Red Flags Women Should Look Out for When Purchasing Their Latest Cashmere Jumper
In a woman’s world, fashion is arguably the pinnacle of most of our happiness. Regardless of the style or trend you follow, the versatility of fashion is what makes us love it so much. Fashion is an expression of personality and also an aspirational motivator; it enables women to be who they want when they want.
Unfortunately, with most profitable industries big money makers like to exploit the market for financial gain. Particularly when it comes to the world of retail.
From sensualised advertising to the extortionate implementation of pink tax, even in this day and age, women continue to be exploited throughout the retail market. From the start of the buying process (advertising) to the end purchase. Although this particular practice isn’t anything we aren’t already aware of, retailers are always on the lookout to monetize the market.
So, what’s new?
Say goodbye to the days of pop-up market stalls and fake designer handbags, some fast-fashion retailers have turned their attention to another luxury field which they can exploit - cashmere fashion.
Like most high-end brands, the word ‘cashmere’ holds favourable connotations in today’s consumer market. When we think of cashmere jumpers, we think of wealth and oozing soft fabrics. We think what the market wants us to believe. These connotations don’t even come close to defining fine quality cashmere jumpers. So, what red flags should women be looking out for when shopping for cashmere?
Description of range/product
Marketing tactics are always the first hurdle when it comes to influencing women to purchase a product. Be it cashmere jumpers or luxury leather goods, how the product is advertised can say a lot about the brand’s intentions and sometimes, its practices.
For example, fast-fashion giants often jump on the bandwagon of TikTok trends, penetrating the market by piggybacking off today’s most viewed ‘influencer’. All it takes is a simple scroll through your feed to realise if a brand is desperate enough for you to purchase their product. Just take a look at the multiple influencers they’ve hired to say the same thing, just in a different way.
With women’s cashmere jumpers, it’s all about the romanticised language that they use to persuade consumers to buy their products. For example, words such as “luxurious” and “cosy” are examples of romanticised language, while ‘cashmere blend’ is usually the term used to describe an item that’s not 100% cashmere. Although this isn't to say all brands are lying about their product, it's only really a red flag if a brand is selling a premium product against a considerably cheap price tag.
To identify a premium women's cashmere jumper at a glance, look for phrases like “pure cashmere” or “100% cashmere” to describe the product.
Its materials
As mentioned above, high street/e-commerce retailers often advertise their jumpers as “cashmere blend”, which ultimately informs the customer that the item you are about to purchase isn’t 100% cashmere. Nonetheless, brands can still advertise their jumpers as “cashmere” due to their high content of cashmere fibres. Yet if you’re looking to purchase a premium cashmere jumper, always look at the label. If the label doesn’t state 80-100% cashmere or the cashmere material isn't placed towards the top of the list, then its quality is more than likely compromised by its style.
The initial feel of the product
Speaking of which, another tactic the retail industry uses is overwashing. A technique which diminishes the quality of a product to produce a sensually soft feel that we modern-day consumers are led to believe is an indicator of top-of-the-range fabrics.
Premium cashmere jumpers are not as soft to touch. They can sometimes have a scratchy feel to their woollen fabric, however, if you find this slightly irritating, don’t worry! Cashmere, when worn over time, will eventually soften.
Welfare policy
Arguably the ultimate red flag all women should look out for. Despite the hype about sustainability, if a brand isn’t transparent about its garment design practices or policies, then it may not be an ethical brand. Which is a huge no-no when cashmere fashion is involved.
Nonetheless, the animal welfare market has done the fashion industry some good as designers can now advertise the fact that they source their materials from credible cashmere farmers, via the new GCS (The Good Cashmere Standard) certification. The ultimate label for sustainable and ethical cashmere design practices.
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