Quince cashmere review: Our honest take on its $50 sweaters

I may have my qualms about Quince, but the affordability of its
viral $50 Mongolian Cashmere Crewneck is nothing to sneeze at.

After testing 25 of the best cashmere sweaters in the past two years, I maintain that Quince has some of the best entry-level cashmere. I xpected it to be only halfway decent, but after I tried more of its sweaters and knit dresses, not one has shown any indication of poor construction.

The best Quince cashmere sweaters I tested:

The Quince Mongolian Cashmere Crewneck

In 2024, Quince debuted "Cashmere 2.0," a step up from their original Grade-A cashmere with longer fibers (meaning a softer hand feel) and a tighter, more substantial weave. Now that I've worn both the 1.0 and 2.0 Quince cashmere sweaters for over a year, I can tell you that the latter showed a slight improvement. It's not as soft as I was hoping, but Quince's cashmere is definitely still a great value — especially now that it's more dense and doesn't pill as quickly.

I didn't immediately see or feel a difference with the new cashmere crewneck — it was only noticeable after a weekend of wearing it that it's a bit better at retaining its shape than the original. It also doesn't pill quite as quickly, so it's lower maintenance than the first edition.

Quince claims its new cashmere blend has a higher percentage of longer fibers and increased tension in its knit pattern. Longer, thinner fibers are what makes a cashmere sweater softer and more expensive, but the crewneck still costs what it used to. With a closer twist in each strand of yarn, the new cashmere sheds less than I expected it to.

We also tried the plus-size version of its viral cashmere crewneck.

The plus-size Mongolian Cashmere Crewneck is regrettably $10 more than the straight-size version. "Right now the plus option only comes in 10 colors, while the straight-size version is available in 19, so I hope Quince considers expanding options soon," writes former deputy editor Lauren Savoie in our Quince plus-size review.

The fisherman knit feels thicker and loftier.

The Cashmere Fisherman Crewneck is the perfect sweater for when a heavy knit is too bulky to fit under your coat. Many knit sweaters can feel itchy on the skin, but I can wear this as a base layer and it's even comfortable enough to sleep in. This 7-gauge cashmere sweater comes in 11 colorways. I got the Dusty Blue, which looks pewter in person. I only wish I'd ordered this style in a size Medium, as it runs a bit short.

More Quince cashmere I've tested

Quince Mongolian Cashmere Full-Zip Hoodie

If you're ever debating between wearing 2 or 3 layers before stepping out in the cold, I suggest a cashmere hoodie like this one. It doesn't add any bulk, but it's great at insulating.

I took this Quince Mongolian Cashmere Full-Zip Hoodie with me on a 10-day trip to Europe, and I wore it about 90% of the time. I wasn't prepared for the damp chill there, but luckily this cashmere hoodie adds a lot of warmth and is easy to pack in my crossbody bag. It pilled on the sleeves, probably due to the friction of wearing it beneath my Quince Water Repellent Windbreaker. Nevertheless, I'm grateful to how it withstood the travel test of being worn, stuffed in a bag, and worn again.

Quince Mongolian Cashmere Fisherman Sweater Vest

This Fisherman Sweater Vest is made from a 7 gauge cashmere, meaning it's lightweight and ideal for layering. It has a long, boxy, slightly oversized fit, so size down if you prefer your waistline to be visible. Pictured above, I'm wearing this on it's own with a Quince Baguette, but it also looks very smart atop a white button-down.

Quince Mongolian Cashmere Robe

The Quince robe is made from 100% Grade-A Mongolian cashmere, but hasn't gotten the "Cashmere 2.0" treatment yet. It has a traditional tie closure and two patch pockets. I'm 5-foot-9 and chose a size small, which fit true to size, hitting at my mid-calf.

At first glance it's a simple bathrobe, but upon feeling it for the first time, I could tell it was more of a "quiet luxury" piece, without the bloated price tag. This isn't an out-of-the-shower robe, which I learned after I put it over my still-wet shoulders and it left black shedding on my skin. Instead, I wear it around my home, and even though it's thin, it keeps me warm so I don't have to turn up the thermostat. It also stopped shedding after a brief break-in period. Now I'll even slip out its waist tie and wear it as a long cardigan — it's that soft— and it makes a great extra layer under a trench coat.

Quince Mongolian Cashmere Scarf

Quince describes this scarf as oversized, but it's actually pretty narrow and short. Nevertheless, it protected me from the wind when I wore it tightly bundled around my neck, and drapes nicely when worn simply as an accessory.

Tossing on a scarf is an easy way to give an outfit more depth. Pictured above, I'm wearing it with a Quince Cotton Cashmere Sweater Dress. The Quince Mongolian Cashmere Scarf is made from 12-gauge 100% Grade A cashmere— 12-gauge means there are 12 rows of yarn per inch, and describes how tightly the scarf is knitted. A common low gauge of 3 means it'll feel more dense, so a 12-gauge scarf like this one is finer and thinner.

Why is Quince cashmere so affordable?

Quince uses only Grade-A Mongolian cashmere. You can tell theirs is Grade-A by the way each piece can stretch and retain its original shape. Some pilling will be natural, as it is with all wool and cashmere fibers. If you stick to only hand washing your sweaters as needed and gently brushing them with a cashmere comb, you can make them good as new.

It's made more affordable through Quince's direct-to-consumer business model. Despite using the same materials that traditional retailers use, Quince's is often half the price. They do this with little lapse in quality — it's not as soft as organic cashmere, but it's still good quality.

It lacks transparency on its production process. Quince claims to be eco-conscious throughout its entire manufacturing process, from building efficiency to textile sourcing. The site reads that Quince cashmere is harvested from farms in Inner Mongolia, then de-haired, dyed, and spun in facilities that comply with the Business Social Compliance Initiative. However, Quince has received criticism on the true extent of its sustainability practices. The subject is understandably delicate, so ultimately, you should evaluate your own sustainability standards before deciding whether Quince's are sufficient.

The bottom line

How are Quince cashmere sweaters still just $50? To answer that, the brand first needs to be a lot more up front with customers about how it sources its labor and materials.

Nevertheless, out of everything I've tested from Quince, cashmere is definitely one of its strong suits. It's still not quite as high quality as Naadam, but it still has the nice drape, soft handfeel, and warmth I'd expect from a decent cashmere sweater.

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