5 Best Cashmere Sweaters for Travel

A little piece of Cashmere in your wardrobe is a whole lot of luxury.  One of those purchases you do not make lightly…I spent years toing and froing about whether or not I could justify the expense – then I took the plunge and travelled for a winter holiday with a couple of Cashmere jumpers, several pairs of pants, boots,  a good down jacket and not much else…hooked.

Cashmere garments are so light and easy to travel with.

Why cashmere? Well once you have worn the fine yarn it’s hard to imagine wearing anything else. With good reason it is one of the most coveted materials in the world; soft, lightweight, insulates eight times better than wool ( making it an excellent item to wear during a flight to beat airplane chill), and always looks chic. Cashmere is delicate, yet not particularly hard to look after (I cool machine wash on gentle and lay flat to dry).

As with most products, not all cashmere sweaters are created equal; with superior quality sweaters costing thousands of dollars. The majority of  the quality and expense is in the yarn used (it takes one mountain goat about two years to naturally shed enough hair to make one cashmere wrap), which is all very well if your budget is unlimited. However after years of trial and error I can report that there are some affordable options on the market that provide a luxurious garment that wears well, without such a sting in the price tag.

Every designer worth their stripes includes some cashmere in their range, so tracking them down is not that tricky.

Here are five of my favourites:

1.  Ralph Lauren Women’s Black Label Turtleneck Sweater. I have one which I bought from a consignment store in London (heads up, loads of cashmere to be found in consignment stores – sometimes brand new, worth keeping an eye out for). I can attest that it is worth every penny I spent on it. Five years of constant use  and it still looks gorgeous. It’s made of 100% cashmere, has an oversized turtleneck, long sleeves with ribbed cuffs and ribbed hem. Of course, the investment (note the word investment not price…) is eye watering, but at cost per wear I am ahead (or so I keep telling myself). AUD$999.00

2.  Uniqlo Women’s V Neck Sweater. I also have this and believe it is one of the best quality cashmere travel sweaters for its price. Currently it costs AUD$99.90, washes well and keeps it shape, and there is a range of gorgeous colours. Style icon Ines de la Fressange designs a range for Uniqlo which gives me further reason to love them.

3.  Jac + jack David Sweater – Blue Marle. This one’s soft and excellent for layering. It’s made of 100% cashmere. It’s also available in black. AUD399.00

4.  Country Road Women’s Boyfriend Knit. Whenever I buy Country Road knitwear it lasts from season to season, always great quality. Not bad for AUD $224.25 (currently on sale). It’s made of 100% luxurious cashmere, available in cream, light grey marle and navy.

5.  ASOS Premium Cashmere Rich V Neck Jumper. Here’s a sweater that effectively combines cashmere with merino wool. It’s soft and fluffy, easy to care and breathes well. It’s currently on sale, from AUD $135 to $68.00.

I also buy men’s cashmere sweaters when they go on SALE (the prices can be cheaper than womens); I love their slouchy fit, keep an eye out for mens cardigans too, perfect for travel layering and cosy, cosy for our cooler weather.