If you're looking to add that extra touch of luxury to your knitting or crochet projects, using a cashmere yarn is guaranteed to take your projects from finished to oh so fancy!
What is Cashmere yarn
Cashmere yarn comes from goats, specifically Cashmere goats, Pashmina goats and a few other breeds. Cashmere goats have a double fleece, with thick guard hairs on the outer coat (which are often used for items such as brushed) and super-soft undercoat which is what is used to produce yarns and textiles. The goats and fibre get their name from Kashmir, a geographical region of the Indian subcontinent that borders China, Afghanistan and Pakistan - with China currently being the largest producer of Cashmere.
Cashmere yarn is an incredibly soft yarn with a slight fluffiness (although not quite as extreme as mohair). It's softer than sheep wool, but harder to spin and process, so it will often have a looser spin, and it's fluffy halo means you can also get a degree of felting and pilling with pure cashmere yarns.
Where can I buy Cashmere yarns
Cashmere yarns are available from most good yarn retailers - but there is a catch! Because of the double fleece of the goats coat which is harvested in the spring moulting season, it takes quite a lot of processing to separate the guard hairs from the undercoat fibres. It is estimated that the average yearly production per goat is also only 150 grams. All of these factors contribute to what you were probably already thinking - that cashmere is expensive!
Because of the rarity and high cost of pure cashmere fibres, it's more likely that you will come across yarns that have a relatively small percentage of Cashmere blended with other complimentary fibres such as silk, or added to merino yarns to give that extra touch of luxury.
Here's our pick of the best Cashmere yarns, but if you fancy some more inspiration for your yarny purchases, you could always check out our pick of the Best Chenille yarns or the Best Alpaca yarns. Alternatively, why not treat yourself with one of the Top Luxury crochet hooks or the Best interchangeable knitting needles!
Best Cashmere yarns
Sirdar Cashmere Merino Silk DK yarn
Best for everyday projects
The Sirdar Cashmere Merino Silk yarn is a brilliant choice if you're looking to try cashmere for the first time. This DK yarn is available in 24 fabulous colours in a palette they describe as 'grown-up shades' - so think rich reds, deep blues, and of course plenty of naturals. The combination of 5% super-soft cashmere, 20% smooth silk and 75% extra fine merino wool means you get a consistent and luxurious yarn that doesn't cost the world. It has a minimal halo, which alongside the DK weight and fibre content help to produce nice plump stitches with excellent stitch definition. It's machine washable at 30° and comes with approx 116m on a 50g ball.
Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino Yarn
Best for baby projects
When it comes to baby knitting and crochet projects, you not only need a yarn that is soft against baby's skin but is also hard-wearing and easy to care for - fortunately the Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino yarn has all these qualities and more! It's a 4ply/sport weight yarn which is smooth and rounded with a springy twist, which helps to create soft squishy fabrics. It's available in 49 colours ranging from bright tones to pretty pastels, so you're spoilt for choice! It's a blend of 55% Wool and 33% Acrylic which gives the yarn strength and consistency, with that extra 12% of Cashmere providing that luxurious softness. It's machine washable at 30°, can be ironed on a cool setting, and has approx 125m on a 50g ball.
Rowan Pure Cashmere DK
Best for luxury
Our first two cashmere yarns were made from blends of fibres, but if you really want to treat yourself to 100% Cashmere fibres then this Rowan Pure Cashmere is the yarn for you! It's a DK yarn that really shows off the amazing qualities of cashmere fibre - it has that big natural fluffy halo and is lightweight with a relaxed twist, making it perfect for buttery-soft summer garments and accessories. Amazingly for a 100% Cashmere yarn it's also machine washable at 30°, is available in 13 shades, and features approx 137m on a 50g skein.
- Buy now from Lovecrafts (£35.00)
Wool and the Gang Back for Good Cashmere
Best for eco-conscious buyers
We're all a lot more conscious of the environmental impact of our buying choices nowadays, but just because you want to be kind to the planet doesn't mean you can't indulge in a little bit of luxury! This Back for Good Cashmere yarn from Wool and the Gang is made from 100% recycled material from the textile industry (97% recycled cashmere and 3% recycled wool). Those pre-loved Cashmere jumpers and industry textile waste are sorted and ground down, then respun into this gorgeous Aran yarn - and as the fibres are sorted by colour before being shredded and spun there's no need for dyes (saving on potential water waste). There are 6 shades available, hand washing is recommended and a 50g ball contains approx 120m of yarn.
- Buy now from Wool and the Gang (£22.00)
Lang Yarns Cashmere Big Super-Chunky Yarn
Best for super-size projects
If you're a fan of super-chunky yarns and big stitches, but still want that oh-so-luxurious Cashmere fibre - then here's the yarn for you! The Lang Yarns Cashmere Big yarn is a super-chunky yarn that comes with a recommended needle/hook size of 9-10m - so perfect for projects like big squishy scarves. It's a 100% Cashmere yarn with a springy twist to help those big stitches come out looking extra plump, but still with that lovely halo that should start to felt a bit over time. It's available in 15 colours (a combination of natural shades and rich bold colour), is hand wash only and comes with approx 44m on a 50g ball.
- Buy now from Lovecrafts (£31.99)
Unique yarns 100% Pure Cashmere lace yarn
Best for shawls and other lace projects
When it comes to knitting or crocheting lace projects such as shawls or wraps, you want a yarn that is equally gorgeous as your intricate stitches. This 100% cashmere yarn from Unique yarns is perfect for such projects, being undyed and unbleached so that it really shows off the natural qualities and softness of the Cashmere fibres. It's a laceweight yarn, so although you'll need to use your small hooks or needles you do also get a surprising 341m of yarn on a single 50g yarn cake. As it's undyed it's perfect for home-dying (you can also buy the same yarn as a skein if you fancy trying this), and as it's completely au naturel it's definitely hand wash only!
Debbie Bliss Luna Cashmere yarn
Best for special gift projects
The Debbie Bliss Luna yarn is the perfect yarn for quick little 4ply projects that you want to be extra special - think baby booties or hats! It' a 100% Cashmere yarn with a lovely smooth finish and even consistent spin - and of course it's ridiculously soft! It comes in 25g balls which have approx 75m on them, hence why they're perfect for smaller projects. There's 7 pretty colours to choose from in Debbie Bliss' signature shades and needs to be hand washed.
- Buy now from Lovecrafts (£14.99)
Stylecraft Wondersoft Cashmere feel yarn
Best for vegans
You may have read the above and wondering how are we possibly recommending a cashmere yarn as being suitable for vegans? Well, because the Stylecraft Wondersoft yarn is completely made from synthetic fibres! This blend of 50% Acrylic and 50% Polyamide has been specifically designed to feel just like Cashmere, with the added bonus of having a much lower price tag too! It's a DK yarn that is perfect for baby projects, as it's soft on skin as well as being really easy to care for - you can machine wash at 30°, iron on a cool setting and even tumble dry! There's 8 colours available in classic baby shades, and you get approx 294m on a 100g ball!
- Buy now from Lovecrafts (£3.80)
We hope you’ve enjoyed our pick of the best Cashmere yarns, don’t forget if you need any help with your crochet stitches you can always check out our crochet for beginners guide, and for knitters check out our knitting for beginners guide. And if you’re looking to treat yourself, check out our list of the best crochet hooks or the best knitting needles.
