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Cashmere is buttery soft, nice-looking, and sometimes even seasonless. As I write this, it’s early summer and I’m still reaching for my cashmere sweaters on chillier (below 70 degrees) mornings and nights. And all that wear only makes the sweaters softer, as I learned while testing ones for this story with my colleague Strategist writer Arielle Avila. It turns out the more you clean cashmere, the softer the wool gets over time, too (as long as you care for it properly — more on that below).
It’s no secret, though, that cashmere often comes with a hefty price tag. The yarn originates from the fluffy undercoat of cashmere goats; it is both scarce and labor intensive to obtain but makes for a softer, warmer fiber than sheep’s wool. Luckily, plenty of more affordable brands have cropped up in recent years, and you can get cashmere for a pretty reasonable price (like Naadam and Quince’s basic sweaters, which start under $100). That said, not all cashmere is created equal, so to help you parse the various price points and fits, we tried out several men’s cashmere sweaters for ourselves, testing their weight, feel, and durability. We also consulted stylish men for their favorites. Below are sweaters we think are worth their price and ones that don’t skimp on quality.
Update on December 10, 2024: Updated prices and checked stock for all products.
What we’re looking for
Sizing
In our search for the best, we’re looking for sweaters with an inclusive range of sizing options.
Quality
As mentioned, the feel and weight are important when shopping for cashmere. The quality is reflected by grades: A, B, and C. Grade C is the lowest grade, measuring around 30 microns wide per cashmere hair. Grade B measures around 18 to 19 microns wide per cashmere hair. And Grade A, the highest, measures no more than 14 microns wide per cashmere hair. (For context, the average strand of human hair is about 70 microns thick.) All that is to say the best-quality cashmere is finer, resulting in the softest and best-constructed sweaters. And though all cashmere will eventually pill, lower-quality cashmere is prone to pilling faster and more frequently. We noted the grade if that information is provided by the brand.
Style and details
With cashmere, you might want to invest in something that won’t go out of style in a couple of seasons. Most of our picks are classic cuts and neutral colors, but we also included sweaters with bolder designs and patterns.
Price
As we’ve mentioned, cashmere typically costs more than other natural fibers. Despite that, we’ve included a range of affordable options that don’t sacrifice quality. We denoted the recommendations below as either $ (under $150), $$ ($150–$250), or $$$ (over $250).
Best men’s cashmere sweater overall
Sizing: XXS to XXL | Quality: Grade A | Style and details: Crewneck with tubular stitching at the neck, cuffs, and hem | Price: $
Naadam is one of the aforementioned affordable cashmere brands that’s come up a lot with stylish women and men. I own its most standard option — the Original Cashmere Crewneck — in a women’s small, and it’s supersoft (though it has a slight slickness). My boyfriend, who has helped me test numerous menswear items, tried the men’s version and likes that it’s smooth without being scratchy and has a light-to-mid-weight feel, making it perfect for layering. Thanks to the relaxed yet tailored fit, he can comfortably wear a thick white T-shirt underneath (though I recommend sizing up as my boyfriend did, from his usual L to an XL). While he’s owned this sweater for only a short time, it has been ideal for cool summer nights, and he imagines wearing it into the fall. The Original comes in a wide variety of sizes (XXS to XXL) and colors (ten core and eight seasonal colorways), making it a clear winner for best overall in the category.
Several experts agreed with my take, including Joel Moore, a blogger at Moore His Style, who calls Naadam one of his “go-to brands for good-quality cashmere” owing to its affordability and sustainability. Influencer Steven Sharpe Jr. told us he appreciates the brand’s dedication to sustainability and “ethical production from start to finish” as well.
Best less expensive men’s cashmere sweater
Sizing: S to XL | Quality: Grade A | Style and details: Crewneck with tubular stitching at the neck, cuffs, and hem | Price: $
Quince, known for its supersoft bedsheets, recently expanded into the cashmere space. Its most affordable men’s cashmere sweater comes in at just $60. Avila has the women’s version of the sweater (she notes the women’s is $10 cheaper) and says it arrived in perfect condition, though after about a year, it has some pilling on the arms and waist. It has a similar feel to Naadam’s — supersoft with a slight slickness — but is a tad lighter in weight. The biggest difference between Quince and Naadam is its range of choices: Quince’s sweater comes in sizes S to XL and 11 colorways; it’s also available in a V-neck in the same size range and seven colorways.
Best lightweight men’s cashmere sweater
Sizing: XS to XXL | Quality: Grade A | Style and details: Crewneck with tubular stitching at the neck, cuffs, and hem | Price: $$
Everlane has a reputation for nailing basics, and its cashmere is no exception. A step up from Naadam and Quince, it feels a tad more substantial but still lightweight. It’s incredibly soft and has a bit more grit to it (though it’s not itchy by any means). It’s on sale for less than $150 right now, making it a great high-end affordable option in terms of price. Pittsburgh-based streetwear influencer Joe Watkins and content creator Steven Fingar both call out its affordability, with Watkins adding that “the quality is very evident.” It’s available in sizes XS to XXL and nine neutral colors.
