Honest Quince Review: Cotton, Cashmere, Yak, Alpaca Sweaters

Alyssa wears an alpaca sweater in one photo and a cotton sweater in a second

Alyssa wears a cashmere sweater and a cotton cardigan

Since I published my initial thoughts on Quince, I admit I’ve been scouring their website and saving products to my wishlist left and right (will I purchase all of these items? Probably not, but it’s a nice way to save items for consideration in the future). That wishlist includes a range of items – from fine jewelry to bath mats – but when I decided to place another order, I figured I should focus on a more immediate need.

When Michael and I moved to Charlotte a few years ago, my sweater collection was pretty puny (Florida’s sunny weather meant I could get away with just a few cozy knits!). Over the course of my first few Carolina winters, I brought a few new sweaters into the mix – and even knit a couple of my own! – but lately, I’ve been craving a little more variety in my cold-weather clothing.

Quince’s sweater section is full of solid-colored knits in a variety of fiber types and silhouettes, so it seemed like a good place to start shifting items from my wishlist into my shopping cart. And with their generous return policy, I knew I had little to lose.

I purchased most of the sweaters in today's post out of pocket, however later Quince generously gifted a couple sweaters. Although some products shown in today's post were gifted, this does not impact the way I analyze products in my review. This post contains affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking one of these links (at no additional cost to you!). Thank you for your support—it enables me to run this site ad-free!

So I turned to some of my favorite sweater fibers: alpaca, cashmere, and cotton. My preference for sweater fabrics will always be natural fibers over blends, and I typically prefer the warmth and temperature-regulating abilities of animal fibers over plant fibers.

However, cotton is one fiber I choose on occasion because it can be a great easy-to-care-for budget alternative (take, for example, the $50 difference between the cotton and cashmere versions of the same sweater), and I appreciate its weightiness in certain situations. And I understand from my knitting journey that sometimes synthetics are blended into natural fibers for strength and longevity – as well as price – so I kept that in mind while shopping, too.

Looking for more honest style reviews? Check out my index of reviews, sorted by brand

I fiddled around with the sweater styles on the Quince site, taking into account what is currently in my wardrobe, and landed on a stack of sweaters to try. I kept the color palette neutral, as I know my color preferences well, and stuck to a mix-and-matchable set of camels, whites, and black.

In preparation for today’s post, I’ve worn each sweater multiple times and laundered each sweater at least once. Since sweaters feel like a bit of an investment and I tend to hold onto mine for years (or until they start to unravel), I wanted to be able to share with you today a little about how to care for each one. I’ll also touch on the fit, quality, and how to style each of the sweaters I selected: 100% Organic Cotton Fisherman Crew Sweater, Mongolian Cashmere Crewneck Sweater, 100% Organic Cotton Oversized Cardigan, Baby Alpaca-Wool Cropped Cardigan, 100% Organic Cotton Boyfriend Crew, Mongolian Cashmere Polo Sweater, 100% Yak Wool Pointelle Detail Relaxed Crew, and Mongolian Cashmere Fisherman Cropped Cardigan Sweater.

And a little housekeeping note: Sweaters are shown here on the rack for the purpose of this post. You should never hang your knits from the shoulders as they can stretch out of shape; instead, fold them and place them in a sweater box or drawer, or use this hack for hanging in your closet.

100% ORGANIC COTTON FISHERMAN CREW SWEATER

Alyssa wears the cotton Fisherman Sweater from Quince with tan trousers and brown accessories

Alyssa wears the Fisherman Sweater from Quince in two images; one shows a close-up of the fabric

Alyssa shows the length of the sweater untucked; it hits on the mid-to-low hip

I figure a good place to start this series of reviews is with the first Quince sweater I added to cart: the 100% Organic Cotton Fisherman Crew Sweater. Frequently touted as a dupe for Jenni Kayne’s Fisherman Sweater, this ribbed sweater fills a white-sweater gap in my wardrobe. I don’t own that particular sweater to be able to verify the comparison myself, but I can say the Quince version feels much heavier and more luxurious than its price tag suggests.

