Cashmere Sweater Hierarchy

[reidd]

I happened to have the sweater in my office today. I just looked and I do think they are real leather. The quality of the buttons is good, it’s just that they don’t fit the holes. I’m trying to decide if I’ll replace them or try and narrow the button holes.

 

[dieworkwear]

If there’s a general rule I’m not aware of it. I’ll defer to those who do this stuff for a living. For me, it’s another reason I prefer to touch, feel and wear something before buying.

The general rule is that Italian companies tend to mill their knitwear more heavily than Scottish producers

 

[stifler]

I have the 12-ply cardigan. It's incredibly thick, plush and soft but also pills pretty badly. The most annoying part about it is that the faux leather buttons that come on it are way too small for the button holes, so they are constantly coming out when you wear it. A fixable issue for sure, but inexcusable for a $1200+ sweater.

That's a shame. I was hoping it wouldn't pill.

 

[reidd]

That's a shame. I was hoping it wouldn't pill.

Yeah same here. Its still probably the best/heaviest cashmere you can get on the market today, but old school Ballantyne it is not.

Has anyone tried The Elder Statesman stuff? Made in USA and certainly looks and feels like the real deal but I've never worn any.

 

[stifler]

Yeah same here. Its still probably the best/heaviest cashmere you can get on the market today, but old school Ballantyne it is not.

Has anyone tried The Elder Statesman stuff? Made in USA and certainly looks and feels like the real deal but I've never worn any.

Is the pilling continuous or does it stop?

 

[dieworkwear]

"Maybe the sheep caught the clap or something. Don't worry, it won't rub off on you." --Charlie Davidson, to a customer complaining about pilling on his Scottish cashmere sweater

 

[reidd]

Is the pilling continuous or does it stop?

Not totally sure what you mean by that but this is what it looks like in the worst spots (bottom of elbow to cuff).

 

[stifler]

Not totally sure what you mean by that but this is what it looks like in the worst spots (bottom of elbow to cuff).

View attachment 1543986

If you use a lint roller to take those out, does the pilling occur again or would it stop?

 

[reidd]

If you use a lint roller to take those out, does the pilling occur again or would it stop?

Idk I haven't really tried. My experience though is that something that pills at first will never stop since it's caused by the properties of the fibers.

 

[stifler]

Idk I haven't really tried. My experience though is that something that pills at first will never stop since it's caused by the properties of the fibers.

Did you pay full retail for the cardigan? I'm hoping it's on sale

 

[dieworkwear]

If you use a lint roller to take those out, does the pilling occur again or would it stop?

All knitwear pills. It's just a question of how much and how easily. Scottish cashmere tends to pill less than Italian cashmere because Italian companies mill (wash) their knits more heavily to achieve that cloud softness. Scottish cashmere producers do something called "bare finish." All knitwear has to milled to some degree to remove the grease from the yarns, which helps the yarns glide more easily over the knitting needles. It's just a question of how much. Bare finish means not washing the garment as much.

If you get pills, and you will, you want to use a sweater shaver. Sweater stones will only cause more breakages in the yarn.

This is just a rough guide, as many things can contribute to pilling. Could be differences in that specific run of yarn (maybe specific to color, etc). Or it could be how the person wears their sweater.

If you're concerned about pilling on a cashmere knit, Scottish makers will be best because they don't mill their knits as heavily. But all knitwear pills.

 

[TheShetlandSweater]

All knitwear pills. It's just a question of how much and how easily. Scottish cashmere tends to pill less than Italian cashmere because Italian companies mill (wash) their knits more heavily to achieve that cloud softness. Scottish cashmere producers do something called "bare finish." All knitwear has to milled to some degree to remove the grease from the yarns, which helps the yarns glide more easily over the knitting needles. It's just a question of how much. Bare finish means not washing the garment as much.

If you get pills, and you will, you want to use a sweater shaver. Sweater stones will only cause more breakages in the yarn.

This is just a rough guide, as many things can contribute to pilling. Could be differences in that specific run of yarn (maybe specific to color, etc). Or it could be how the person wears their sweater.

If you're concerned about pilling on a cashmere knit, Scottish makers will be best because they don't mill their knits as heavily. But all knitwear pills.

Interestingly, I have two much older sweaters that don't pill at all. I bought them on eBay some years ago, so I don't know how old they are. Part of it may be that these sweaters have no loft (I think that is the right term). Part of it may be that sweaters pill less with time. Part of it may be that these sweaters were well washed. Washing is supposed to limit pilling and not enough people wash their sweaters.

Putting those exceptions aside, I agree that all sweaters pill. The pilling above looks normal. Take it off. I use manicure scissors. In my experience sweaters pill much less with time. My guess is that some fibers are simply weaker than others and that those weaker fibers break earlier on. Other fibers may weaken with time, but they do so much more gradually.

 

[partenopean]

/

 

[partenopean]

I happened to have the sweater in my office today.

where on earth do you live that you are in "the office" today?

 

[Phileas Fogg]

where on earth do you live that you are in "the office" today?

believe it or not, there are many of us that are at work in “the office”.