Cashmere or merino wool: which one is really warmer?
When temperatures drop, one question often comes up:
Should you choose merino wool or cashmere to stay really warm?
Both are high-quality natural materials, but they do not offer the same warmth or feel on the skin.
Here is a simple explanation — to help you make the right choice for your needs.
1. Merino wool: fine, breathable… but it's still wool
Merino wool is already an excellent material:
✔ soft (less rough than regular wool)
✔ breathable
✔ thermoregulator
✔ Ideal for sports, movement, and an active lifestyle
But despite these qualities, merino wool:
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It doesn't insulate as well as cashmere,
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It keeps you less hot for the same weight .
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and remains a more “active” fiber than a cocooning fiber.
➡️ Great for being active, less so for cozying up at home.
2. Cashmere: one of the warmest materials… weight for weight
Cashmere is not an ordinary wool:
It is the fine, insulating down of the cashmere goat.
Its advantages are incomparable:
✔ Up to 3 times warmer than wool by weight
✔ Second-skin softness
✔ Gentle warmth (doesn't weigh you down, doesn't stifle)
✔ Very fine fiber (14–16 microns)
✔ Instant comfort as soon as you put it on
➡️ Ideal for indoors, calm, slowing down.
3. Weight for weight: cashmere is objectively warmer
To understand, you have to look at the insulation.
Simple comparison:
| Matter | Insulation | Weight | To touch | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merino wool | ⭐⭐ | light | soft | sport, movement |
| Cashmere | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | very light | ultra soft | interior, cocooning |
Cashmere retains heat better without preventing the skin from breathing.
It creates a comfortable microclimate , whereas merino wool mainly manages perspiration.
4. What should I choose for loungewear?
To stay warm at home , in the morning or evening:
➡️ Cashmere is unbeatable.
Because it warms without overloading, it is light, and it accompanies relaxation.
Merino wool is perfect for:
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hiking
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physical activities
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active days
Cashmere is perfect for:
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read
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working from home
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getting up in the morning
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winter evenings
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evening ritual
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relaxation
5. The CÉTOILE kimono: the philosophy of “heat without too much”
An organic cashmere kimono offers:
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the warmth of cashmere ,
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without the weight of a dressing gown ,
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without the overheating of a fleece jacket ,
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without the roughness of wool .
It's an interior piece designed to gently warm, not to stifle.
A calm, light envelope, perfect for winter.
To go further
👉 Read the main article:
Organic cashmere: why is a kimono so expensive — and so precious?
👉 Discover the room:
Organic cashmere kimono — Maison CÉTOILE
