Cashmere is a particular type of wool that comes from goats bred specially for their soft undercoat used to make cashmere fibers. The term 'cashmere' comes from 'Kashmir, a region in northern India where the prized fabric was initially made thousands of years back. The cashmere fabric comes from cashmere and pashmina goats mostly made in Central Asia, although the United States and Europe have their cashmere industries. A cashmere goat has two layers of coat. The outer skin is coarse meant to protect them from harsh external elements and is used to make things such as brushes. The inner coat is soft and delicate, consisting of dense and soft hairs from which the cashmere fabric is made, resulting in the fabric's unique characteristics.

Why is cashmere so expensive?

Cashmere is one of the finest fabrics in the world. Its fine and soft hairs are woven to make incredibly soft and luxurious garments, such as a long-lasting cashmere sweater. Cashmere goats are rare, and unlike a sheep that can produce about 3kilos of wool, a cashmere goat can only produce around 200grams of fiber. The usable weight even reduces since the thick hairs, grease, and dirt have to be stripped off. So the fiber supply is minimal because of the small amount each goat produces, making cashmere garments expensive but worth it. Processing also takes a lot of work since it is delicate and needs to be treated carefully throughout the process.

Why are cashmere sweaters so desirable?

Cashmere sweaters are incredibly warm, soft, lightweight with breathable qualities, making them an excellent winter accessory. A high-grade cashmere sweater is elastic and holds shape for a great deal of time, allowing the wearer to enjoy its durability for many years. Due to the complex and demanding production methods, cashmere sweaters also come at a high cost as the material is expensive. The prices vary depending on the quality of production, but it is normal to see cashmere sweaters priced at hundreds or thousands of dollars in luxury designer stores.

Different grades of cashmere

Depending on the quality, there are various grades of cashmere that can be classified into A, B, and C, with C being the lowest grade of cashmere. Grade C measures around 30microns width per cashmere hair. Grade B is in-between, measuring around 18-19micron width per cashmere hair, while grade A is the softest and finest, measuring below 14microns width per cashmere hair. In other words, a thinner cashmere means finer construction resulting in a high-quality cashmere sweater.

How to buy cashmere sweaters

When shopping for cashmere sweaters, beware of the different grades of cashmere. Many companies produce cashmere blends whereby they mix cashmere with other fabrics such as lower quality wool and even cheaper and low-quality materials such as nylon. Such combinations lack the unique features that a 100% quality cashmere is known for. A 100% cashmere sweater is warm and soft enough to keep you warm during winter and also cool and dry to wear during spring and summer. There are also cases of mislabelling too. If you find a cheap sweater claiming to be cashmere fabric, the deal is probably too good to be true.

conclusion

Cashmere is one of the most sought-after soft fibers globally, which makes cashmere sweaters so desirable.