Can cashmere be tailored?

Yes, cashmere can be tailored, but it is significantly more difficult than tailoring a woven fabric like a suit or denim. Because cashmere is a knit, cutting it carries the risk of the entire garment unraveling if not done correctly.

Here is what is possible, what to avoid, and who to trust with your garment.

What Can Be Altered

• Shortening Sleeves: This is the most common and safest alteration. A skilled tailor can either cut and re-hem the sleeve (often losing the original cuff edge) or, in high-end alterations, unravel the yarn and re-knit the cuff for a seamless finish.

• Taking in the Sides (Slimming): If a sweater is too boxy, a tailor can take in the torso. This usually requires using a serger (a special sewing machine that cuts and binds the edge simultaneously) to prevent the knit from unraveling.

• Shortening the Hem: Possible, but tricky. If the sweater has a ribbed bottom hem, cutting it off and reattaching it can sometimes result in a bulky seam.

• Repairing Holes: Small moth holes or snags can be fixed through a process called re-knitting or invisible mending, where the tailor uses a strand of yarn from the sweater itself to weave the hole shut.

The Risks (What to Watch Out For)

• The “Bulky Seam” Problem: Unlike woven fabrics that lie flat when pressed, knit fabrics can create thick, lumpy seams when altered.

• Unraveling: If the tailor does not properly secure the raw edges of the cashmere after cutting, the sweater will eventually disintegrate in the wash.

• Loss of Stretch: If the tailor uses a standard straight stitch instead of a stretch stitch (zigzag or serged), the thread will snap the first time you pull the sweater over your head.

Where to Go

Do not take cashmere to a dry cleaner or a standard “hem-and-haw” alteration shop.

You need to look for a specialist. Search for terms like:

1. “Knitwear Alterations Specialist”

2. “Invisible Mending” or “Reweaving”

If you have an expensive piece (like Loro Piana or Brunello Cucinelli), it is often safer to contact the brand directly; many luxury houses offer in-house repair and alteration services for their own products.