Why Are Some Sweaters So Much Softer Than Others?

The short answer is: not quite. But that's not really the right question to be asking. After 35 years designing and retailing men's sweaters—specializing in long-fiber yarns like angora, cashmere, and alpaca—I've learned that choosing between these two luxurious fibers has almost nothing to do with softness, and everything to do with who you are. The Perception Problem Here's what most men know about fine sweaters: cashmere is the gold standard. It's what they've heard about, seen in department stores, and consider the aspirational choice. Angora? That's for women's fashion—the glamorous stuff you see in magazines and on screen. That's a shame. Because men have been wearing angora sweaters for decades, blended at about 15% into coarser fibers to add softness. The difference is, most men don't realize they're wearing it. But for those seeking something truly distinctive? Angora has been my recommendation for years. The Feel: What You Actually Experience Let me describe the tactile difference in a way you'll understand immediately. Run your hand over fine cashmere. It feels much like the hair of a months-old baby—impossibly smooth, almost weightless. Now do the same with angora. It's like running your fingers through a toddler's thicker hair: almost as soft, but with more body and structure. This difference matters in the real world. Cashmere sweaters are usually lighter because of those short fibers. Both cashmere and angora have excellent heat retention, but the greater bulk of angora often makes it genuinely warmer. When a lighter cashmere sweater will easily defeat a chill in the air, distinctly cold weather will often necessitate a jacket when an angora sweater alone would suffice. The Visual Difference: Why Everyone Will Notice   Here's where angora really sets itself apart. Cashmere has natural softness without the fuzzy halo effect you see with angora—unless the cashmere has been specially brushed to achieve that look. And creating that brushed effect takes a lot more very expensive cashmere to deliver the same visually soft appearance as angora naturally provides. This is why, in a crowded room, wearing a high-end cashmere sweater means very few people will notice. Even fewer will recognize its quality. Walk into that same room wearing a men's angora sweater, and everyone notices. They'll ask about it. They'll remember it. Two decades ago, I wore a white angora cardigan to my sister's wedding. People still remark about it. The Durability Question This surprised many people when I first tell them: angora sweaters often outlast cashmere. The relatively short fibers of cashmere lend toward pilling—those irritating little balls of fiber that accumulate with wear. Angora's longer fibers tend to stand apart from each other, resisting pilling far better. When it comes to stains and spills, the advantage is even more dramatic. A stain on the surface of cashmere can be fatal to the sweater. Spills on angora fibers are usually stopped at the upper levels and easily wiped away. That's because of something most people don't consider: the loft of angora fibers creates natural shading that protects the base. Cashmere doesn't have that built-in protection. Both fibers resist fading well, but cashmere left in direct sunlight will fade quicker. Angora's loft creates a shade that offers added protection. For washing, hand washing is preferred over dry cleaning for both. But with proper care, the lifespan of either sweater is comparable. The Cost Reality Both are among the most expensive fibers you can buy. But here's the economic truth that changes everything: Cashmere's thinness means it takes significantly more yarn to make a quality sweater. You need upwards of 90-100% cashmere for a quality garment. Angora? A glorious sweater can be made with just 30-60% angora content, often blended with other long fibers. This means angora delivers better value—and often with superior durability. That's a powerful combination for anyone paying attention to their investment. The One Real Drawback I'm going to be honest: angora sheds. New angora sweaters, especially the first few times you wear them, shed noticeably. Whatever you're wearing over or under it will be covered in lint. Those longer fibers mean there are loose strands waiting to dislodge themselves—something you won't experience with tightly knitted cashmere. The good news? That shedding lessens with each wearing. It's manageable and temporary. The Masculinity Question (And Why It Matters) The most common concern I hear from men about angora? "Will this make me look less masculine?" The most common complaint? "My girlfriend/wife keeps stealing it." Here's what I've learned: a man wearing an angora sweater telegraphs quiet confidence. You have to be secure enough to wear something distinctive, to make a choice that stands out, to be comfortable with people noticing and asking about what you're wearing. The latest "soft boy" aesthetic currently in vogue in the east exemplifies this trend, as the era of macho tough, guarded uncommunicative man quickly recedes in favor of intellectual, artistic, and emotionally intelligent men with a clothing style designed to suit their sweet-natured and caring personalities. If wearing an angora sweater threatens your masculinity, cashmere is the right choice for you. And that's okay. But if you're comfortable being noticed? If you enjoy making a statement? Angora is the answer. The Global Shift Something interesting has happened over the past decade. The trend in men's ultra-soft angora sweaters was reborn in Asia when designers realized that women often preferred the gentler, softer aesthetic in men's fashion—both the look and what it communicated about sensitivity and style. Asian boy bands embraced the look knowing it would resonate. And as it always does, style eventually circles the globe. What starts in Seoul or Tokyo gradually becomes mainstream everywhere else. The perception that angora is "for women" is fading. It's becoming the choice of men who know exactly who they are. So Which One Is Right for You? Forget the question of softness. Forget durability comparisons. Those are the wrong metrics. Here's the real decision framework: If you prefer to blend in with silent elegance, opt for cashmere. It's the classic choice, the safe choice, the sweater that says you have refined taste without demanding attention. If you're bolder, more comfortable with distinctive style choices, and you enjoy having people ask about what you're wearing, go for angora. The choice between cashmere and angora has far more to do with style and personality than with durability, warmth, or quality. Ask yourself: from which will you derive the most comfort wearing? From which sweater will you feel most like yourself? There's your answer. Because at the end of the day, the best sweater—whether it's cashmere or angora—is the one you'll actually want to wear.