Well-made garments make a simple outfit feel polished, and this sweater adds an air of “expensiveness” to even a pair of jeans and flats (although it is certainly machine-knit, it looks as though it could have been knit by hand).

When styling this sweater, I’ve come to think of it as the cool-weather equivalent of a white T-shirt. It can be dressed up or down easily and serves as a neutral backdrop for the rest of your look (although I will say, pairing this sweater with cute navy shorts during the summer might just be obligatory if you live anywhere in New England).

But no matter what – in the white, at least – I always wear a nude-to-me tank underneath as the structure of the knit means a little skin can show through. As for the fit, the model has a good seven inches on me, and the sweater is much longer on my body (perhaps if I feel particularly brave one day, I’ll consider unraveling and reknitting it a little shorter!).

I usually wear this sweater with a French tuck as it’s a little bulky for a full tuck with thinner pants, and not a length I prefer to wear untucked (see photo above). Due to the length and amount of stretch, if I were to reorder today I’d probably choose an XS for a slightly closer fit.

Care-wise, I’m used to line-drying my sweaters, but the care instructions say to tumble dry low – I split the difference by drying it for just a few minutes to draw out some of the moisture and then lay it flat on my drying rack to fully dry. After a few wears and washes, the cotton fibers are starting to soften and puff out more and the “crispness” is starting to give way to a more lived-in feel, typical of cotton. But other than laundering it, I haven’t had to depill or perform any other maintenance on this sweater so far (yay!).

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MONGOLIAN CASHMERE CREWNECK SWEATER

Alyssa wears the Camel colored Cashmere sweater from Quince

Alyssa wears the $50 cashmere sweater from Quince with jeans and boots

Alyssa shows pilling on the cashmere sweater, and the untucked length

Quince’s famous $50 Cashmere sweater (at least, that is the price at the time of publication – with costs rising everywhere, it’s hard to imagine it staying the same for long). Quince compares this to Everlane’s cashmere sweaters (of which I own several), so I do feel comfortable comparing the two brands in this category.

The fit, thickness, softness, and weight of this sweater and Everlane’s Cashmere Crew are certainly comparable. With my eyes closed, I have difficulty feeling the difference in the quality between the two. But where I do notice a difference is in the maintenance: the Quince sweater pills much faster than the Everlane cashmere, and so I’m finding I have to depill it more frequently.

Although Quince states this is Grade-A cashmere, I suspect the fibers are on the shorter side and thus more susceptible to friction and pilling. Quince sells a cashmere comb, but sometimes I’m a rebel and (carefully) use an electric shaver for efficiency’s sake. I’m tempted to try their Luxe Baby Cashmere which is double the price (and Quince claims it has a $1600 value), and presumably has longer fibers which will be less prone to pilling – but that’s a review for another day…

Styling this sweater is a dream for anyone who loves to get out the door quickly; because it’s light yet warm, it can be easily tucked or layered. Lately, I’ve been playing with the concept of “tension” in my outfits, and I like pairing this soft, classic, could-be-stuffy sweater with tougher pieces like leather pants or distressed denim. But it would look just as lovely with a silk skirt or trousers.

Quince recommends hand-washing this sweater; to space out the time between washings, wear a tank or tee underneath (this helps keep the sweater from coming in contact with your skin’s oils and sweat). When hand-washing, I like to use a gentle detergent (I recently made the switch to this wool wash after the meltdown at The Laundress), and then roll it up tight in a towel to remove the excess water before laying it flat to dry.

As for sizing, I took a small here and I really love the subtle drape. I could probably get away with an XS if I wanted a little closer fit, but I appreciate having a little ease in my garments these days and am happy with the size I chose. As with many of my sweaters, I have to give the cuff a little turn to keep it from grazing my knuckles (ah, the joys of being 5’4″).

