Thiswonderfully soft yarn is harvested from the undercoat of acashmere goat only, during the spring when the goats naturally shed. It hasluxuryqualities that can keep you both warm in the winter and not too hot in the summer. With a finer and more sumptuous yarn over Merino wool, you'll find cashmere knitwear softer to touch and warmer to wear.
Cashmere yarn
The best qualitycashmere is from China and Mongolia, a region where the temperature really fluctuates from really cold in the winter, up to -40 degrees, to over 30 degrees in the summer. The cashmere goats have adapted to this climate by developing a double fleece: A coarse outer guard layer that protects the undercoat from water, and a very soft, fine undercoat that provides warmth and insulation from the biting winter winds.
The goats from this region have the longest and finest hair which makes for the best yarn, indulge in more about where does cashmere come from. In the spring the herders bring all their goats down from the mountains and relieve them of their winter coat so they are ready for the long hot summer.
To get the amount of cashmere that is needed the goat issheared byvery experienced shearers and then sorted into the fine undercoat and the coarse outer hairs or guard hairs. Once all the hair is collected it is bundled up and sent to the yarn factories that then spin and dye the yarn. The darker the colour they have to dye it, the more it might bobble.
When the long pure cashmere yarn is knitted into jumpers, it should feel light, warm and silky soft. You will hardly notice you are wearing it, that’s why it is perfect in the summer too. It will be durable, breathable and will keep you warm without being heavy, lasting for years and years….. as long as you treat it right.
Why is Cashmere expensive?
The valuable, soft wool is harvested only once a year from cashmere goats. Due to the demand and the ideal conditions for rearing goats, good quality cashmere only really comes from Mongolia.
Every good quality label wants to use Mongolian yarn, and they just cannot produce enough. It takes at least 4 goats to produce enough yarn for one jumper. Only 600 tons of cashmere is produced per year, compared to 1.3 million tons for lambswool. Being a finite resource, it is a rare commodity and so makes it very expensive.
Cashmere fibre is only going to get more expensive as demand increases, there is only a really one place that it can successfully produce the healthiest goats with the longest hairs. The United States have tried breeding from the Mongolian goats but the climate is not cold enough to get the finest or the longest coats.
A little word of advice, the cheaper the cashmere the less likelihood that the cashmere has been sourced fromreputable farms in InnerMongolia.
Cashmere vs Wool
- Quality cashmere is the finest, softest and warmest yarn.Once you have worn cashmere there is no going back.
- Cashmere is producedshearing which is kinder to the goats. This also makes garments made from cashmere, very light in weight. Warmth without weight is the signature of knitwear made from this amazing fibre.
- Is wool warmer than cashmere? Cashmere is warmer than wool and helps to maintain your natural body temperature, meaning it keeps you warm but not hot. It is also naturally absorbent, letting your body breath, so great to throw on after those sweaty yoga workouts.
- Cashmere does not itch. Due to the fineness and shape of the fibres, the yarn produced does not have any sharp prickly surfaces. This gives a silky smooth surface to garments made from cashmere. It doesn't contain Lanolin so you are highly unlikely to have an allergic reaction, unlike wool.
- Cashmere is much softer than wool, due to the smallest diameter and fineness of the fibres. It is the softest of all natural yarns, including silk.
- Jumpersmade from the finest cashmere yarn are very strong and hard wearing. Good qualitycashmere garments should last up to 10 years if stored and washed properly.Have a look at ourhow to care for cashmere clothingblogfor the best advice.
FAQs
Feel For Quality
A good test for this is by holding the cashmere in your hand, or by running the cashmere over a sensitive skin area such as the underside of your chin or inner arm. If the fabric has a rough, itchy quality, it suggests your product is not made from a high quality cashmere.
How do you pick good cashmere? ›
Feel For Quality
A good test for this is by holding the cashmere in your hand, or by running the cashmere over a sensitive skin area such as the underside of your chin or inner arm. If the fabric has a rough, itchy quality, it suggests your product is not made from a high quality cashmere.