By Scott Fraser, Founder of Scott's Sweaters | 35 Years of Sweater Design I've been designing men's sweaters for 35 years. Using mostly fibers such as angora, mohair, and alpaca, I've fitted everyone from everyday guys to primetime television celebrities — including one famous actress who told me she receives free sweaters from the world's most famous designers, yet still comes to me because she actually wants to wear what I make. In three and a half decades, I've heard nearly every sweater frustration a man can have. "I'm a big guy and sweaters make me look even larger." "They're too itchy." "I run hot — I'm always taking them off." These aren't minor complaints. They're the reason so many men have given up on sweaters entirely. That ends today. Here's what I've learned about choosing the right sweater for your body type, your lifestyle, and your life. First: Get Your Measurements Right (And Ignore the Label) Before we talk body types, let's talk about the single biggest mistake men make when buying sweaters: trusting the size label. Manufacturer sizing is wildly inconsistent. Different brands use completely different standards, and a "Large" in one label is a "Medium" in another. Never assume that because your favorite sweater is a size large, another brand's large will fit the same way. Here's what actually works. Take a sweater you already own that fits you well. Lay it flat and measure:   Armpit to armpit Mid-shoulder to bottom hem Sleeve length from shoulder edge to cuff Those three numbers tell you everything. When shopping — especially online — match those measurements to the garment's listed dimensions and you'll get a guaranteed fit every time. One more tip: if you see a sweater being modeled in an unusual or awkward pose in an advertisement, it's usually because the garment doesn't fit the model well. That's your cue to keep scrolling. For Larger Men: The Cardigan is Your Best Friend If you're a bigger guy who avoids sweaters because they make you look even larger, I understand — and I have good news. The key is the cardigan. Because the front opens, you can wear it casually unbuttoned, which drapes your frame rather than wrapping it. This creates a relaxed, cloaking effect that a pullover simply cannot. Pullovers draw the eye directly to your size; cardigans redirect it. A few more rules for larger men: Stick to solid colors. Plaid patterns, in particular, actively emphasize size. Avoid them entirely. Loose fitting is your friend. A sweater that hugs your frame will highlight it. Give yourself room. Watch out for pullover length. If you carry weight in your midsection, pullovers have a tendency to ride up at the waist, making them look too short. Cardigans eliminate this problem. Choose soft, fuzzy fibers like angora or mohair. Beyond the practical benefits, these fibers have a visual softness that actually affects how people perceive you. Larger men who wear angora or mohair cardigans tend to come across as more approachable and less imposing. It's a subtle but real effect I've observed over decades. Avoid cotton sweaters. Cotton deforms quickly to your shape and loses its structure fast. A quality natural wool fiber sweater should last a lifetime. A cheap cotton one won't survive a single winter looking good. For Smaller or Average-Framed Men: The World Is Your Oyster Smaller framed men have a genuine advantage when it comes to sweaters — almost any style works. But that freedom comes with its own set of choices. Mohair is a particularly striking choice for slimmer men. A fluffy mohair sweater makes a bold statement and signals a confident, individualistic sense of style. Men who wear it tend to be the kind of person who isn't dressing to blend in — they're dressing to be remembered. Plaids, stripes, and colorful Nordic yoke designs all work beautifully on smaller frames. These are patterns that would overwhelm a larger silhouette but add energy and personality to a slimmer one. One word of caution: alpaca. I love alpaca — it's a wonderful fiber, heavier and incredibly warm. But because of that weight, alpaca sweaters tend to droop and elongate. For smaller men, this can be unflattering. My advice: don't avoid alpaca entirely, but find somewhere you can try-on a few before you buy. For average-framed men, the options are even broader. A thin crewneck or V-neck sweater layered under a suit jacket or over a collared dress shirt and tie looks polished and professional. A striped sweater takes on a sporty, outdoorsy feel. Plaids read as relaxed and casual. The key is matching the sweater's personality to the occasion. The Itch Problem: What's Really Going On "Sweaters are too itchy" is one of the most common things I hear — and it's worth understanding why some sweaters itch before you can solve it. Natural fibers — wool, mohair, angora, alpaca — all have microscopic scales on their shafts. The coarser those scales and the wider the gaps between them, the itchier the fiber feels against skin. Standard wool is quite coarse. Merino wool (from specially bred sheep) is meaningfully softer, but it's still