You know that since last year, I have fallen in love with Scottish cashmere, particularly through our cashmere sweaters .
I loved this material so much that it was by far the BonneGueule piece that I wore the most in winter 2020/spring and fall 2021.
So I really wanted to work with cashmere again. And after the sweater, what is the accessory whose softness against the skin we appreciate more than anything?
A scarf of course!
Here are our three (luxurious) cashmere scarves, you are ready for the coming winter.
Please note, these scarves are produced in small quantities and they may sell out quickly.
And exceptionally, we photographed these scarves in two different locations, in Etretat and in the Dolomites, with two different models (including our friend Mattia, the founder of the ABCL Garments brand), in order to show you how they can dress up an outfit.
First color: terracotta, a very beautiful autumnal shade.
Next comes a color between greige and beige, which will bring light to an outfit.
BonneGueule cashmere sweater , on a cashmere scarf, the dream!
Todd & Duncan cashmere: one year later
As I told you, I wore our Todd & Duncan cashmere sweater extensively, and a year later, I can say that it is like new, and with a softness that has actually intensified with time and ports, as I had planned.
Todd & Duncan's reputation is well established!
Convinced by the luxurious quality of Todd & Duncan cashmere, its softness and durability, it was clear that it was again with this prestigious supplier that I wanted to work for our scarves.
And I am even more proud to offer a cashmere product from them when they usually supply the big luxury houses.
BonneGueule hat, scarf, sweater and pants .
Cashmere scarves from Todd & Duncan
A very long-standing reputation
Why is Scottish cashmere so famous?
“Created to last” is the famous credo so dear to Todd & Duncan.
It's not enough to spin cashmere to make it strong; it requires a lot of research into how the yarn is spun, twisted, etc. In short, it requires solid experience, and Todd & Duncan has largely contributed to the reputation for sustainability of Scottish cashmere.
It's no coincidence that the cashmere sweaters you can find in thrift stores are almost all Scottish.
And when I see my personal experience of this cashmere, I want to agree with them!
For the record, Scottish cashmere professionals often claim a lifespan of 10 years, or even more when the cashmere is properly maintained. Indeed, Todd & Duncan are well aware that buying a Scottish cashmere sweater is an investment, and as such, it must last as long as possible.
BonneGueule scarf, sweater and pants .
Todd & Duncan's famous strong point: its magnificent colors
Simply sublime colors
When creating our previous Todd & Duncan sweater (in lambswool this time), I had already had a glimpse of their mastery of colors.
It's quite simple: for me, the most beautiful colors of cashmere - especially mottled - are from Todd & Duncan.
There is a subtlety, a finesse, an accuracy, and a singularity all their own. I didn't understand why entry-level cashmere colors all looked the same, well now I know: having worked and unique colors requires a lot of experience and perfectly mastered machines.
There are three colors for these scarves: terracotta, greige and navy blue.
It also requires rigorous sourcing to select the whitest fibers , which are, you guessed it, rarer and therefore more expensive. This is why the cashmeres with the most beautiful colors are more expensive.
And you also need real “artistic direction” (and the desire to have one) within these spinning mills, which is rather the least of an entry-level supplier’s concerns.
This is all the quality of Todd & Duncan: maniacal care to create highly renowned colors, durability and proven softness.
The question of gentleness
Softness that improves with time
This is precisely a characteristic of high-end Scottish cashmeres: they become increasingly soft over time, a sign of carefully chosen fibers.
So remember this: the softness of our new sweater is not at all the definitive softness. It will improve with use.
Derek Guy, the founder of the excellent Put this on! , made the same observation as me: Scottish cashmeres, when they are new , are less soft (and they are more durable) than Italian cashmeres. Softness comes with time, just like the fading of raw jeans which happens little by little.
BonneGueule cashmere hat, scarf and cashmere sweater .
Since these scarves are knitted – and not woven – we use the same units of measurement as a sweater. Let's go !
Identity card of these scarves
Gauge: 14
The gauge indicates the number of knitting needles in a width of one inch (yes it's inches and not centimeters).
Where it is counterintuitive is that the higher the gauge, the finer the mesh will be. There are some subtleties, but in general , remember: high gauge = fine mesh, low gauge (4, 5 or 6) = thick mesh.
Weight of each scarf: 275g
Fiber length: 37 mm
This is an important criterion, which affects longevity and pilling.
The shorter the fiber, the more likely it is to “come out” of the yarn and create pilling.
In general, cashmere fibers are between 28 mm and 42 mm. On ours, with a length of 37 mm, we are clearly at the top of the basket in terms of quality .
