Cashmere Made of What?
The Science Behind It

Cashmere is one of the most prestigious fabrics in the world. Discover why and science behind it

GIULIA ROMITI
Contributor

What is Cashmere and what is it made of?

Cashmere wool, also known as "golden fleece" or "king's fiber," is acquired from a specific type of goat found in Asian Highlands like Mongolia, Tibet, Afghanistan, and China. Most of these goats are found in the Gobi Desert. This area stretches from Northern China into Mongolia. But not all the hair of these goats is pure cashmere wool.

The beautiful long and thin strands of wool are extracted from beneath the goat's coarse hair. Right under the belly of the goat, one can find a layer of superfine fibers. These fibers are then combed and sorted out by hand. From there, it is taken to a dehairing facility where it is properly cleaned and refined.

Further, this refined wool is transported to Europe to get spun into fine pieces of yarn. Finally, this yarn is sold to designers to transform the raw material into wearable pieces.

This is the answer to your question what is cashmere made of? Still, if you are thinking, what makes it so expensive? Let's get your question answered.

Why Is Cashmere So Expensive?

1. Rare

As discussed above, Cashmere does not come from just any other goat. Instead, a specific type of goat hair is used in making this phenomenal wool. These goats are found in high-altitude areas across the Himalayan range, where the temperature can drop to around -30°C.

Due to this, the kind of wool grown on the coat is thick and warm so that they can easily survive in these errand regions. After shearing the wool off from the goats, it takes them around 6 months to reproduce it. Leaving this apart, the process of raising the goats and then combing and shearing their locks to produce yarn is quite extensive. Thus, increasing the cost of the wool.

 2. Huge Demand

Who does not want to be a proud owner of a luxurious Cashmere sweater or scarf? The demand for this beautiful piece is phenomenal material is so much that fashion experts have nicknamed it "Soft Gold" and "Diamond fiber." But many of you might not know that it takes around 2-3 goats' hair to produce just one cashmere scarf. Keeping in mind the rarity factor, one can imagine how difficult it might be to get good quality and quantity of cashmere wool.

 3. Requires a lot of hard work

The process that goes into preparing a single piece of cashmere garment can take loads of work and effort. From the farmers who raise the goats and shear out the wool to the people who spin it out to make beautiful yarn out, a lot of people are involved in its making process. These people work day and night for months and even years to produce a single piece of cashmere sweater or shawl.

What Makes Cashmere Soft and Warm?

Do you remember the first time you laid your hands on your cashmere accessory? It probably would have felt the softest and warmest thing. Each strand of this beautiful fiber feels heavenly when it touches your skin.

But what makes it so soft? Well, each strand of this material comes directly from cashmere goats found in the world's harshest and colder regions. To survive in such cold conditions, the hair has protective elements that make it soft and warm. Thus, making the finest wool in the world, Cashmere is soft and warm.

What Are the Different Types of Cashmere?

There are around five different categories of Cashmere wool available in the market:

Cashmere Wool The original

Cashmere is derived directly from the goat raised and bred in the Gobi Desert and Kashmir regions. This is one of the finest quality cashmere wool you can find in the market. These are the best in quality and are extremely soft in touch. However, compared to other types of Cashmere, this one is the most expensive.

Pashmina Wool

Often mistaken for Cashmere, Pashmina wool comes from goats found in the lands of Kashmir. However, pashmina is different from Cashmere and is made from the amalgamation of several different materials. Thus, making it less pricey than Cashmere.

Grade A Cashmere

Grade A Cashmere is an extremely soft type of wool that one gets their hands on. It is made using 14 microns width per hair, making it so soft and comfortable. Thus, making it one of the most expensive types of Cashmere among the lot. However, as soon as you lay your hands on it, you can easily figure out why it is priced so much.

Grade B Cashmere

Made using 18-19 microns width per hair, grade B cashmere is a slightly rough version of Cashmere. As a result, it falls flat amongst the other types of Cashmere. That is why it is priced quite a bit less.

Grade C Cashmere

This one is the worst type of Cashmere fabric that one can find. It is thick, rough, and quite uncomfortable to wear. The accessories made using grade C cashmere usually either have zero or no contact with the skin. It is priced even less than Grade A cashmere.

How Do You Wash Cashmere?

One thing that terrifies all cashmere wool owners is how to wash it when it gets dirty. Well, no worries, here is how you should wash your Cashmere without damaging your sweater:

What all you require:
· Baby shampoo/wool wash
· A water basin or a sink
· Drying Rack
· A boar bristle cashmere brush
· Steamer

Washing Process
· Fill your sink or basin with lukewarm water. Check the temperature of the water properly before immersing your Cashmere in it.
· Now pour some baby shampoo or wool wash into the water. Mix it well, and then submerge your sweater into it.
· Let it soak in for at least 15 minutes. Keep moving your Cashmere in the water to loosen up any dirt.
· If you have used baby shampoo, then you have to remove the soap from it. For that, empty the sink and fill it up with clean water. Submerge your sweater again in clean water and squeeze out all the excess water by making a ball of the sweater.
· Keep repeating this process until all the soap gets out of the sweater.

Pro tip:
a) Never put your Cashmere in hot water.
b) Do not put your Cashmere under running water as the fabric of your sweater can be damaged.

Drying Process:
After you are done washing your sweater now, the turn comes for drying it:
· Take a flat drying rack or a white towel. Lay your cashmere sweater on it and let it air dry.
· Do not hang your sweater as its fabric will stretch, and the sweater will loosen out.

How To Care for Cashmere?

From washing to drying and then storing, there are several things that one should keep in mind while taking care of Cashmere. Here are a few things that one should keep in mind while taking care of Cashmere:

Cashmere sweaters are so lightweight that one can wear them in any season. So, you might not want to keep it far from your site. Still, if you plan to store it away, seal it in a plastic bag. This is to safeguard your Cashmere from any moth attack. Plastic repels moths and insects, thus, protecting your Cashmere from getting damaged.

Protection from Pilling:
Here are a few steps with which you can safeguard your Cashmere from piling:
1. Try to give some rest to your garment between wears.
2. Use a good-quality brush to remove any unwanted debris from clothing.
3. Use detergents that are designed for washing cashmere.
4. You can also get your garment dry cleaned by a specialist.
5. Wash according to the instructions provided with the garment.

Conclusion

Owning a cashmere garment is no less than a luxury, but not all will provide you with an authentic one. If you are looking for the best Italian cashmere garments, you should check here on adhocatelier.it, where you can get your hands on original cashmere products.

 Our artisans do their best to provide the clients with the best products. We have an high quality selection, both for women and men. We carefully select the best Italian artisans, that produce with km0 materials and follows traditions and high-quality standards. If you want to produce cashmere garments, you should go to Italian Artisan, where you can find the best Italian clothing manufacturers.

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