Lambswool vs. Merino Wool vs. Cashmere

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When Winter rolls around, friends are browsing for sweaters and we’re often asked what the differences between these fabrics are, and which are correct for them. Below are brief explanations for Lambswool, Merino Wool, and Cashmere.

Lambswool

Lambswool is wool is taken from only the first shearing of the sheep, usually around seven months after its first coat has come in. It is no longer than 50mm, is smooth, strong and flexible, and requires minimal processing.

Pro Tip: generally reserved for chunkier/thicker sweaters, think shawl collar cardigans, and thicker crew neck sweaters.  It should never be scratchy like those cheap wool sweaters that annoyed you as a kid.

Merino Wool

Merino wool comes specifically from the Merino sheep bred for its unique wool. One of the most important properties of merino wool is its strength and durability. Its high crimp count makes it excellent at regulating body temperature, particularly when worn against the skin. Merino wool also has a natural moisture-wicking property, so moisture is pulled away from the body so the wearer remains warm without becoming too hot. Merino wool has an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio. Additionally, merino contains lanolin which gives it useful antibacterial properties and some odor resistance as a result.

Pro Tip: generally used in thinner/dressier crew neck or v-neck sweaters.   A great option for wearing over a dress shirt for a sharp business casual vibe or under a sport coat as a layering piece.

Cashmere

This silky soft fiber comes from combing the fleece undercoat of the cashmere (or Kashmir) goat and is known for being soft, delicate and luxurious. The best quality Cashmere is produced in the regions of the Helan Mountains, Ningxia, Chinese Mongolia and in the desert areas of the Mongolian People’s Republic. Fibers are about 18 microns in diameter, so about the same as superfine merino wool. Only about 25% of a cashmere goat’s fleece is used, so it takes the hair of two goats to make one sweater. Cashmere is the rarest and most soft of the three fibers and thus by far the most expensive.

Pro Tip 1: Cashmere is very versatile and you can find it used as a material in almost any sweater variety, generally for 2x-3x lambswool or merino wool pricing.  Beware of any pure cashmere sweater under $200, it’s an expensive fabric and you’re usually better off buying a higher quality lambswool or merino wool sweater than a lower quality cashmere sweater around that price.  Good deals do exist occasionally though.

Pro Tip 2: If you can find a cashmere/wool blend sweater, you can often get a lot of the cashmere softness for about half the price and better durability than cashmere alone.  See an example from Ralph Lauren below.

         100% Cashmere – $398                                   10% Cashmere / 90% Wool – $148

Let me know if you have any other questions or constructive ideas in the comments below!