It’s a pattern reminiscent of a rice stitch, which brings out the mottled cashmere!
2 sons
It is an indicator like any other, not to be taken alone.
It simply indicates the thickness of the wire used. Here: two strands make up a knitting yarn. On a 3, 4, 6 or even 8 thread sweater, this indicates that the thread will be thicker, therefore more expensive, but you can very well make a 3 thread with three threads of average quality!
I emphasize this point: a higher thread count only indicates a thicker thread, but not necessarily a softer or more durable knit!
What is an indicator of the quality of the strands used is the titration.
Titration: 2/28 nm
Here it becomes a bit more technical…
The “2” refers to the number of strands seen above making up a thread. But how can we measure the fineness of these strands? The thickness of the fiber is absolutely not enough, because you can choose to make more or less thick strands.
This is where the count comes in: this means that 28 meters of each strand makes one gram of cashmere . So the higher the number, the longer the strand, which means it is thinner.
This is an interesting quality indicator. Most brands use 2/26, but Todd & Duncan's thread is more premium, as it is 2/28. The finer the strands, the softer the resulting yarn will be.
“Nm” simply means “number metric”: we therefore measure this length in meters, and not miles or yards.
Mesh stitch
This is the same stitch as our Sunny sweater, which we developed. It allows you to have a beautiful texture while highlighting the softness of cashmere.
Origin of cashmere: Inner Mongolia
This region, located in China, is where 95% of global cashmere production comes from. Indeed, there are unique conditions related to the food goats eat, the terrain and the climate that produce the best fiber.
Some breeders are trying to produce cashmere in Australia, but at the moment, they cannot achieve the same quality as cashmere from Inner Mongolia, because the climate, although close to the Mongolian steppes, is not quite the same.
The cashmere comes from Todd & Duncan, where we had already produced a video report when our thick lambswool sweater was released:
To summarize, Todd & Duncan is:
- 150 years of experience in Scotland in sourcing and spinning the finest fibers… with all the traceability that goes with it!
- one of the most renowned cashmere suppliers in the world (yes, yes, in the world)
- a maniacal worry with double and triple checks in every direction
- an unrivaled reputation for the beauty of their colors
BonneGueule scarf, sweatshirt and jeans .
What grade is our cashmere?
Before putting our cashmere in a box, we still need to know what grades we are talking about. To my great surprise, it is not completely clear, and there is still debate among professionals to know at what micron thickness a fiber is considered grade A, B or C.
Some say that below 15.5 microns a cashmere is grade A, for others it is below 16 microns, while others think it is any fiber below 19 microns.
The average fiber diameter of these scarves is 15.9 microns, so it is "more or less" grade A, depending on your point of view. What is clear is that this is luxury quality.
But the most interesting is yet to come…
BonneGueule cashmere hat, scarf and cashmere sweater .
When we ask Todd & Duncan why they don't use finer fibers, they are adamant on one point: a finer cashmere fiber is certainly softer, but also more fragile and pills much more.
They believe that cashmere that is too fine can lack “body” and become deformed more easily.
For them, with several decades of experience working with cashmere, this thickness of 15.9 microns is the perfect balance between softness, thermal quality, very reduced pilling, and durability.
In this regard, I also invite you to read the interview with the excellent “Put this on!” from the managing director of William Lockie, a Scottish cashmere sweater brand that buys its cashmere from… Todd & Duncan! The specificities of Scottish cashmere are very well explained there.
BonneGueule scarf, sweatshirt and jeans .
The dimensions of these cashmere scarves
One word: generosity
The size of a scarf is a real subject, because everyone has their opinion. For my part, I like generously sized scarves because:
- you can have fun with very different knots
- and it stays warmer!
We therefore opted for a dimension of 190 cm x 50 cm . We are rather at the top of the market, because often the length is 170 cm.
And why a width of 50 cm?
With such a long scarf, if we made it wider it would have made it difficult to tie. 50 cm seems to us to be the width with the best balance between "generosity" in the material and practicality.
BonneGueule hat, sweater and scarf.
The question of the price of a cashmere scarf
Usually, a cashmere scarf is rather expensive. In the quality that we offer (because yes, we use the same quality as luxury), we very easily exceed €500 or €600 at the big luxury houses.
With a classic cashmere brand, we would be closer to €300 - €400.
But I reassure you, with us the price will be much lower, thanks to our economic model without intermediaries!
BonneGueule scarf, sweatshirt , jeans and sneakers .
How to get our new parts?
Visit our e-shop or in our stores in Paris 3rd , Paris 6th , Lyon , Bordeaux and Lille .
