Cashmere and virgin wool
The reference composition of Italian high-end coats
The 50/50 blend of cashmere and virgin wool has been, for decades, the reference composition for Italian high-end coats. Not by chance: in exact proportions, it combines the extreme softness of cashmere with the structure, body and longevity that only first-shear virgin wool provides.
Woven at the historic mills of Biella, in the Italian Piedmont — the region that has supplied Europe's great tailoring houses for centuries —, this blend is the foundation on which the classic European coats of the twentieth century were built. And it remains so today, when the brief is a garment that combines noble handle, impeccable drape and a useful life measured in decades.
Why cashmere and virgin wool work better together
Some blends exist to reduce cost. This is not one of them. The combination of cashmere and virgin wool belongs to a different category — that of technical blends, where each fibre contributes what the other lacks.
Cashmere, with a fibre diameter rarely exceeding 19 microns, offers a softness and thermal capacity no sheep's wool can match — it is up to three times warmer than conventional wool at a lower weight. But its extreme fineness comes at a cost: in pure form, cashmere loses shape under sustained wear and resists abrasion less well.
Virgin wool, sheared for the first time from young lambs, brings precisely the opposite. Its longer, more resilient fibre provides structure, body and shape memory — the garment recovers its silhouette after each wear and withstands daily friction. It is also the fibre with the greatest natural resistance to pilling.
Combined at 50/50, the two fibres compensate each other. The result is a fabric with the softness of one and the durability of the other. This is why it has been the historic choice of Italian tailoring for coats built to last.
Technical properties of the fabric
A garment in 50% cashmere and 50% virgin wool offers the following characteristics:
Handle and drape. Immediate softness to the touch, perceptible even through other garments. Noble drape — the fabric follows the body without rigidity or excess volume.
Active thermal insulation. The hollow fibres of cashmere retain heat without requiring high weights. The coat is warm without being heavy.
Structure and shape memory. The presence of virgin wool keeps the silhouette of the coat intact wear after wear. A pure cashmere of the same weight would yield sooner.
Pilling resistance. Significantly higher than in pure cashmere. The virgin wool content reduces pilling without compromising handle.
Hypoallergenic. Suitable for sensitive skin. Can be worn directly against the skin without causing irritation.
Useful life. Measured in decades with basic care. One of the longest-lasting compositions in tailoring.
At Murmells, we work this blend in weights between 500 and 720 g/m² — the range that allows the double-face technique to perform at its full potential, producing a coat with body, drape and genuine thermal insulation, without sacrificing the silken handle of cashmere.
Pure cashmere, pure virgin wool or 50/50 blend? When to choose each
Pure cashmere makes sense for occasional pieces where handle and lightness are the absolute priority — shawls, fine knits, decorative capes. Not for daily-wear coats, because its fineness does not withstand sustained friction. When pure cashmere is used in outerwear, it asks for a fluid, unstructured pattern that lets the fabric move on its own terms.
Pure virgin wool is the traditional choice for high-use coats and for structured pieces that need to hold a defined shape. It offers maximum durability but does not provide the silken handle characteristic of cashmere.
The 50/50 blend is the choice when the brief is a real coat, for daily wear, with the noble handle of cashmere and a long useful life. It is the composition Italian houses choose for their classic coats for one specific reason: it is the only one that allows demanding construction techniques — such as double-face — to be worked without compromising either softness or durability.
What is a cashmere wool blend coat?
A cashmere wool blend coat is an outerwear garment woven from a fabric that combines cashmere fibre with virgin sheep's wool, in proportions that vary depending on the intended construction and price point. Common ratios range from 10/90 — where cashmere is added in small quantities to lift the handle of a wool fabric — to 50/50, the technical proportion used by Italian high-end tailoring for coats built to last decades.
The 50/50 blend is not the most economical option. Lower cashmere percentages produce fabrics that look similar at a distance but behave differently with wear: less softness against the skin, less thermal capacity, less of the silken drape that defines a true cashmere coat. The 50/50 ratio is the threshold at which the cashmere stops being an accent and becomes a structural part of the fabric's behaviour.
When a cashmere wool blend coat is woven at this proportion, sourced from the historic mills of Biella and constructed using the double-face technique, the result is the garment Italian tailoring has been refining for over a century — warm without weight, soft without fragility, and built for a useful life measured in decades rather than seasons.
Cashmere and virgin wool at Murmells
This blend is the foundation of some of Murmells' most representative coats. The 50/50 proportion is a deliberate decision — not an economic concession but a technical criterion. It allows the double-face technique to be worked with a fabric that has the weight and consistency the technique requires, while preserving the handle and lightness of cashmere.
The fabrics come from the historic mills of the Italian Piedmont, the world reference in the treatment of noble fibres. Each coat is then handcrafted in Spain, in intentionally limited production runs.
Care for cashmere and virgin wool garments
Cleaning
Dry clean only. Between wears, air the garment in a ventilated space — both fibres have natural self-cleaning and antibacterial properties that reduce the need for frequent cleaning.
Storage
Always store folded, never hung. For seasonal storage, ensure the garment is clean and dry, and keep it in a breathable fabric bag. Add a cedar or lavender sachet to protect the natural fibres from moths.
Maintenance
If pilling appears, remove it with a brush designed for noble fibres — it is a natural process and not an indication of poor quality. The virgin wool content makes this composition notably more resistant to pilling than pure cashmere. Avoid prolonged contact with rough surfaces or accessories with zips that may cause friction on the fabric.
Discover our coats in cashmere and virgin wool
We are preparing new pieces in this fabric. In the meantime, you can explore our current collection. View collection