So it would certainly seem if the latest ‘Collection questionnaire’ is anything to go by. Quite simply, the Cashmere Jumper topped the list of most requested Asphalte items. And as usual, we listen and we do.
After three years of work, we're proud to present Asphalte’s very first Cashmere Jumper and trust us, it's in a league of its own.
You've been served (and well served)
If it took us several years to develop our first cashmere jumper, it's because we wanted to do things the right way. We explained in a previous article that the cashmere industry was not very clean and pretty shady, to say the least, and we certainly didn't want to contribute to the mess it is.
Our ambition is to restore the reputation of this exceptional wool by tracing, caring for and sharing every stage of its production.
Our cashmere is sustainable, accessible and entirely co-created with you. That’s something you don’t see anywhere else. It's nothing short of a revolution, so it's not for nothing that we call it the ‘New Cashmere’.
A quick reminder of the facts
Wool, two sleeves, a crewneck collar. So far, pretty straightforward. And yet, we've gone all out to create the most eagerly-awaited piece of the year.
Three years’ work. Between sourcing the raw materials, finding the right yarn, developing the right knitting technique and selecting our production partners, our product team has spent 36 months working to select the crème de la crème and make a top top product.
We tested half a dozen yarns. For the record, cashmere jumpers are knitted with a varying number of threads, which determines the thickness and weight of the yarn and final item. While most brands double-thread yarns, we decided to go for a triple. We tinkered with the softness/durability/bobbling ratio to finally end up with a formula that hits the sweet spot. And your’s. Read on.
We sent out 4 co-creation questionnaires to find the jumper of your dreams. Cut, collar, price, colour, thickness, we asked you everything. Again and again, to make sure we understood exactly what you wanted. Co-creation taken to this level is unheard of, even by us.
We ordered over a dozen prototypes before landing the chosen one. We're always demanding like that, but we have to admit we went beyond what’s medically recommended on this one.
We organised the longest wear test in Asphalte's history. Before launching every preorder, we ask members of the team to test the prototypes to check they’re on point. They wear them every day (and even sometimes sleep in them), wash them regularly and see how they hold up. We tested this jumper for pretty much a whole year and it didn’t budge a bit.
And here's what came of it
So, after a (far too) long wait, we're happy and proud to present you with this beauty.
It's a clever blend of 35% virgin cashmere and 65% recycled cashmere, which means that each yarn consists of one virgin and two recycled threads. This allows the two types of cashmere to play to their respective strengths.
Recycled brings added softness, a reduced impact and a more accessible price point, whilst the virgin reduces bobbling and boosts strength. All knitted in a dense construction and you’ve got the perfect balance. In our humble opinion of course.
No more bobble, bobble, bobble.
2,647 customers chimed into the latest New Cashmere questionnaire. Of these, 57% said similar jumpers in their wardrobe usually experienced heavy bobbling. That's a big majority, and a big issue to resolve.
Let's be honest, it's impossible to eradicate bobbling altogether - and the brands that would have you believe otherwise aren’t being straightforward with you. Wool is a natural material and pilling is a normal phenomenon. What's not normal is looking like a feather duster after a few wears.
To avoid this, we chose a dense, tight-knit construction. As well as selecting long fibres and a triple yarn, tightening the knitting this way makes for a stable and durable jumper. From the first wear to its diamond anniversary.
A wave of softness
With New Cashmere, you have 400 grams of the most luxurious wool to bask in. Soft, warm, plush and insanely comfortable, it is what Romanée-Conti is to wine or Olivia Colman to cinema.
Cashmere is the king of wools, and it has taken us three years to bring you one that lives up to our standards of quality and responsibility. Ambition, sky-high standards and passion: everything that makes Asphalte what it is has gone into bringing this project to life. The Preorder for our most eagerly awaited item of all time is just a few days away.
Preorders yours from Tuesday and for 6 days only
The New Cashmere will be available in grey marl, plum, beige marl, green and navy from Tuesday at 10 am CET.
Believe it or not, it‘ll only be available for a few days at the exceptional price of 149€.
For a 3-thread yarn cashmere jumper made entirely in Europe that's unheard of. Except for Asphalte.
The first orders will be delivered at the end of November, just in time for the onset of winter. If you miss out on the preorder, it's not impossible that you'll come across the New Cashmere at a Stock Sale at a later date, but at the higher price of 199€ to allow for inventory costs.
Need to know anything else? Drop it in the comments below or check our international Instagram page for the answer. Possibly.
Until then,
The Asphalte Team