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100% ORGANIC COTTON OVERSIZED CARDIGAN

Alyssa wears Quince's Organic Cotton Oversized Cardigan with a green shirt and blue jeans

A close up of the pockets on the 100% Organic Cotton Oversized Cardigan from Quince

Alyssa wears the 100% Organic Cotton Oversized Cardigan from Quince; one photo she is facing the camera, and the other shows her turned to the side

This style of sweater has slightly faded in its trendiness over the past few years, but not every setting requires the most on-trend outfit (and it’ll certainly be back in style one day soon!). The oversized cardigan looks like it’s begging for what I consider the peak 2018 slow-fashion uniform of skinny jeans, mules, and a flowy tee.

I’ve kept the concept here but switched up the elements slightly – going for a more current straight jean with a higher rise (officially a mom jean) and a tighter tee for balance. I kept the mules, though, because they’re so beautifully made – how could I not? But you could easily go all-oversized with a wide-leg pant and combat boots if that’s more your style.

With layers in mind, I ordered a Small, but it’s so heavy, warm, and generously sized that I might have gotten away with an XS. It’s really very cozy and in a similar style of knit to the Fisherman Sweater reviewed above. The care instructions are the same, and I approach washing this cotton cardigan the same.

I appreciate the attention to detail with the design of this; the subtle curve inward at the hem, the knit-in pockets (pockets!), and the balloon sleeves are a beautiful, practical touch (although long on me, as always). It has been a real delight to wear so far.

My only qualm? The ultra-bright white “Ivory”. It’s more of a bright blue-white than pictured on their site, and I always feel like I’m one bite of lasagna away from total destruction. Quince has since released a beautiful Speckled Beige, and I might be more smitten with its softer color than this one. I suppose when the inevitable staining happens, this sweater might be relegated to the loungewear pile, and I might just wind up with a second one…

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BABY ALPACA-WOOL CROPPED CARDIGAN

Alyssa holds out an arm to show the balloon sleeve on Quince's Baby Alpaca-Wool Cropped Cardigan

Alyssa pairs Quince's Alpaca Cardigan with jeans, a tank, and a beret

The Quince website doesn’t disclose the percentages for the Baby Alpaca-Wool Cropped Cardigan (the listing just reads “baby alpaca wool, extrafine merino wool, and nylon”), so I was a little disappointed when it arrived and I looked at the tag to see this sweater is over 50% merino wool.

But once I tried it on, my heart simply couldn’t bear to return it; it’s basically the lightweight, neutral cropped cardi of my dreams. It hits just below my waist and has the sweetest puffy balloon sleeves – and the lightest, softest material and drape. I think the size Small was the right choice here, and despite how beautiful the ivory and light grey versions look, I wouldn’t go any lighter than this camel color as it’s quite thin and sheer.

I’ve probably worn this sweater twice as many times as my similar alpaca cardigan from Everlane (reviewed here, with the alpaca and merino percentages almost-flipped: 58% Alpaca, 34% Nylon, 8% Merino Wool), and the Quince version has pilled much faster. But its low price, lightweight warmth, and perfect camel color keep me reaching for it (and my sweater comb) over and over.

I often toss this on over dresses to fight the chill or wear it fully buttoned with high-rise jeans (and a nude-to-me cami underneath), but I wear it as shown here the very most. Although the care instructions read “Dry Clean Only,” I happily thwart the rules and gently hand-wash. It has reached more of a lived-in state than its original fluffy condition, but that’s very normal for anything alpaca.

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100% ORGANIC COTTON BOYFRIEND CREW

Alyssa cuffs the sleeve on Quince's Boyfriend Sweater

Alyssa shows the high-low hem of the Boyfriend Sweater from Quince

According to my ~~boyfriend~~ fiancé, this sweater is a bit of a misnomer, as he says he would never wear a sweater this cropped (I also of course reminded him there are other boyfriends in the world, but I digress). But whatever you choose to call it, it’s become a fast fave in my wardrobe.

It has a very casual vibe that I dig on carefree days and has just the right amount of both sturdiness and drape. The knit is much tighter than the ribbed knit of the other cotton sweaters here, and I find it’s extremely opaque because of this.

