Cashmere: when the cheaper one is enough

Cashmere is the fibre everyone wants and few people need in every piece. The honest question is not whether cashmere is better, it is, but where in your wardrobe the difference shows. We compared real knits at real prices, as listed on 7 October 2026. Toteme lists in Swedish kronor; we converted at the ECB reference rate of 6 October 2026.1

Under: merino, from €105

Colorful Standard's classic merino wool crew costs €105 the merino turtleneck €140. Merino is fine, smooth and warm for its weight, and it does not itch the way coarse wool does. It is also robust: it can be washed more easily than cashmere and pills less in the first months.

Over: cashmere, from €410

Toteme's classic cashmere crew knit costs €410 and its cashmere crew in black €437. Cashmere is softer, lighter and warmer than merino at the same thickness, and it has a soft surface that looks rich even in a plain shape.

When the cheaper one is enough

• Under a blazer or a coat. Nobody sees or feels the fibre; merino does the job.
• For layering under shirts. Thin merino slides better than cashmere.
• For everyday wear with a bag strap. Friction pills cashmere faster.
• If you wash a lot. Merino forgives more.

When cashmere is worth it

• The jumper you wear alone, all winter. You feel the difference every day.
• Near sensitive skin. Cashmere is the softest wool against the neck.
• For accessories. A cashmere beanie or scarf costs a fraction of a jumper and gives the full feeling where it matters most, at the face. Toteme's rib cashmere beanie is €146.

Merino under a jacket. Cashmere alone, against the skin.

What the money buys

In cashmere, price follows the length of the fibre and the number of yarns twisted together. Long fibres pill less; more yarns make a denser, more durable knit. A cheap cashmere jumper can be made from short fibres and pill within weeks, which is why a good merino often beats a bad cashmere. If you cannot check the yarn, buy cashmere from a brand that names it, and merino from everyone else.

Our verdict

Own one cashmere knit you wear alone, and build the rest of your knitwear in merino. That is the best value in winter dressing.