Cable Knit Sweaters: How to Choose a Good One, and the Cashmere Styles That Last

The short answer: a good cable knit sweater is heavy for its size, springs back when you pull it, and has cables that sit flat and even. Buy it in cashmere for softness and warmth, in wool for structure and price, and choose a close fit if you wear it with skirts and tailoring. The one we are wearing this winter is the Khaite Mountain Sweater in Sepia, a cable-knit stand-collar pullover in robust Italian cashmere. Shop all designer sweaters, the wider knitwear edit and the full Khaite collection.

Cables began as fisherman’s knitting in the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland, where the twisted columns made a dense, warm fabric that shed sea spray. The pattern survived because it is beautiful and because it adds warmth without bulk at the seams. Khaite is the New York label Catherine Holstein founded in 2016. It won the CFDA American Womenswear Designer of the Year award in 2022 and again in 2023, and it is known for reworked wardrobe essentials: cashmere knitwear, denim, leather and a very particular kind of evening dress.

How to judge a cable knit sweater

Which collar should you choose?

• Crewneck: the classic, easy over a shirt.
• Stand collar: warmer, sharper, no scarf needed. Khaite’s Mountain uses it.
• Roll neck: the coldest days, best on its own.

Our picks: Khaite cashmere for cold days

1. Mountain Sweater in Sepia

The cable piece: a stand collar, a close fit to the body, Italian cashmere that is substantial in weight. Sepia is a warm camel that works with brown, black and denim.

2. Ewa Sweater in Black

Hand knitted in felted cashmere with an oversized fit and decisive ribbing at the turtleneck. It has no cables, and it is just as dense and warm.

3. Gemma Sweater in Ivory

An easy crewneck in dense, compact cashmere with dropped shoulders. The smooth counterpart to a cable knit, also in Light Yellow.

4. Juniper Sweater in Ecru

Jersey-stitch cashmere with a curled stand collar, sleeker and lighter. Also in Charcoal and Midnight Navy.

How to wear a cable knit now

Treat it as tailoring. Tuck the front of a close cable knit into a wide wool trouser, add a long coat such as the Manston Coat in Dark Brown, and finish with a knee boot like the Petra Knee-High Boot in Ebano Suede. On weekends, the same sweater over the Connor Jean in Benson with a flat. For more ideas see our Khaite knitwear guide and the argyle sweaters edit.

Frequently asked questions

Is cashmere cable knit warmer than wool?

Weight for weight, yes. Cashmere fibre is finer and insulates better than sheep’s wool for its weight, and a cable adds a second layer of fabric where the stitches cross.

Do cable knit sweaters stretch?

All knitwear relaxes with wear. A dense cashmere cable recovers well if you fold it flat, rest it a day between wears and never hang it.

How do I stop a cashmere sweater pilling?

Pilling is loose fibre working its way out, worst in the first weeks. Remove it with a cashmere comb, avoid wearing it under a bag strap, and the fabric settles.

Is a cable knit sweater business casual?

A fine, close cable in a neutral colour is. Wear it with tailored trousers and a loafer. Chunky fisherman knits are better saved for weekends.