If you love the idea of affordable cashmere, Quince and Naadam are two of the first brands that come up. In PureWow’s comparison, the face-off centers on Quince’s Mongolian cashmere sweater at $50 and Naadam’s Original cashmere sweater at $98, with both promising softness, comfort and a more accessible price point than traditional luxury knits.
Quick takeaway: Both sweaters deliver solid value, but the broader comparison landscape points to Naadam as the slightly better-quality option, while Quince wins on price and accessibility.
Why This Comparison Matters
PureWow frames the story around a very specific question: can an under-$100 cashmere sweater really compete with knits that usually cost $150 or more? That is exactly what makes Quince and Naadam so appealing to shoppers who want softness and warmth without paying luxury-brand prices.
The two brands also pitch themselves as more thoughtful, modern options rather than purely cheap basics. So the real question is not whether they are affordable, but whether one is clearly more worth the money.
A simple crewneck shape is part of why this comparison feels so useful in real life.
Quince: The Price Winner
The easiest argument in Quince’s favor is price. At $50, the Quince Mongolian cashmere sweater sits at nearly half the cost of Naadam’s $98 option, which makes it especially attractive for first-time cashmere buyers or anyone building a wardrobe on a tighter budget.
That lower price does not automatically mean it is the better sweater, but it does make Quince the easier low-risk entry point. If you mainly want affordable softness and a classic silhouette, Quince has obvious appeal.
Naadam: The Quality Edge
Naadam tends to be associated with a slightly more elevated cashmere feel.
Additional comparison coverage around these two brands consistently leans toward Naadam as the higher-quality option. Business Insider’s side-by-side review says Naadam’s Original Cashmere Sweater felt a bit thicker, a bit softer and a little more polished in the collar construction, while also offering more inclusive sizing and color variety.[web:184]
That same review concluded that the difference was not dramatic, but still enough to give Naadam the edge overall.[web:184] In other words, Naadam seems to justify its higher price by feeling more refined rather than radically different.
Shopping tip: If saving money is your top priority, Quince makes sense. If you care more about softness, thickness and finishing details, Naadam is the stronger bet.[web:184]
How They Compare in Real Wear
Business Insider also found that both sweaters pilled after a few days of consistent wear, which is a useful reminder that affordable cashmere still needs some care.[web:184] After washing and air drying, the same reviewer felt Quince remained slightly thinner and more prone to wrinkling, while Naadam continued to feel like the softer option.[web:184]
That does not make Quince a bad buy. It just suggests the trade-off is what you would expect: lower upfront cost in exchange for a knit that may feel a bit less substantial.
Both sweaters fit into the same easy, neutral, everyday wardrobe space.
Which One Should You Buy?
- Choose Quince if your main goal is getting into cashmere at the lowest possible price while still getting a classic 100 percent cashmere crewneck feel.[page:1]
- Choose Naadam if you are willing to spend more for a sweater that outside comparisons say feels softer, thicker and slightly more elevated overall.[web:184]
- Choose based on cost-per-wear if you plan to reach for it constantly. A sweater that feels better on your skin may end up being the smarter long-term buy even if it costs more upfront.[web:184]
Bottom Line
PureWow sets up the comparison around two buzzy under-$100 sweaters that promise premium comfort without the usual luxury markup.[page:1] Based on the broader review picture, Quince looks like the better bargain, while Naadam looks like the better sweater.[web:184]
That makes the choice pretty simple: go Quince for value, go Naadam for quality.[web:184]
