Best Cashmere Throws: Pure Cashmere vs Cashmere Blend

A cashmere throw is sold on one word, and the word covers everything from 5 percent to all of it. Read the percentage first, then the price.

By the Bonwits editorsUpdated September 27, 20264 picks

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Our top picks

4 picks, each linked to the exact listing

1
Best overallState Cashmere Home Throw Blanket with Decorative Fringe, 100% Pure Cashmere, City Smoke, 60 x 50 in
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2
The sensible entry pointState Cashmere Reversible Throw Blanket with Fringes, Merino Wool and Cashmere, Navy/Heather Grey, 70 x 50 in
Check priceAmazon
3
The woven blendAlashan Cashmere Alashan 95% Merino 5% Cashmere Classic Woven Throw, Ripple Finish, Navy
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4
If money is no objectAlashan Cashmere Alashan 100% Cashmere The Essential Throw, Ripple Finish, Camel
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The cashmere throw, and what the label means

Cashmere is the soft undercoat of the cashmere goat, combed out in spring, and most of it comes from Inner Mongolia and Mongolia. In the United States the word has a legal meaning: the Federal Trade Commission allows it only for fiber from the cashmere goat averaging 19 microns or finer. That fineness is why it feels the way it does, and why it is warm for its weight.

The trouble is the word on the front of the box. The FTC requires a label to list each fiber by percentage of weight, largest first, but a throw can still be called a cashmere blend with 5 percent cashmere and 95 percent wool. A blend like that is a merino throw with a little cashmere in it. It can be a very good merino throw. It will not feel like pure cashmere, and it should not be priced like it.

So this guide is sorted by the number that matters. Two blends, at 10 and 5 percent cashmere, for people who want a soft, washable wool throw with a bit more hand. Two throws in 100 percent cashmere, one at a price most people can justify and one at the level where cashmere houses sell it. If you want pure wool, see our wool throw guide instead.

How we chose

Stated fiber content. An exact percentage on the listing or the maker's site. "Cashmere feel" and "cashmere touch" do not count.
Size. At least 50 by 60 inches, big enough to cover an adult on a sofa.
Care you can live with. Clear instructions from the maker, and a clear note where that means hand washing or dry cleaning.
Seller. Sold on Amazon by the maker itself, so the label and the listing come from the same place.

We read makers’ specifications, warranties, care instructions and the sources listed at the end. We do not accept paid placements. How we choose

The 4 picks, in detail

Best overallNo. 1

State Cashmere Home Throw Blanket with Decorative Fringe, 100% Pure Cashmere, City Smoke, 60 x 50 in

Our take. A fringed throw in 100 percent cashmere for about $200, the least you will reasonably pay for the real thing.

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Keeps for: Many years with hand washing and gentle combing
Fiber: 100% cashmere, Grade A, Inner Mongolia
Size: 60 x 50 in, with fringe
Weight: Lightweight (maker's description)
Care: Dry clean or hand wash lukewarm; dry flat

This is pure cashmere, 100 percent Grade A fiber from Inner Mongolia by State Cashmere's account, in a lightweight throw of 60 by 50 inches with a fringe at each end. State Cashmere sells direct and works, it says, straight with herders, which is how it keeps the price well under the cashmere houses.

The difference from the blends is obvious in the hand: lighter, looser, and warm out of proportion to its weight. It is the right size for the arm of a sofa or the foot of a bed, and light enough to pack for a cold guest room.

The maker says dry clean or hand wash only, in lukewarm water with a wool soap, and dry flat. Some pilling is normal with any cashmere and is removed with a cashmere comb. Skip it if you need something to throw in the machine.

The catch. Hand wash only, and it will pill a little at first; a cashmere comb is part of owning it.

The sensible entry pointNo. 2

State Cashmere Reversible Throw Blanket with Fringes, Merino Wool and Cashmere, Navy/Heather Grey, 70 x 50 in

Our take. A two-color reversible throw that is 90 percent merino and 10 percent cashmere, priced like the blend it is.

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Keeps for: Years with hand washing and a comb for pilling
Fiber: 90% merino wool, 10% cashmere
Size: 70 x 50 in, with fringe
Construction: Reversible, two colors
Care: Hand wash lukewarm with wool soap; dry flat

This is the most cashmere you will find in a blend at this price: 10 percent Grade A cashmere from Inner Mongolia with 90 percent merino wool, according to State Cashmere. The throw is reversible, one color on each face, with a fringe, and measures 70 by 50 inches.

Be clear about what that means. Nine parts in ten are merino, and it will feel like a fine, soft merino throw with a little more slip, not like the pure cashmere further down. At about $100 it is fairly priced for that, and the merino makes it hard-wearing.

State Cashmere asks for a gentle hand wash in lukewarm water with a wool soap, and drying flat. Skip it if you want the feel of pure cashmere; for $100 more, the same maker sells it.

The catch. Parts of the listing speak of pure cashmere and no blends; this throw is a 90/10 blend, so read the fiber line, not the marketing.

The woven blendNo. 3

Alashan Cashmere Alashan 95% Merino 5% Cashmere Classic Woven Throw, Ripple Finish, Navy

Our take. A dense, rippled merino throw with 5 percent cashmere, labeled plainly, from a cashmere specialist.

