Cashmere, a Precious Fabric That’s Back in Fashion

Coming from the cold and fascinating highlands of Asia, cashmere is one of the most noble and precious fabrics of all time, a yarn that is making a strong comeback, after decades when we were led to believe that modern textile fibers could permanently replace it.

To be honest, a market of connoisseurs, including major fashion brands and luxury fashion brands like 1stAmerican, have continued to use cashmere, betting on the fabric’s uniqueness and its being something special and sought-after, while never relegating themselves to a niche choice.

What is Cashmere?

Cashmere, or cashmere wool, is a natural fiber produced by a particular breed of goat, known as Kel or Capra hircus, which lives mainly on Asian highlands at altitudes above 1,000 meters. Perfectly adapted to this environment to protect itself from harsh weather and the extremely cold climate of the highlands, the goat develops very warm and soft wool, a fleece that grows under the animal’s long hair and from which cashmere fibers are obtained.

The name of the fiber comes from the Indian region of Kashmir, an area that was once the primary producer of this highly sought-after wool that European merchants, through the centuries thanks to the Silk Road, introduced to the whole world along with many other precious raw materials from Asia and the Indian subcontinent. With cashmere trade, many merchants became incredibly wealthy, later founding great commercial empires.

Even Camillo Benso di Cavour, one of the heroes of the Italian Risorgimento, tried to breed the hircus goat in Italy to produce cashmere, but his attempt failed precisely because of the uniqueness of this animal and its bond with an even more unique natural environment.

How is Cashmere Produced?

Cashmere production takes place through two artisanal methods that influence the quality and, obviously, also the price of the yarn.

The first method, used on the Himalayan highlands, has a fascinatingly archaic connotation and has its roots in ancient times, being linked to the lifestyle and traditions of the nomadic peoples of Asian regions.

In spring, the Kel goat begins its annual molting, naturally shedding its hair due to the change of season and rising temperatures. The animal, which starts to feel warm, rubs against bushes and rocks to remove the weight of the wool produced abundantly during the harsh winter. Local inhabitants climb the highlands to collect the tufts of wool left caught on branches. This is an ancient and completely eco-sustainable method, since everything is done in a completely natural way, with full respect for the environment and animals.

In Mongolia, China, and various regions of Central Asia, where goats are domesticated and breeding represents sustenance for various populations, cashmere production occurs like that of normal wool, albeit with still artisanal techniques that guarantee high product quality. In fact, while wool is obtained from sheep by shearing them, cashmere is obtained through manual combing of the goats’ fleece during molting season. During spring months, shepherds first cut the outer part of the goat’s coat and then subsequently collect the precious hair with special long-toothed combs. After collection, the fibers are washed, separated, and finally spun.

Besides these production realities, there are other countries interested in breeding hircus goats and cashmere production such as Iran, Tibet, Afghanistan, Turkey, India, some republics of the former Soviet Union, and even small areas located in Italian mountain regions, with Umbria being the true heart of Italian production, in spite of – it’s quite fitting to say – Count Cavour.

Characteristics and Value of Cashmere

Apart from its intrinsic characteristics that make it an extremely soft wool fiber with excellent thermoregulatory qualities, cashmere has a much higher value than normal wool since a single goat can produce at most 150-200 grams of usable fiber, compared to 2-2.5 kilos of coat hair. Once spun, this amount of fiber is further reduced by 10-15%, making the yield even lower and, obviously, increasing its value.

Generally, for a soft scarf or shoulder wrap, the wool produced by a single goat is needed, that of three animals for a sweater, and the fleece of about twenty goats for a coat.

The characteristic that makes cashmere fiber very precious is that, compared to common wool, the hair is much more regular, smooth, and with less sharp scales when analyzed under a microscope. Cashmere, as a raw material, is classified based on color, purity, fineness, and fiber length. Just think that the average diameter of the finest cashmere fibers is 14-16 microns (14-16 thousandths of a millimeter), while quality merino wool has fibers with a diameter of about 20 microns.

