Naadam: The Softest Cashmere Sweater You’ll Ever Wear

If you’re like me right now, the cold air is drying out your skin and every shirt you wear feels like you’re putting knives on. Thank God for a mix of body oils and soft sweaters for getting me through this season.

My brother, Andrew, gifted me this super cozy sweater for Christmas. When we went to our relative’s house, they could not stop touching my back because it was so soft! This sweater is one of the coziest things filled with warmth, love, and happiness. But what makes it so wonderful? Read on to find out more…

Naadam: The Softest Cashmere Sweater You'll Ever Wear

Naadam Sweater | Feed Bag | Nisolo Shoes | Madewell Jeans | GLDN Necklace

What makes Naadam so Awesome?

Naadam is built on the principles of sustainability, better quality, and giving back. Naadam’s cashmere yarn is Cradle to Cradle certified which means that it is put on a high standard to protect the earth and basic human rights. Cashmere wool is from only a select amount of goats in Mongolia. The goat is called a Zalaa Jinst white goat which is the only entirely white breed of cashmere goats in Mongolia.

Naadam Cares About Their Employees and Goats

Since the goats are in harsh climates there can be a chance of losing livestock. Naadam’s Gobi Revival Fund supports 1,000 nomadic herding families in Mongolia and has provided veterinary care to over 250,000 goats. The herders also use an old-school approach to acquiring the wool. Instead of shearing the goats, which can be stressful to the goats, they hand comb the wool. This takes a little bit more time but Naadam feels it is necessary to keep their goats alive and happy.

The Fit and Care

Since cashmere is so delicate you want to make sure that you take care of it properly. Wool and cashmere do not have to be washed nearly as frequently as your favorite t-shirt. You can get a few wears in before you wash them. When you do wash them, make sure you never put the garment in the washing machine or dryer. This can cause the fibers to shrink (aka how I ruined a thrifted J.Crew sweater a few months ago). Handwash the garment in cold water and with delicate soap. Baby soap works wonders.

The Naadam sweaters run a little large so I recommend sizing down. I am typically a medium in almost everything and I ended up getting a small for the Naadam sweater. It fits perfectly with that slouched look. Plus, it’s enough room for fitting a button down sweater underneath.

Why is Cashmere so Expensive?

Cashmere is so expensive because it takes so many goats to make one item. Goats can only have their fur collected once a year. Each goat produces between six to eight ounces of fiber and once it is process you have around four ounces. This makes cashmere more expensive than wool.

Facts About Wool and Cashmere

To make an average sized sweater you need wool from approximately four goats
Never put cashmere in the washing machine but instead wash it by hand. You can actually use baby shampoo on the fibers.
The goats live in temperatures that get up to -40 degrees in the winter, which is why they grow such warm, soft wool.