After poring over the reviews, I decided to size down to an Extra-Small, and I’m glad I did. It’s still plenty boxy and wide in the smaller size, but the cropped length keeps it from swallowing me whole. I like to wear this with a French tuck or untucked, depending on my mood/outfit. I also think it would look fantastic with a button-down, but those who have sensory sensitivities around clothing may find the neckline a bit tight.

To launder, Quince recommends machine-washing and either tumble-drying or line-drying. Again, I split the difference with no ill effects, but I don’t think I would fully tumble-dry this or any sweater in order to help them last longer. And, just one more reminder: please don’t hang your sweaters from their shoulders!

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MONGOLIAN CASHMERE POLO SWEATER

Alyssa wears the ivory cashmere polo sweater tucked into blue jeans with sneakers. She carries a tote and looks away from the camera.

Alyssa wears the ivory cashmere polo sweater tucked into blue jeans with sneakers. She carries a tote and smiles at the camera.

A photo of the raglan detailing on the Quince polo

Although I admit to coveting a Lacoste polo in high school, I’ve never really defined my style as ‘preppy’ (not that today’s idea of prep is quite what it used to be, but I digress…). Polos haven’t been a staple in my wardrobe for decades, but I was drawn to the Mongolian Cashmere Polo Sweater nonetheless.

While the polo sweater is technically a bit thinner than the $50 cashmere crew, they feel nearly identical to the touch. I was honestly surprised by this—given the nearly $40 price difference, I expected a noticeable upgrade in quality, but there isn’t one. I think it’s likely the pattern shaping that accounts for the difference, and I especially appreciate the raglan detailing across the shoulders.

The sweater drapes beautifully when tucked, though it pulls slightly at my hips when worn untucked. For now, I’m styling it tucked and always layering a nude-to-me cami underneath. In the ivory shade, it’s just too sheer to wear on its own, though I suspect darker colors might work fine solo. I will say, the depth of the V-neck caught me off guard; it’s a bit lower than I’d feel comfortable wearing in a professional setting.

As for pilling, it seems inevitable, particularly in the underarm area. Like with all my sweaters, I’m taking care of it myself—hand-washing and spot-treating as needed. While this sweater is a welcome change from my more plain sweaters, I don’t reach for it quite as often as my crew necks. Hey, I suppose that will help it last longer in the long run…

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100% YAK WOOL POINTELLE DETAIL RELAXED CREW

Alyssa wears the Quince yak sweater over a silk dress with black flats. She is smiling and looking away from the camera

Alyssa wears the Quince yak sweater over a silk dress with black flats. She turns partly away from the camera

Yak?! If you had asked me what I thought a sweater made of yak felt like, I would have said coarse and wiry. But the 100% Yak Wool Pointelle Detail Relaxed Crew sweater proved me wrong. Yak wool (or at least, this type of yak wool) feels as soft as cashmere and as airy as alpaca. The result is a soft, warm sweater that is ultra lightweight and by most accounts, it is hypoallergenic. The only discernible difference to me is the stretch – the ribbing at the bottom hem, neckline, and sleeves doesn’t have as much spring to it as I’d expect.

Okay, it’s stupid soft, but how does it fit? I took this sweater in a size Small, and it has the loveliest oversized fit without being bulky. I think if this sweater were made of cotton or a dense wool, I would have wanted to size down, but I’m kind of smitten with the draping here. Plus, the ribbing along the side waist creates a lovely shape, perfect for playing with proportions. The length is just right on me, but I have to cuff the sleeves slightly unless I feel like cozying my fingers inside like tiny turtles.

And I should chat pilling, because that’s been a frequent topic in this post. So far, so good. While Quince cashmere pills pretty readily, the yak fibers are much more resistant to pilling. It has me wondering – are cashmere sweaters no longer the gold standard? Should we all aspire to wear yak instead?

