Cashmere is the kind of luxury that never goes out of style—but it doesn’t have to come with a luxury price tag. Shopping secondhand cashmere offers the same timeless appeal, while encouraging sustainable fashion thinking and without the steep cost. Whether you’re browsing for cashmere jumpers and cardigans or gently-used scarves, this little guide will help you find the best pieces and build a wardrobe that feels both effortless and elevated.
1. Start with the Feel
Quality cashmere has a distinctive touch—soft, smooth, and substantial. Good quality cashmere gets softer over time and the more pilled or thin it is, the more likely it is to be lower grade. Look for pieces labeled 100% cashmere from brands such as Johnstons of Elgin, John Lewis, Jaeger and M&S (if you’re on a bit of a budget) - having sold secondhand cashmere for years, we consistently see great quality secondhand cashmere from these brands.
2. Pilling
A little pilling is normal (especially on well-loved cashmere), but excessive fuzz balls can be a red flag. If it looks like a shedding mess, you might want to pass. Minor pilling? No problem—a de-bobbler can fix that in no time.
3. Check for Wear and Holes
Hold the piece up to the light—see any thin areas or holes? That’s often a sign of wear or moth damage. A small hole? Maybe fixable. A cashmere sweater full of holes? Probably not worth the hassle. Important places to check for wear and thinning are on the elbows, the arm pits and on the side of the body - near the hips.
4. Inspect the Seams and Stitching
Cashmere jumpers are often joined together by linking or sewing separate knitted panels together and the way a cashmere knit is joined together can tell you a lot about its quality. High quality cashmere knitwear will be joined using pure cashmere thread and you won’t be able to see the thread. Lower quality cashmere knitwear are joined together using cotton or polyester thread but if you love the style and fit, this shouldn’t put you off buying it secondhand - it’s just a helpful little tidbit for you to know.
5. Check the Care Label
People often think that cashmere can’t be washed in the washing machine, however when it comes to pure cashmere knitwear, why is it that some brands say ‘hand/dry clean only’ while others say ‘machine washable’. Pure cashmere jumpers are all made from the same resource - cashmere. So, why is this? Branding. More luxury brands will pedal the ‘hand/dry clean only’ to create the impression of luxury from style right through to how it's cleaned. In our experience, you can wash your cashmere in your washing machine - choose a setting below 30C, a gentle detergent and a no or low spin setting and you’ll be fine. You should also dry it flat. So if you’re eyeing up a secondhand cashmere knit but feel overwhelmed by its upkeep - do keep this in mind.
6. Stains
All our cashmere is professionally cleaned and reconditioned before we add it to our collections, however, if you’re hitting the charity shops in search of your next cashmere find, be sure to check for staining. Cashmere is a beloved fabric and is often given to charity shops in the case of a house clearing or that it might be a bit knackered. Always, always check for discolouration under the arms, cuffs and neck line, while checking for stains down the front. If there is a stain, if you can feel the change in surface texture, it should come out, if not - it might not be worth the money. Alternatively, you can cover stains by doing a duplicate stitch over the top of them, which is a neat way to rejuvenate the fabric ahead of wearing.
Our collections of refurbished secondhand women's and men's cashmere are all quality checked and reconditioned before they are added to our collections. We stock brands for a variety of price points that are restored by hand in Scotland. Shop our full collection of women’s and men's refurbished cashmere knitwear.