Let’s find out in this Review of a Turtleneck by Gobi Cashmere Mongolia!
Over the last two years I replaced all my knitwear and outerwear with Cashmere. Luckily, that means I have multiple brands to compare Gobi Cashmere to.
In this article I will give you an in-depth look at the brand as well as the quality and value of their garments based on my experience.
This is the first article of 2021 so grab some hot coffee and let’s begin!
WHO IS GOBI CASHMERE?
Back when I first did my research about Cashmere I inevitably came across Gobi Cashmere.
A company founded and built by a community of Mongolians with a mission to produce luxurious, accessible and sustainable cashmere.
According to their website they have over 2000 employees (4th largest employer in Mongolia) supporting local nomads and traditions.
Honestly, if you want to read more about them and learn about their values I advise you to check out their website.
It’s responsive, full of bright and professional imagery and well-written articles. If you enjoy reading I can recommend their excellent blog post about nomads.
POINTS OF COMPARISON
A few weeks ago I published a great Guide on the 5 Best Cashmere Sweaters for Men in 2021.
As you might guess Gobi Cashmere is in that list but it was imperative that I actually tried them to make sure.
Now that I have a wider selection of cashmere pieces I also feel more qualified to compare their quality.
Cashmere might look and feel fantastic even on a cheaper sweater but time shows true quality.
Specifically I will compare Gobi Cashmere to brands in similar price tiers to see how they hold up. Brands include Soft Goat, Suitsupply, Uniqlo and more.
If you wish to read previous Reviews of those Brands:
There are also many more purchases that I never wrote about due to a lack of time.
Now let’s see how good Gobi Cashmere really is.
PURCHASING FROM GOBI CASHMERE
I want to tell you outright that if you see Gobi Cashmere doing sales it is a great deal.
Looking for some good deal around Black Friday I ran across their 30-70% Promo Sale. The value was actually astonishing for the price.
They seem to have a very smart marketing department as well since their ads were all over my social media. I suppose it can be a little creepy reminder that Google and Facebook watch our every move.
Another thing I want to stress more is how great the website experience is. Everything is crystal clear however I want to point out that often some of the filters do not work.
The presentation is excellent with superb photos and inclusivity of different ethnicities. What I like the most though is that the models don’t have that blank dead stare that models usually do.
Next time you browse for clothes, compare them to the smiley faces of Gobi Cashmere.
Checking out and adding things to cart is easy and their platform is a custom theme from Shopify.
There were a lot of great items to choose from but I decided to buy a great looking Turtleneck Sweater for 70% Off.
In retrospective I should have been more careful when reading the description since I didn’t expect that much texture.
More often than not companies discount more heavily slow moving articles and colors which makes sense. I don’t regret my purchase at all but I might have picked another item.
The specifications of today’s sweater are:
- Brand: Gobi Cashmere Mongolia
- Model: Textured High-Neck Sweater
- Style: Turtleneck Sweater
- Weave: Purl Knit
- Ply: Single
- Fabric: 100% Cashmere
- Color: Navy Blue with Blue Horizontal Stripes (Discontinued)
- Size: Medium
- Fit: Regular
- Price: $65 (70% Discount)
I believe that is a great price with savings of $150! There were some great findings too and even the full price is rather reasonable for cashmere.
One of the reasons behind my choice was that I needed a versatile everyday casual turtleneck. And since I mostly have solid colors this seemed quite appealing.
Before I move on I should say that besides the usual conservative colors it’s refreshing to see companies like Gobi Cashmere offer brighter and bolder color options.
Soft Goat does this quite often too and I like the light pinks, blues and more pastel colors for men.
SHIPPING INFORMATION & TIPS
Since I placed my order during Black Friday I didn’t expect ultra quick shipping.
There are a few things you should note however when ordering from Gobi Cashmere. From my understanding there are a few main hubs that act as a shipping point.
For example all the European orders seem to ship from Germany. This means that slightly different rules or costs might apply for your region.
In my case (Sweden) they used DHL but it is not the Express variant. In other words when the package arrives to your country it will change to the local post.
Slightly disappointing since most local posts are usually horrible at tracking (looking at you USPS and PostNord!).
The Return Period is 14 Days and they are free worldwide but you do pay an initial shipping cost. It cost me 95 SEK (~$11) for my order.
For those of you that want to see what to expect during sales season in Europe here is my package’s journey.
Onto the unpacking now!
UNBOXING EXPERIENCE | GOBI CASHMERE
It is always easier to receive clothes like sweaters as transport is usually a smoother experience. Shoes, suits and shirts are more delicate.
Gobi Cashmere seems to ship their sweaters in a nice tidy box and you open it up by pulling the intuitive strip.
Inside you get a rather simplistic package with your sweater which is nicely folded in a plastic zip bag.
Quite simplistic but honestly what more would you expect? I think a nice addition for such companies would be to include a cashmere comb for pilling during first purchase.
Thoughtful and inexpensive!
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The emotions you feel during the first moments of unboxing and holding a new purchase are important.
Did you get positive feelings or buyer’s remorse? In my case it was quite neutral as I would be happy due to the low price.
My surprise came from the fact that it was not as soft but that was due to the weave. However it is my fault as I should read the description and zoom in the pictures more.
It did look really nice though and perfect for the use I intended it for.
