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Now that the weather is starting to cool off in anticipation of fall, people everywhere are looking for ways to upgrade their closets for the season ahead. While barn jackets, Birkenstock Boston clogs, flannel, denim, corduroy, and leather are pretty much a given for the ‘ber months (as social media enjoys referring to them these days), you may feel like cashmere is out of the question. After all, many cashmere garments are paired with ultra-high price tags that are difficult to work into a budget. Thankfully, brands like Gobi exist.
The sustainable cashmere brand offers the coveted winter fabric at prices that are more accessible than traditional cashmere brands. To put Gobi to the test, I selected five garments: the Intarsia Knitted Sweater ($188, Save $81), 3D Cashmere Wide Leg Pants ($195, Save $84), Cashmere Stitch Embellished Cardigan ($300, Save $129), Cashmere Stitch Embellished Wide Pants ($223, Save $96), and the Unisex Basic Beanie ($55, Save $24). Here’s what I thought.
What is Gobi?
Gobi makes high-quality cashmere at accessible prices.
Gobi is a sustainable, high-quality cashmere brand beloved for its affordable prices. The brand uses 100 percent raw Mongolian cashmere. While you might think that’s just another textile to quickly graze over, understand this: By partnering with Mongolian herders, Gobi doesn’t monopolize areas of land, nor does it harm any animals. Instead, it works with the Mongolian herders and their ancient heritage—in which they hand-comb the goats—to create eco-friendly cashmere garments that feel as lovely as they look. And since they cut out the middleman and don’t work with third parties, Gobi is able to offer these cashmere goods to the public at a fraction of the cost.
Although Gobi has been around since the ‘80s, it’s become increasingly well-known thanks to TikTok. On the clock app, mentions of Gobi cashmere have accumulated over 27 million views. In fact, it was while on the app that I discovered it—and ultimately knew I had to see (and feel) the Gobi difference for myself.
What I liked about Gobi
Gobi’s bright and colorful cashmere is unique and distinctive.
Brightly-colored cashmere options that you can’t find elsewhere
There’s a lot to like about Gobi. The brand sells a variety of cashmere styles, ranging from tops, bottoms, and dresses to skirts, coats, and loungewear. What’s more, of the items they offer, many of them are sold in an assortment of neutral and bold colors, which I find to be rare, seeing as many cashmere brands stick to shades of white, cream, gray, and black, with perhaps a few pastels thrown in for good measure. It’s not common that you see a stunning spritz-inspired orange or royal blue cashmere, but that’s exactly what I found with the Gobi Unisex Basic Beanie and Intarsia Knitted Sweater and 3D Cashmere Wide Leg Pants.
Comfortable, modern loungewear in luxurious cashmere
Colors aside, I like the Gobi silhouettes, which are relaxed yet refined, making them perfect for lounging around at home or heading out to a farmer’s market, on a HomeGoods run, or even to brunch. The sets would also make for the ideal airplane ensemble, as they’re soft, stretchy, and breathable.
Speaking of, that’s one of the best things about Gobi and cashmere in general: It’s not a knit fabric that you’ll overheat in. Instead, cashmere is designed to be temperature regulating, so you can easily wear it year round—not just during fall. That said, the Gobi Intarsia Knitted Sweater and 3D Cashmere Wide Leg Pants are notably lighter than the Cashmere Stitch Embellished Cardigan and Cashmere Stitch Embellished Wide Pants, so they’re better for spring and summer while the latter are best for fall and winter.
What I didn’t like about Gobi
Figuring out just which size to purchase from Gobi Cashmere can be tricky to figure out.
Sizing can be a challenge
Let me be frank: The sizing sucks if you’re not straight-sized. I’m a mid-size gal—I typically wear a 12/14 and size L in stretchy pants. Having been unfamiliar with Gobi sizing, I took the fit finder on the site. In both instances—for the 3D Cashmere Wide Leg Pants and Cashmere Stitch Embellished Wide Pants—it suggested I order a size XL. Typically, I’m swimming in XL stretchy pants, but I did as the site said.
Where the Gobi Intarsia Knitted Sweater and Cashmere Stitch Embellished Cardigan were normally proportioned, when I took the 3D Cashmere Wide Leg Pants and Cashmere Stitch Embellished Wide Pants out of their individual packages, I was surprised by how small the waists were on each pair. I skeptically pulled on the hips to see how stretchy they were and, in doing so, figured they’d be fine.
While both pairs of pants technically fit, the Cashmere Stitch Embellished Wide Pants are much tighter than I’d like (thank goodness the matching Cashmere Stitch Embellished Cardigan is long enough to cover the crotch).
A mysterious hole in the wide leg pants
Meanwhile, although the 3D Cashmere Wide Leg Pants fit and had room to give, somehow, some way, they ripped right in the crotch—they didn’t jaggedly tear; there’s a half-dollar-sized hole just chillin’ in the crotch now. I don’t know how it happened. I wasn’t stretching my legs, squatting, or bending over wildly while testing them out.
I wonder if the pants were perhaps weakly constructed to begin with. I took them to my mom (who was a seamstress once upon a time and can fix literally anything I give her) to see if she could shed light on the situation and hopefully remedy it, but even she was baffled by the hole. Worst of all, due to the way the knit pants are seamed, she said that once there’s a hole in the crotch, there’s really nothing you can do because even if you patch it, the threads will unravel further over time. Talk about a bummer—especially considering the price tag.
Affordable, but only by comparison
On that note, I’d be remiss not to discuss the price of Gobi cashmere. While it’s definitely more affordable than luxury cashmere brands, Gobi is in no way a budget brand. Apart from the Unisex Basic Beanie and other accessories, almost all of the garments cost over $100, with many ringing up in the $200+ category. For such a price, I certainly expect quality that won’t rip from random movement.
Is Gobi Cashmere worth it?
Gobi is a relatively affordable and easy way to add soft cashmere to your wardrobe.
Maybe, depending on your needs
If you have your heart set on filling your wardrobe with cashmere, there’s a lot to love about Gobi. It’s less expensive than many other cashmere brands, it’s sustainable, colorful, and quite comfortable. That said, if you’re not straight-sized, it can be a hit or miss in terms of sizing. There’s still the accessories range to choose from, though!
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