I have come across a few comments here and there (in different posts) about the quality of J. Crew's cashmere. I personally do not own any 100% cashmere sweaters (only partial cashmere). So my knowledge is limited. (As I mentioned in a previous comment from a post: Although I would love something from their cashmere line, I find it a bit too expensive for me right now.)However, I would like to open up "the floor" to all of you in a single, easy to find post...
So, for those who have questions about J. Crew cashmere please feel free to ask here. For all those who have first hand experience with J. Crew cashmere, please help answer these questions. We can all benefit from our collective knowledge!!!
I'll re-post my previous comment:
ReplyDeleteI own several J.Crew 100% cashmere sweaters (all of which I got on sale), and they do pill pretty easily. I don't have any other 100% cashmere sweaters from other brands, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I am a little disappointed in the way the sweaters look after only a few wearings.
I do like the cashmere sweaters though, because it doesn't irritate my skin like some of the sweater blends. But I'm not sure about the quality for the price. I would absolutely say the cashmere sweaters are not worth the full retail price. When they are marked down substantially, then maybe.
Hi Lynn! Thanks for posting your comment here. I know I gained a lot from your personal experience.
ReplyDeleteI own some cashmere sweaters from the GAP. Even though they hold up pretty well, I noticed they were not as "soft" as J. Crew's cashmere.
I own cashmere from GAP and Express. Neither of them have pilled/shrunk/etc after 2 years (3 years for the Express sweater) of wear. I've not experienced J.Crew cashmere to compare though, those price tags scare me away! But if it pilled on Lynn, that doesn't seem to be a good sign...
ReplyDeleteThe pilling has been pretty bad, and this happens with every cashmere sweater I have from J.Crew... all from different years and different seasons.
ReplyDeleteI have not had great experiences with J.Crew cashmere. It's tough because I like their colors and the styles, but if you get private label cashmere from bloomingdales, saks fifth avenue, or even Macys it holds up a LOT better. Regardless if you dry clean or hand wash.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for posting your experiences with J.Crew's cashmere clothing. This has been super-insightful for me (and hopefully for others too!)
ReplyDeletei have many 100% cashmere sweaters--and all of them pill. most that don't are a blend. j crew is my favorite! they have the most colors and styles to choose from. i have gotten all of mine on sale, usually for about 80-100 bucks. You just need a sweater comb from CVS--you run it over the pilled spots (usually under the armpits) and it will get rid of it. nothing compares to the softness and warmth of cashmere!
ReplyDeleteAll of mine have pilled easily. Since I have them drycleaned anyway, I don't mind too much. The cleaner depills them for me for no extra charge. I've received a lot of complements when I wear them.
ReplyDeleteAntigone: I had no idea that dry cleaners would remove the pills for you-- That is really good to know.
ReplyDeleteI think J.Crew 100% cashmere is way overrated. I like the colors and styles, but quality wise they don't stand up to the competition of any good department store brand and you can get them cheaper at Bloomingdale's or Nordstrom. In my opinion, the Dream yarn is a better option, quality and price wise.
ReplyDeleteGottalovethat: I tend to agree with you that the quality of their Cashmere doesn't really match the quality of other retailers' offerings at the same price point.
ReplyDeleteJust to add my two cents, I own many J-crew Cashmere sweaters and yes they do pill. However this doesn't necessarily mean poor quality. The softer the tread the more likely the fabric woven of the thread is going to pill. As a knitter it doesn't matter if you spend tons of money on a yarn, if its super soft (like Cashmere or Merino or Alpaca) it's going to pill. The only thing I wish they'd change is the length of the cardigans. They're a little too short for my torso. Or at least offer tall sizes.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteA bit late on the feedback-
I own an embarrassing amount of J crew cashmere :blush: all of it purchased on sale. I like getting the cashmere because j crew sizes run very large, and I am a very small person, and cashmere is very easy to shrink down to a perfect fit.
For care, I haven't had much of a problem with pilling, but thing I've found help include dry cleaning, not carrying a shoulder bag that hits on your hip (before I realized all the pilling was where my bag was causing friction). Overall I'm addicted to the stuff...after it's marked down.
Rosie: It is never too late to share! :) Also don't feel embarrassed about purchasing J.Crew cashmere on sale- I do too! (I have only 3 pieces of J.Crew Cashmere and they were all purchased on sale.)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip about bags/purses as a source of pilling for cashmere- I didn't realize that! :)
I like my J.Crew 100% cashmere items, but I must admit that I prefer their silk/cashmere blend (I'm really hoping that they come out with such sweaters again, soon!). It's even smoother and lighter than the cashmere, and I can wear on cool summer days, or in the winter.
ReplyDeleteI think it's important to have some sort of cashmere care kit, whether it's a fancy on from J.Crew or a nice sharp drug-store razor! The latter really works--just be VERY careful! Pilling will happen with virtually any good, soft sweater...It's a fact of life I've come to accept, and I've found that if I take care of the pilling before it gets too bad, then I don't have too worry about much frustration. ;) I know this is super-late, but I'm new to the site...
I've been a j crew shopper for almost 10 years now. And yes, the quality of the cashmere had gone down significantly. Good cashmere can be handwashed - I have cashmere sweaters from 10 years ago that I've been washing in the delicate cycle all these years and they look and feel great. The story is that there is a huge demand for cashmere and it's being sold everywhere - almost all of it comes from China - it's being mass produced. The quality of cashmere depends on many factors including the type of goats, their diet and env. These goats are being bred and processed in substandard conditions to meet the world's supply of cashmere. I still buy j crew cashmere BUT only on sale - it's NOT worth the full price. I love the colors and styles that j crew offers but there is no way the cashmere of high quality - try to get a hold of an cashmere item from 7-10 years ago - you will see the difference right away.
ReplyDeleteHi:
ReplyDeleteI own an embarrassing amount of cashmere sweaters from different manufacturers (including JCrew) and let me tell you, the best quality BY FAR is Lands' End. They may not have the cute styles of JCrew, but the thickness and softness of Lands' End cashmere is far better than JCrew's. I agree with other reviews that JCRew's cashmere sweaters are now of a lower quality than years ago. Don't buy into this "Loro Piana" sales pitch that JCrew has. Their sweaters are paper-thin compared to Lands' End. And much more expensive. Last X-mas I bought a beautiful hand-knit cable cashmere sweater for $349, and later picked up a few more for $199. It is a dream...
Hi! I own a Ralph Lauren Black Label cashmere sweater that was ridiculously expensive! However, the quality is unsurpassed and it NEVER PILLS! (I've had it for 2 years now) I also purchased a J. Crew cashmere sweater, but I noticed it pilled the first time I wore it. The weaving was terrible too. So my experience is: Save up money for 1 ridiculously expensive cashmere sweater and keep it forever.
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