The yarn library
Four fibres, the real price of each, and where the money actually goes. Including the part where we tell you what “Grade A” cashmere does and does not mean.
Personal material
Four fibres, four ways to feel good.
Pick the fibre first — it decides how the sweater feels, how warm it runs and how you care for it. Each price below is the real figure for that yarn, not a starting-from number.
M1 · Warm · Gentle wash
Everyday Merino
Soft, breathable, gentle on skin — the daily workhorse.
Tight, smooth, cool to the hand. Nothing to catch on the skin.
- Fibre
- 100% Merino
- Warmth
- Warm
- Care
- Gentle wash
- Price vs M1
- Base price
From $319.00
M2 · Warmer · Hand wash
Signature Blend
Merino warmth with 30% cashmere softness. Our signature recipe.
Loft you can see: a brushed surface that holds air and reads soft from a metre away.
- Fibre
- Merino + 30% Cashmere
- Warmth
- Warmer
- Care
- Hand wash
- Price vs M1
- +$102.00
From $421.00
M3 · Warmest · Hand wash
Personal Cashmere
Grade-A cashmere only. The lightest weight, the deepest warmth.
The finest yarn here, with a halo of loose fibres and no weight at all.
- Fibre
- 100% Cashmere Grade A
- Warmth
- Warmest
- Care
- Hand wash
- Price vs M1
- +$160.00
From $479.00
M4 · Mild · Machine wash
Seasonal Light
Organic cotton with 30% wool. Holds its shape, machine washable, for mild climates.
Dry, matte, structured. Ribs stand up on their own instead of slumping.
- Fibre
- Organic Cotton + 30% Wool
- Warmth
- Mild
- Care
- Machine wash
- Price vs M1
- $58.00 less
From $261.00
Prefer a side-by-side table?
| Attribute | M1 Merino | M2 Blend | M3 Cashmere | M4 Cotton-Wool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Softness | Very soft | Exceptionally soft | Cloud-soft | Soft & smooth |
| Thickness | Light / Mid | Mid | Light / Mid | Light |
| Warmth | Warm | Warmer | Warmest | Mild |
| Care | Gentle wash | Hand wash | Hand wash | Machine washable |
| Price vs M1 | Base | +$102.00 | +$160.00 | −$58.00 |
Prices above are for the standard yarn volume. A wider chest needs more yarn, so the price moves with your measurements — the builder shows your exact figure once you enter it.
Personal material
Why the cashmere costs what it does
The labour is the same for all four yarns. The machine runs 18–30 hours whether the cone holds merino or cashmere, and the person linking the seams is paid the same either way. What changes is the fibre — so the gap between the four prices is almost entirely the cone.
| Yarn | What is on the cone | From | Vs M1 | What the difference buys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | 100% Merino | $319.00 | base | The reference point. Tight, smooth, cool to the hand; the one that survives ordinary Tuesdays. |
| M2 | Merino + 30% Cashmere | $421.00 | +$102.00 | Cashmere in the blend — you feel it in the surface, not in the weight. |
| M3 | 100% Cashmere Grade A | $479.00 | +$160.00 | The whole garment is cashmere, so it warms like a heavier merino at a fraction of the weight. |
| M4 | Organic Cotton + 30% Wool | $261.00 | −$58.00 | The one that goes in the machine. Mildest warmth, lowest price. |
Where the rest of the price goes
A sweater is 18–30 hours of machine time plus the finishing, and the finishing sets the pace — not machine hours. What the yarn does not pay for: the pattern draft, the wash-and-block, the panel-by-panel check, and the ten-year repair term. Those are the same number on an M1 and an M3, which is exactly why the four prices sit as close together as they do.
Read the label sceptically
What “Grade A” actually means
“Grade A” is a trade label, not a legal grade. No authority certifies it, so treat it as a claim to test rather than a promise. What it means when we use it: fibre fine enough to knit at a light gauge without the garment collapsing, and a staple long enough to spin without blending shorter fibre in.
Two questions worth asking any cashmere seller: what is the fibre diameter, and is the garment blended? A sweater sold as cashmere at $180 is usually a small percentage blended into wool, or short-staple fibre that pills inside a month.
And the part that does not flatter us: cashmere is a hand-wash fibre. No amount of marketing changes that. If you want to put a sweater in the machine every week, buy M4 — it is the cheapest of the four and we would rather you bought the right one than the expensive wrong one.
Care
Four yarns, four care routines
| Yarn | Wash | Dry | What it does over time |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 Merino | Gentle cycle, cold, in a mesh bag — or by hand | Flat, away from heat | Holds a tight, dry surface; the rib stays sharp |
| M2 Blend | Hand wash, cold, pH-neutral soap | Flat, reshape while damp | Softens where it is handled most — cuffs and collar first |
| M3 Cashmere | Hand wash, cold, pH-neutral soap | Flat, never wrung | Blooms: softer and slightly fuzzier each wash |
| M4 Cotton-Wool | Machine, cold, gentle | Flat or line | Very stable; almost no change if you skip the dryer |
A hot wash followed by a tumble dryer will shrink any of these, and no fibre choice prevents it. Full care notes are on shipping & care.
Still unsure? Send us the numbers you have and a person will check them with you before the first stitch.