What is the best grade of cashmere? ›
Grade A: The highest quality cashmere as the fibres will both be the longest and finest. The diameter of the fibres can be as low as 14-15.5 microns, with a length of 34- 36mm.
How can you tell if cashmere is high quality? ›
Cashmere of high quality retains its shape after being stretched. So if your cashmere stays stretched after you pull it, it may not be pure. The Look Test: With a sharp eye, and maybe some help from a magnifying glass, you can analyze the structure of cashmere fabric. High-quality cashmere has a very tight structure.
What's the difference between cheap and expensive cashmere? ›
The lowest quality cashmere, Grade C has around 30 microns width per cashmere hair. Naturally, this cashmere will be less expensive than A or B, but considerably less soft and durable.
What is the best cashmere in the world? ›
There are diverse breeds that produce Cashmere in the world. But the Ladakhi goats produce the finest Cashmere. In addition, Mongolia, China, and Tibet are the largest producers of wool. Yet, Ladakhi Cashmere has the finest grade but its production is quite low due to the rare goats of Changra.
What ply of cashmere is best? ›
Number of ply: Look for two-ply cashmere garments, where two threads of yarn are twisted together to give a more resistant knit. Single-ply cashmere will be less durable and might develop holes more easily. Two-ply also means that the sweater will be knitted more tightly, therefore being softer and warmer.
Is there anything better than cashmere? ›
Yak wool, AKA “khullu” is not only a cashmere alternative because it's similarly soft and comfy to wear all the time. Khullu is also considered an alternative because it's more sustainable, breathable, durable, and warmer than cashmere.
Why is 100% cashmere itchy? ›
High-quality cashmere fibers are longer and finer, resulting in a softer and less itchy material. Lower quality cashmere may have shorter fibers, which can be prickly and cause irritation. The weave of the fabric is also a factor in the itchiness of cashmere.
What feels like cashmere but is cheaper? ›
Price: Although it's a much rarer material, alpaca wool tends to be cheaper than the highest-quality cashmere.
Higher-quality cashmere pieces are typically two or three strands thick. Finer and smoother individual strands create softer garments, but they are rare and thus, cost more.
Which cashmere brand is most expensive? ›
Ladakhi Cashmere is the finest all the production of this fine wool. Ladakhi Cashmere is the most expensive in the world; this is due to many reasons. From its procurement to the making of the final product, Cashmere fibre gets a manual processing to produce Pashmina shawls, scarves or smaller accessories.
What are the cons of cashmere? ›
Disadvantages: But because of the cashmere's fineness, short fiber and weak strength, we need good care when wearing especially avoids grinding with hard clothes, coarse cloth and chemical fiber. Particularly we can't pull strongly and do drastic exercise to avoid punch and pilling when wearing cashmere pants.
How much should you pay for a cashmere sweater? ›
After comparing the quality and price from a bunch of brands, speaking to people working in the industry, and reading as much as humanly possible on the subject, I'm confident that the sweet spot for cashmere made and procured in an ethical way, and made with high-quality yarn that will wear well and last for a long ...
What is the difference between 2 ply and 3 ply cashmere? ›
Two twisted threads are referred to as 2-ply, and three twisted threads are referred to as 3-ply, etc. Since cashmere is a fine hair, it benefits from the increased strength in the twisted thread. Look for items that are 2-ply or higher, as 1-ply cashmere is less durable and is more likely to develop holes.
Where does the best quality cashmere come from? ›
Some of the highest-quality cashmere comes from goats that live in the snowy plains of Mongolia and Inner Mongolia.
What color is best for cashmere? ›
Light gray color can balance and brighten the darkness of coat. If for light color coat like white, pink gray color can neutralize its lightness. The wide feasibility makes it very popular in people. White color no matter dyed white or undyed raw white cashmere yarn is popularin our customers.
