Cashmere feels and looks amazing, but it also costs a ton. Cashmere is not the same as wool. While wool comes from sheep, cashmere comes from a specific type of goat. Yeah, we were surprised too. The soft fibers come not from those long hairs that you see on the goat, but from a very soft undercoat.
She explained to The Huffington Post , "A single cashmere goat does not produce a whole lot. You only harvest the fibers once a year, and most of us do so by combing the undercoat, which sheds yearly. And to maintain that many animals costs a lot. But a lot of the price of cashmere is the rarity factor.
Because there is a limited quantity, what cashmere they do produce is very expensive. A cashmere fiber is less than To put that in perspective, the average human hair is about 80 microns, so cashmere is about four times finer than human hair. Not many of us could break out a measuring instrument and scale to compare average diameters by weight even if we wanted to.
While none of them are foolproof hacks, there are some clever tricks you can use to get the best guess for cashmere quality while you're browsing around. Cashmere is soft, sometimes unbelievably soft, but there's such as a thing as too soft if a manufacturer is trying to hide a coarse blend in a yarn whose wool wasn't thoroughly de-haired before production. Some manufacturers will use additives that condition the yarn and give it a slick feel. The type of soft you're looking for should have a plushness to it rather than a slippery glide across the hand.
Cashmere wool is notoriously stubborn and dye-resistant. This doesn't mean that all pastel, muted cashmere clothes are automatically inferior to their more richly saturated cousins, but those jewel-tone hues are often the result of only the most skilled dye houses. So too are intricate patterns and detailed embroidery work. Each added feature means more time and effort went into making that piece of clothing, which isn't going to be as likely with cheaper cashmere blends.
Some manufacturers will promise pure cashmere for a bargain price, and then save on costs by producing a thin, loosely woven garment. A cashmere cardigan shouldn't be so thin it might as well be sheer, and the same goes for socks, which stand to break down with even a little wear the thinner they are. Natural fibers like cashmere wool will have a corresponding sheen to them, but in the case of cashmere, it should still be rather muted.
If the fabric is very reflective and shiny, there's a chance it's been woven with other types of textiles. This may be intentional as this can provide certain benefits like durability and elasticity, which is what allows some cashmere garments to be machine-washed instead of hand-washed or dry-cleaned, but the care label should reflect that reality clearly.
While the country of origin isn't always indicative of quality, it can be an important factor when taken into consideration with other clues. Mass-produced garments from China can vary greatly in terms of quality even when they're made with properly sourced cashmere wool.
As the largest producer of raw cashmere, however, Chinese manufacturers have the ability to source some of the best cashmere wool for more affordable prices than manufacturers in other parts of the world. Your best bet is to purchase from retailers you trust are sourcing their materials ethically and with an eye for quality.
That ultimately comes down to how you care for the cashmere and how you store it when not in use. Cashmere is a finicky fiber that can easily lose its shape or fall prey to clothes moths who love to snack on its natural fiber and the habit that wool has of clinging to body oils and proteins. The seasonal nature of cashmere clothing means it may be more vulnerable to clothes moth infestation than other pieces of your winter wardrobe. Moths thrive in the dark recesses of long-term storage, so be sure to bring out your cashmere for the occasional once-over and light airing out when not in use.
Putting effective clothes moth traps in place greatly helps in eliminating them. Find out more about our odor-free clothes moth traps for your closet here. A thorough cleaning is also necessary before you plan to tuck it away for a few weeks or months. Although many care labels will insist you dry-clean only, it is safe, and sometimes preferred, to hand-wash cashmere garments and allow them to air-dry carefully.
Using a wool-safe detergent will help you avoid stripping the fibers of any natural oils, plus prevent damage and fading dye. Follow our step-by-step guide for washing cashmere at home which also includes tips for remove stains and drying cashmere clothing without losing its shape. We have developed professional grade solutions including proprietary pheromones, not available from anybody else in the USA, and engineered in Germany to the highest production standards. April 28, Knowing more about how a textile like cashmere came to be associated with luxury can help deepen your appreciation for your own cashmere garments and help you know what to look for when purchasing new ones.
Historical Origins of Cashmere Wool The earliest uses of cashmere wool can be traced back to the Kashmir Valley, a stretch of land nestled between the Pir Panjal Range and the Great Himalayas in the Indian subcontinent. The Process Behind Manufacturing Cashmere Wool Gathering Gathering wool from the pashmina goat to be spun in cashmere yarn is a time-sensitive and tedious process. Refining Before it can be dyed, spun and woven into garments, cashmere wool must be cleaned.
Spinning The spinning mules are the true workhorses of the wool manufacturer's arsenal. The Fashionable Rise of Luxury Cashmere Garments Although the beauty and utility of cashmere clothing had long enjoyed a lofty position in the fashions of the east, the explosion of commercial trading routes between Asia and Europe in the 18th century opened up a new opportunity for cashmere to be made and sold as a luxury textile for the fashion elite. They'll jump and dance They're affectionate.
Pieh's particular type of goats — 40 to 80 of them, depending on the year — are also some of the providers of a valuable product for humans: cashmere. Yes, in case you didn't know, your favorite, softest and probably most expensive sweater comes from the fur of the cashmere goat. And once you know what's involved in making a cashmere sweater, the price might not seem so exorbitant. Goats are one of at least 11 wool-producing animals. The list also includes sheep, rabbits and llama.
There are several varieties of cashmere goats, and a number of farms, factories, and conglomerates around the world using various production methods to make cashmere. The first goats purported to be used by humans to keep warm are said to be the Pashmina goats. They're found in the super-high-altitude regions of western and northern Tibet. The goats' soft and dense underfur is built to withstand extreme temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit minus 40 degrees Celsius.
The wool from these bucks and nannies — favored by British royalty — eventually came to be processed in Kashmir in northern India; hence the name. Various bloodlines of cashmere goats have, with human help, spread around the world. Australia has a particular breed that provides luxuriously soft threads.
North American cashmere goats are found in the colder regions of the U. North America is where Pieh and her husband, Peter Goth, come in. They have run Springtide Farm since Pieh bought Goth 11 goats for his birthday — in part, to help clear their farmland.
It has been a learning experience since then. Pieh estimates Springtide is one of to cashmere goat farms in North America. Most cashmere goat farms in the U. March and April spring is when the goats start to naturally shed their winter wool, and production begins on the farms. Few U. Instead, most facilities hand-comb the wool. That means workers — often the farm owners themselves — sit with each animal and slowly tease out with a dog rake the fur that creates the fine wool for cashmere.
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