and side seams exhibit ribbing paralleling the seam and tiny knots in the knit can be seen paralleling the seam a half inch or so from the seam, where the panel has been incrementally reduced in size. Full-fashioned knitwear provides a more natural fit, second only to seamless knitwear, and the seams are less prone to stretch out of shape or unravel at the seam. Full-fashioning is most easily seen adjacent to the front 'V' of decent quality V-neck knitwear. The ribs of the knit body run perpendicular to the V-neck's ribs and the small knots are evident where the V opening of the front has been gradually widened. Rarely is Orient machine-knitwear completely full-fashioned. That's simple, classic, machine knit cashmere. Novelty knits, cables and hand-frame knitwear's a different story.

The nature and abundance of Scottish water from the River Teviot is important in the processing and finishing of Scottish cashmere. The same is true of the Alpine foothill rivers of the Biella region in the far northwest of Italy. Don't know about the nature of Loro Piana's Ulan Bator, Mongolia's Tuul (Tola) River.

Didactic apologies

Originally Posted by I. Gentantithesis

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Novelty knits, cables and hand-frame knitwear's a different story.

So since the sweater in question here is a cable knit, what should I be looking for in the sweater in terms of construction/quality, and do you have any insight as to the "shedding" I'm seeing?

Very informative post though!

I have had no shedding from my RLP or RLBL sweaters... but the latter has now pilled heavily.

Originally Posted by unjung

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I have had no shedding from my RLP or RLBL sweaters... but the latter has now pilled heavily.

Are your RLPL sweaters cable knits?