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Keeps for: Many years; a dense merino weave wears well
Fiber: 95% merino wool, 5% cashmere
Size: 50 x 70 in
Finish: Woven, ripple (brushed) finish
Care: Gentle hand wash or dry clean

Alashan takes its name from a region of western Inner Mongolia and specializes in cashmere, and its labeling is admirably exact. This throw is 95 percent ultra-fine merino and 5 percent Inner Mongolian cashmere, woven densely and given a ripple finish, a brushed surface with a gentle wave to it. It measures 50 by 70 inches.

Five percent is the point at which US rules require a fiber other than wool to be named on the label at all. What you are buying is a very good merino throw with a soft, finished surface from a maker that knows fiber. It is warmer and more substantial than the State Cashmere blend, and it comes in a long list of colors.

Alashan says its throws should be hand washed gently or professionally dry cleaned. Skip it if the cashmere is the point for you; at this percentage, it is a finishing touch.

The catch. At 5 percent cashmere, this is a merino throw in all but name, and it costs more than the 10 percent blend above.

If money is no objectNo. 4

Alashan Cashmere Alashan 100% Cashmere The Essential Throw, Ripple Finish, Camel

Our take. A densely woven throw in 100 percent super fine Inner Mongolian cashmere, from a maker that specializes in it.

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Keeps for: Decades with dry cleaning and careful storage
Fiber: 100% super fine Inner Mongolian cashmere
Size: 50 x 70 in, including fringe
Finish: Dense weave, ripple finish
Care: Dry clean, or gentle hand wash

The Essential Throw is Alashan's standard pure cashmere throw: 100 percent super fine Inner Mongolian cashmere, woven with what the maker calls superior yarn size and weaving density, and finished with the same rippled surface as its blends. It measures 50 by 70 inches including the fringe.

Density is what separates it from the lighter State Cashmere throw. It has more cloth to it, so it drapes heavily and holds warmth like a blanket, not a wrap. It comes in a wide run of solids, camel among the most classic.

Alashan recommends gentle hand washing or professional dry cleaning, and at this price dry cleaning is the sensible choice. Store it folded, clean, in a breathable bag, because moths go for soiled animal fiber.

The catch. About $500, dry clean in practice, and a target for moths if stored dirty.

Compare the picks

Pick	Best for	Made in	Keeps for	Buy
State Cashmere Home Throw Blanket with Decorative Fringe, 100% Pure Cashmere, City Smoke, 60 x 50 in	Best overall	Not stated	Many years with hand washing and gentle combing	Check priceAmazon
State Cashmere Reversible Throw Blanket with Fringes, Merino Wool and Cashmere, Navy/Heather Grey, 70 x 50 in	The sensible entry point	Not stated	Years with hand washing and a comb for pilling	Check priceAmazon
Alashan Cashmere Alashan 95% Merino 5% Cashmere Classic Woven Throw, Ripple Finish, Navy	The woven blend	Not stated	Many years; a dense merino weave wears well	Check priceAmazon
Alashan Cashmere Alashan 100% Cashmere The Essential Throw, Ripple Finish, Camel	If money is no object	Not stated	Decades with dry cleaning and careful storage	Check priceAmazon

Compared.

Every comparison

Reading a cashmere label

US labels list fibers by weight, largest first. "95% wool, 5% cashmere" is a wool throw. "90% merino, 10% cashmere" is a merino throw with a noticeable softness. Only "100% cashmere" is cashmere through and through.

Watch for "cashmere feel", "cashmere touch" and "faux cashmere". These are descriptions of softness, usually of acrylic or polyester, and contain no cashmere at all.

Washing and pilling

Hand wash in lukewarm water with a little wool soap, never bleach. Do not wring. Roll it in a white towel to press out the water, then dry it flat and reshaped, away from heat. Or have it dry cleaned; for the pure cashmere throws that is the safer course.

New cashmere pills where it rubs. It is loose short fiber working free and usually eases after the first season. Take it off with a cashmere comb or sweater stone, gently, and never with a razor.

Storing it through summer

Clean it before storing, because moths go for soiled fiber. Fold it, never hang it, and keep it in a breathable cotton bag or box in a cool, dry, dark place. Cedar helps a little; checking it once in midsummer helps more.

Frequently asked questions

Is a cashmere blend throw worth buying?

At 10 percent or more cashmere, a blend with merino is a soft, durable throw at a fair price. At 5 percent it is essentially a merino throw, which can still be good, but should be priced as one.

How much should a real cashmere throw cost?

For a 100 percent cashmere throw around 50 by 60 inches, expect roughly $170 to $250 from direct makers and $500 or more from the established cashmere houses, where you pay for denser weaving.

Can you machine wash a cashmere throw?

The makers here say hand wash or dry clean. A machine, even on a wool cycle, risks felting and shrinking, and heat in a dryer will ruin it.

Why does my cashmere throw pill?

Short fibers work loose where the throw is rubbed, especially early on. It is normal. Remove the pills with a cashmere comb or sweater stone; the pilling usually eases after the first season.

What does Grade A cashmere mean?

It is a trade term used by makers for their finest, longest fibers. There is no single legal standard for it, unlike the word cashmere itself, which the FTC limits to goat fiber averaging 19 microns or finer.