The Find: A Summer-to-Fall Sweater Tee
Aug 10, 2023
Yes, it’s hot. Yes, it’s time for August vacations and pool time and the last rays of sun. But fall is coming, and it’s time to start thinking about which pieces can be worn now or later. So when I spotted an amazing cashmere tee at Quince, I had to share.
This Mongolian cashmere cardigan from Quince gives you that 2010 J.Crew look for just $50. The sweater comes in 13 colors. It’s made with Grade-A cashmere, the highest quality made with the thinnest fibers.
Quince cashmere comes in a wide selection of styles and colors. Most are under-$75, all are under-$150. The sweaters are made with Grade A cashmere, the highest quality available.
If you love cashmere pieces give Quince a try.
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I love Quince as much as the next mid-life professional woman, but I stopped buying their cashmere due to the outsize effect that cheap cashmere has on the environment. Fashion isn’t always(or often) environmentally friendly, and you do what you can. I certainly am not attacking those who choose to purchase these sweaters, but for me, it seemed like a clear choice not to.
I will share a few resources below, but TL:DR – increase in demand for cashmere has lead to overproduction in Mongolia, where 90% of cashmere is from, decimating grazing lands, which over the long term will create desertification, and an inability to raise cashmere goats.
Pushing this environment to its limit for lower quality cashmere will likely cause the ecosystem and environmental collapse. Here’s a comprehensive summary: https://www.nssmag.com/en/fashion/31555/cashmere-sostenibilita
There are more sustainable cashmere brands profiled in this Harper’s Bazaar article, obviously at a high price point https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/fashion/fashion-news/a30184355/how-sustainable-is-cashmere/ and menswear writer Derek Guy has some suggestions for buying secondhand https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1597339373900824576.html
Interestingly enough, I just received my first order from Quince and I was pleasantly surprised. I bought their $50 cashmere crew sweater and was really impressed! I will likely try the Tee you suggest too. Also I bought the Naadam $75 cashmere crew sweater at the same time – to try a side by side comparison. Very similar in terms of weight. Very similar to Jcrew weight/quality. The only noticeable difference is hem/stitching around the collar and waist; it a bit tighter on the Naadam and JCrew, and looks maybe a little bit more finished(?), high quality. That said, Quince seems to have a much better, easier return policy than Naadam. So that’s a long way of saying…I second your suggestion to try Quince.
I had been thinking about this sweater for weeks and was about to pull the trigger until I saw the care instructions! I just can’t fathom buying anything I’ll have to hand wash ????
I ordered 2 and did not even look at the care instructions. I might ask my dry cleaner if they can use gentle detergent. Afraid I would ruin it trying to follow all of those other instructions. Any experience with this?
The instructions are uber specific to reduce friction that might felt the sweater. A gentle no rinse wool wash like Soak and dry flat on a towel should work.
I have this swearer in two bright, fun colors – love! I think they run a mite small, so if you want a more relaxed fit maybe try a size up.
How do you clean your shirts?
I wear a short sleeve undershirt underneath the sweater to extend the care time, and so I have not actually washed these yet, which I bought in April or May! (This may also be why it fits snug, come to think of it.)
But, I bought the Quince long sleeve cashmere sweater last winter, which has the same care instructions. I wash that one by itself in my washer machine on the hand wash cycle with a gentle detergent. (I do not have the skill or patience to wash it by hand.) Then I lay it out flat on top of a towel to dry for a couple of days. It’s worked out fine for me. It’s not super crisp, like when it’s dry cleaned, but a pass with my steamer works great. I’ll do the same with these sweaters. For the price and quality, I’m a big fan of these!!
I bought two silk clothing items from Quince and loved the products. However, I find the sizing to run on the smaller side. The exchange process was seamless though. I liked the quality so much, I purchased a duvet cover insert from them as well!