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MONGOLIAN CASHMERE FISHERMAN CROPPED CARDIGAN SWEATER

I debated a long time before finally adding the Mongolian Cashmere Fisherman Cropped Cardigan Sweater to my cart. I’d seen it and its longer cousin, the Mongolian Cashmere Oversized Boyfriend Cardigan Sweater, in my feed frequently, and my brain finally said “Yes, I too want to be cozy, swaddled in a big cashmere cardigan.” I was quite torn between the two but landed on the cropped version as I was afraid the oversized one would swallow me whole.

After scouring the reviews, I landed somewhat incredulously on an extra-small. Usually, you’d expect to buy a cardigan a little bigger than your size to help with layering, right? But over and over the helpful reviews stated that this cardigan was very generously sized. As you can see here, they were all correct – this sweater is indeed very oversized.

With wider hips, I do feel like this hits me at an odd point, and in retrospect, the longer version may work better with my proportions. While I absolutely believe you should wear what you want and generally detest the term “flattering”, there is some truth in the rule of thirds. Our eyes tend to find clothing that divides the body into one-third/two-thirds more appealing, and this sweater cuts me right in half.

Still, it’s been a cozy top layer, and easy to reach for when heading out the door on chilly fall evening walks. Mostly I’ve been wearing it unbuttoned over tanks and tees, but it’s also lovely fully buttoned and styled like a pullover. As for the quality, it’s absolutely plush and soft, but it pills very easily. After just four or five wears, I had to bust out the fabric shaver. Thankfully in black, it’s not too noticeable, but I bet it would be a bit more obvious in the lighter tones.

*This item is no longer available and a similar product is linked

FINAL THOUGHTS ON QUINCE SWEATERS

A close up of Alyssa wearing the cotton cardigan

Two images of Alyssa in sweaters from Quince

The cost-to-quality ratio of Quince’s sweaters is truly unbeatable, however, these savings come with a little extra necessary maintenance (ahh, the old money-or-time quandary). All sweaters eventually pill – yes, even ultra-expensive Loro Piana cashmere pills – and across the board, I’m finding modern sweaters are pilling faster than ever.

I still prefer to knit my own or shop older sweaters second-hand, but when buying new ones, I figure I may as well save a little money on the front end. If I’m already going to be spending some of my time sitting on the sofa with a sweater comb, why not?

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5 Comments on “Quince Reviews: Cotton, Cashmere, Yak, and Alpaca Sweaters”

Cassie says:

January 11, 2023 at 4:19 pm

I got a sweater and leather jacket from Quince for Christmas. I love them! I wish I’d known you were an affiliate! I’ll use your links next time I order. ☺️

1. Alyssa says:
  
  January 12, 2023 at 8:11 am
  
  Ooh, which sweater did you get? Glad to hear you love the leather jacket – I’ve been eyeing the suede one!
  
  Thank you so much – that’s so generous of you!
  
Rebecca | Seven2Seven8 says:

January 11, 2023 at 9:16 pm

I love this review! It’s so timely for me, as I received a Quince gift card for Christmas and have been trying to decide what to order. I’ve just gone back to work part-time, and I’m hoping to discover any wardrobe holes before I pounce. As someone who is 5’3, I wouldn’t be sad if they introduced petites. I loved it when Everlane added ankle/short to its lineup!

1. Alyssa says:
  
  January 12, 2023 at 8:14 am
  
  What a great Christmas gift! I love how you’re approaching adding items to your wardrobe (dressing for the office can sometimes feel like a drag, but it helps when you can mix in pieces you already own and love) – I really like their wishlist feature for narrowing things down when you decide what you need.
  
  Petites would be such a great addition! I’m right on the cusp at 5’4″, and have had to embrace learning how to hem pants. Having them already at the right length would be such a benefit.
  
Larkin Vonalt says:

April 9, 2024 at 12:44 pm

It’s interesting to see their sweaters on a normal body instead of a model. They are just not that flattering. I don’t mean to be unkind. I bought two of boyfriend crew neck cashmere, both had pilled horribly after after just a couple of wearings. I won’t be going back to shop for more.

Quince Reviews: Cotton, Cashmere, Yak, and Alpaca Sweaters