Best V-neck men’s cashmere sweater
Sizing: XS to XXL | Style and details: V-neck with tubular stitching at the neck, cuffs, and hem | Price: $$
State offers affordable cashmere sweaters, and the company has earned a reputation for its $150 option. Moore says they’re high quality and made from Mongolian cashmere. This V-neck, which Moore likes to wear when he wants a little less coverage, comes in 10 colors and goes up to a size XXL. And if you’re not into V-necks, the brand offers a crewneck at the same price.
Best men’s cashmere turtleneck sweater
Sizing: S to XXL | Style and details: Turtleneck with tubular stitching at the neck, cuffs, and hem | Price: $$
Moore is also a fan of State’s turtlenecks, which are just $10 more than the aforementioned V-necks. These reasonably priced cashmere sweaters are “easy to dress down while still looking polished,” Moore says. The brand’s turtleneck, which I’ve had for a little under a year, is soft and lightweight while providing lots of warmth. Since wearing it through part of last winter, it hasn’t pilled or stretched out. The sizing runs a little small, so if you like your sweaters on the looser side, consider sizing up.
Best men’s sweater made with recycled cashmere
Sizing: XS to XXL | Style and details: Crewneck with tubular stitching at the neck, cuffs, and hem | Price: $$
“Any color of this simple sweater with a pair of dark jeans will make you look pulled together even if you don’t feel it,” says Nick Axelrod-Welk, co-founder of Necessaire. After hearing about Tricot’s more sustainable practices (its sweaters consist of wasted cashmere garments that are respun with virgin cashmere fibers and knit in Italy), Avila reached out to test a sweater for herself. After just a few months of wear, she’s hooked: The Tricot sweater is thicker with a more natural feel and hasn’t pilled yet. “I especially like the structured fit compared with Naadam and Quince’s sweaters, which cling to my body more,” Avila says. And the ribbing at the neck, hem, and sleeves is longer and thicker than the rest, giving it a more put-together look. The sweater comes in a wide range of 20 colors and sizes XS to XXL.
Best men’s cable-knit cashmere sweater
Sizing: XS to XXL | Style and details: Cable-knit crewneck | Price: $$$
“Have you ever touched this sweater? It’s obscenely, almost immorally soft,” says Andrew Favorito, a senior public-relations director at Christian Dior, who adds that the feel makes it worth the price tag. He calls it “substantial enough,” meaning it’s “not too thick or bulky, and it feels light as air,” but it’ll still keep you warm. Photographer Malcolm McNeil says this “truly iconic” sweater is his go-to because it’s “soft as butter” and the cable-knit detailing “adds an extra dimension and bring home the aesthetic.” It comes in unisex sizing ranging from XXS to 5XL and 15 colorways. Note: The sweater’s price has gone up $100 since I last updated this story, so I plan to test this out and find a suitable cheaper alternative for a future update.
Best men’s cashmere hoodie
Sizing: XS to XXL | Style and details: Drawstring hoodie with tubular stitching at the cuffs and hem | Price: $$$
This Todd Snyder drawstring hoodie is a favorite of stylist Patrick Kenger, who loves cashmere’s “ability to elevate the look of a more casual item.” Though it’s still on the expensive side, Kenger says it’s lightweight and easy to wear year-round, so he can justify the price with cost per wear.
Best splurge-worthy cashmere sweater
Sizing: XS to XL | Style and details: Crewneck with striped design | Price: $$$
Another pricey cashmere-sweater brand on our radars is Leret Leret (which also came up in our article on women’s cashmere sweaters). “It’s often hard to tell why good cashmere costs as much as it does, but not with Leret Leret,” says former Strategist associate editor Louis Cheslaw. “On top of being one of the few brands stretching the limits of how cashmere can look — with over 38 wild prints, including clouds and hemp leaves — they also pay attention to the small stuff like how tightly ribbed their cuffs are and where the sweater drapes.” Cheslaw has had his for six months (“I was gifted it after befriending one of the founders while playing soccer,” he says) and reports “zero pilling.”
Some more men’s cashmere sweaters we’ve written about
Our experts
• Devan Anderson (a.k.a. DevanOnDeck), creative director and fashion influencer
• Nick Axelrod-Welk, co-founder of Necessaire
• Louis Cheslaw, former Strategist associate editor
• Andrew Favorito, senior public-relations director at Christian Dior
• Steven Fingar, content creator
• Jared Johnson, Season Three co-founder
• Patrick Kenger, men’s personal stylist at Pivot Image Consulting
• Rob Kirkland, actor
• Malcolm McNeil, photographer
• Joel Moore, blogger at Moore His Style
• Bryant Simmons, stylist
• Steven Sharpe Jr., influencer
• Joe Watkins, Pittsburgh-based streetwear influencer
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