Overall, this is a nice casual navy turtleneck with lighter blue horizontal stripes and a ribbed bottom, cuffs and folded neck.
Trivia: Turtlenecks, Polo Necks & Roll Necks are essentially all the same thing. There are some minor differences but I won’t get into that. It got its name (allegedly) since it resembles a turtle’s neck coming in and out of its shell.
THE PURL KNIT
As I mentioned in the previous section I was not aware this turtleneck had a textured weave.
More specifically they use the term “Purl Knit” and I never heard of it before. I knew the look but not the term for it.
“A purl stitch looks like a raised bump.”
Sheep & Stitch (Article)
I really need to do some more research on weaves. Maybe a master guide in the future?
GOBI CASHMERE QUALITY
In this section I am going break down a few different aspects of the sweater such as overall quality, softness and build.
BUILD QUALITY
This is a solid sweater even at full price. It is a 1-ply which worried me a bit initially but after wearing it for almost 2 months now I feel very comfortable handling it.
The stitching is good everywhere but what really impressed me was the pattern matching. It might be trivial (or I am just inexperienced) but it is excellent.
Very often especially in suit making you can spot the quality by how well they match the patterns around it.
Granted, there are only a few horizontal stripes here but notice how well they seamlessly go from the torso to the sleeves.
It would surely look sloppy if it didn’t in this type of design and pattern but the end result makes me happy.
The roll around the neck also keeps its shape very well.
SOFTNESS
When it comes to this piece it is not going to be your usual cashmere softness.
Don’t get me wrong as it is more soft than your average wool sweater for sure. The weave does make it a little coarser though.
From scanning other reviews and impressions their cashmere seems to be extremely soft. I look forward to checking them out in the future.
As you will see though in the follow up sections there are advantages to this!
WARMTH
It is very important to remember that while this is cashmere it is still 1-ply and not very thick.
Which means that it will keep you warmer than a similarly thick woolen sweater but it’s not enough by its own.
I would say that with an overcoat and a scarf it is perfectly wearable anywhere between 0-15 Celsius at least from my experience in Stockholm.
Interestingly, it seems light enough to wear around 20 as well in more temper weather.
GOBI CASHMERE VS SOFT GOAT VS ALTEA MILANO
These are the three brands I own and wear the most right now. Therefore I want to dedicate a quick paragraph and talk about them.
The overall quality of the Altea Turtleneck (Review) is excellent. I initially worried about the pilling but my god it remains as soft as ever. Their cashmere quality over time is miles better than Soft Goat for 50% more price. The only drawback is that it seems to pick up smells easier.
Soft Goat has been a bit of a let down with their main knits. I use them extensively and the pilling is unreal which creates a rough texture mainly around the waist. I certainly don’t recommend them at full price anymore. The turtleneck’s roll lost its shape and feels like oversized jello.
Gobi Cashmere on the other hand (this model at least) strikes an excellent balance so far. I look forward to their regular offerings in the future.
Tip: Pilling WILL happen with all cashmere. Lower quality though seems to pill much more.
GOBI CASHMERE SIZING ADVICE
I am a Medium (M) in all my knitwear and very rarely I need to go down to Small.
According to the website the Gobi Cashmere Turtleneck has a Regular Fit so I went with my usual size.
The first time I wore this it felt slightly loose mainly around the chest and a little longer at the sleeves and waist.
I actually realized I enjoy this fit more than a slimmer cut for this model. But my advice is that if you are thin with narrow shoulders and torso and up to 180 cm you can consider taking an S.
However if you are more athletic with a broader chest this should fit you nicely.
The good think with cashmere is that you can sort of change the shape after washing it. Overall I like the fit very much out of the box.
HOW TO WEAR A TURTLENECK?
A Turtleneck sweater is an all time classic and can make a really nice, warm winter outfit.
How you wear it is your choice though there are some tips and recommendations.
A sweater like the one in this article is definitely a more casual one. Due to the color it is super easy to match and very versatile. From flannel trousers to contrasting chinos and denim it will be excellent.
If you are more adventurous you can experiment with some more casual textured suits but nothing too formal. For that I advise a solid color and a smoother texture/weave.
BONUS | COLOR MATCHING
Here’s some inspiration about which colors you can use to match this sweater with:
- Navy (such as denim or a monochromatic look)
- Dark Brown (works very good with flannel)
- Olive Green (great combo)
- Khaki/Beige (very nice contrast)
- White/Off-White (if you feel bold and confident)
- Burgundy/Dark Purple
- Black (I would say jeans though)
- Pastel Colors (depending on your personality shades of red, pink or light blue can work)
- Grey (both dark and light colors work well)
You get the idea! This is why navy is one of the most versatile colors in the world.
LAST THOUGHTS | GOBI CASHMERE REVIEW
While initially skeptical I found myself wearing this so often lately. I wear it at home or when I casually commute to work.
I even wore it during my YouTube Video. Of course I am a sucker for soft cashmere but for the price I paid for this I am extremely happy.
Good build quality, nice pattern matching and what seems to be better value than Soft Goat around the $200 mark. They could certainly improve their logistics and transport though but doubt they will.
I actually think that just like Apposta is my go-to brand for shirts, Gobi Cashmere will be my new decent cashmere company.