wool. Mohair is lighter than wool but retains heat almost as well. The tradeoff: both mohair and wool will itch if worn directly against bare skin. The solution is simple — layer them over a thick long-sleeved shirt. Worn over a flannel shirt, you'll never feel the itch, and you'll be extraordinarily warm. For those who want maximum warmth with little itch concern, consider Icelandic sweaters. They deliver the full warmth of wool without the heavy weight, come in stunning intricate hand-knit designs, and worn over a hoodie, they're among the most comfortable frigid-weather garments a man can own. As for angora — my personal specialty — it is among the softest fibers available. The softness comes at a price, but it also comes with something you can't fake: an unmistakable luminous luster that is immediately visible the moment you walk into a room. I have high-end sales professionals among my most loyal customers — jewelers, luxury car salesmen, entertainers — who wear angora precisely because people notice it. In their world, you display wealth to make wealth, and a fine angora sweater does that quietly but unmistakably. The Temperature Problem: Cardigans, Again If you move between cold outdoor temperatures and warm indoor offices throughout the day, pullovers are working against you. Peeling off a pullover in a meeting or a lobby is awkward. Putting it back on when you head outside is equally so. The answer, again, is the cardigan. Unbuttoning or unzipping a cardigan to let heat escape is effortless and discreet. It's the most practical solution to temperature regulation I know of, and it works regardless of your body type. Don't Buy Cheap Sweaters I'll be direct: a $50 "cashmere" sweater from a chain department store contains, at best, barely perceptible amounts of actual cashmere — and what's there comes from the reject fiber bin, used only so the manufacturer can print the word on the label. These sweaters will look tired after a single season. A quality natural fiber sweater — properly cared for — should last you a lifetime. The math actually favors investing in quality. One sweater at $300 that lasts 20 years costs you far less than replacing a $50 sweater every year. One Final Word: If You've Never Found the Perfect Sweater, Have One Made Years ago, I surveyed my customers with a simple question: When you walk into a crowded room wearing a very nice sweater, do you prefer to (A) blend in casually, (B) not be noticed more than anyone else, or (C) immediately stand out as discernably different from everyone else? Almost universally, they chose C. My customers aren't buying sweaters just for warmth. They're buying them for presence. If you've never found a sweater that felt truly right — a great fit, the nicest fiber, the right look — consider having one custom made. The options are genuinely limitless: fiber, color, pattern, fit, style, length. Everything. A knitter once told me something when I was just starting this business, and I've never forgotten it: "It's just knitting. We can make you whatever you want." That's still true. And it's where the perfect sweater has been waiting for you all along. Scott Fraser is the founder of Scott's Sweaters, a men's luxury knitwear brand specializing in angora, mohair, and alpaca designs. He has been designing sweaters for 35 years.

There's a correct way and a wrong way to hang sweaters on a hanger.  Firstly, "No wire hangers!" (retro movie buffs will recognize this quote.) Metal hangers have the potential to rust, the stains of which can be rather difficult to remove from your sweaters. The preference is for wooden hangers, but sturdy plastic hangers will work fine.   Hanging your sweaters like you would a shirt is going to cause problems. Unlike woven shirts, knitted sweaters are heavier and venerable to loosing their shape. Gravity will be continuously pulling your sweater down on the hanger. The hanger's blunt ends will quickly produce dimples or bumps that are not only unsightly when worn, but hard to reverse.  The solution is both easy and simple.   Fold the sweater in half lengthwise. Lay the hanger so its hook is centered just outside the armpit.   2. Fold both sleeves over the hanger's top and tuck under the bottom bar.  3. Do the same with the body of the sweater.  You're done! Your sweater will now drape softly over the hanger while the tucked-in body and sleeves keep your sweater from falling off the hanger.   Use a Different Method when Hanging a Wet Sweater to Dry Sweaters are much heavier when wet and to dry properly need all surfaces exposed to the air. This method works well ...  Pull your sweater's body halfway through the hanger's opening.  Lift the hanger, fold the sleeve up, loop over the hanger's top and tuck the sweater's cuff just under the hanger's bottom bar.  Repeat with the other sleeve.    You're Done! The added weight of a wet sweater won't be pulling it out of shape as it dries.  Both sides of each sleeve will be exposed for even drying.  When home, I hang these over the bathroom's shower curtain rod and open the window for ventilation.