As already mentioned, cashmere means luxury, because its intrinsic qualities and predominantly artisanal production make it a fiber with very high costs, although it’s still possible to find cashmere of slightly lower quality and with much more affordable prices.

How to Recognize Real Cashmere

It’s good to know that, even if obtained with lower quality fibers compared to the very precious ones produced in Mongolia and China, a real cashmere garment has a decidedly significant cost and, for example, a good quality cashmere sweater certainly cannot cost little.

If you find yourself facing cashmere with department store prices, you need to be very careful because often many manufacturers add synthetic fibers to the yarn.

However, it’s still common practice to produce yarns by mixing other natural but high-quality fibers, such as merino wool, with cashmere fibers. The higher the amount of wool present in the yarn, the lower the price of a garment with mixed cashmere fiber will be.

Unfortunately, however, many clothing items sold as cashmere, even if produced with mixed fibers, don’t correspond to what’s indicated on the label and, therefore, faced with declared cashmere quantities of 45-50% of the fiber, you instead find yarns where the percentage of precious cashmere fibers is much lower. Moreover, it’s not at all rare for products labeled as pure cashmere (therefore with 100% yarn from hircus goat fleece) to be sold when, instead, the yarn in question is “contaminated” by other fibers (even artificial ones).

But then, how do you recognize real cashmere? How can you be sure that what’s reported on the label corresponds to the truth?

The answer, unfortunately, unless you have the yarn analyzed under a microscope, is to trust the label and, above all, buy from retailers like 1stAmerican.

An empirical method to determine if you’re dealing with true cashmere is only possible after purchasing the garment in question and using it for a while. The particular length and purity of cashmere fibers, as well as the fact that these fibers are very fine, ensure that the garment (whether it’s a sweater, scarf, or coat) does not show signs of fraying. Cashmere, in fact, is free from excessive “pilling,” which is the phenomenon that occurs on the surface of a fabric and leads to the formation of small fiber balls, known as “pills.” The higher the quality of the cashmere, the less pilling will occur on the garment in question.

Cashmere is so unique in this regard that “pilling” does not increase even after multiple washes of the garments—provided they are done correctly—and, in fact, they help maintain the quality and softness of the cashmere.

A quick test that can be done during purchase involves rubbing the surface of the garment with the palm of your hand: if you feel a sort of “silk effect” and there are no micro-clusters of pills on the surface, then you are most likely looking at a garment made of true cashmere, or at least with a fiber containing high percentages of the precious yarn.

Another precaution, always to be used before purchasing a cashmere garment, is to stretch the garment and check if it returns to its original shape. A garment that remains stretched for a long time, or even becomes almost permanently deformed, indicates that you are dealing with anything but true cashmere.

So, in light of what has been said, you have to somehow trust the label (and obviously the manufacturer), which should state “100% cashmere” indicating that it is pure fiber and not mixed with other types of fibers, of varying quality. Pure cashmere, in short, must therefore maintain its purity in composition.

The Advantages of Cashmere

The production method, its characteristics, and the fact that each individual animal can only produce a small amount of cashmere are not the only features that make this fabric so sought after and, at times, quite expensive.

Compared to wool, even high-quality wool like merino, cashmere is much softer and more lustrous, has unmatched shine, and possesses distinct isothermal characteristics. The thermoregulation ability of the fiber, which the hircus goats benefit from to protect themselves from the harsh climates of their natural habitat, allows cashmere garments to be worn even during the warmer seasons.

In fact, as seen in the spring and summer dress codes proposed by 1stAmerican, it’s not uncommon to pair a light shirt with a pure cashmere sweater, even on the hottest days, thanks to the thermoregulation characteristics of the yarn.

How to Wash and Store Cashmere

Cashmere garments, if well cared for, washed, and stored, can last a very long time, demonstrating how incredible this material is and why a true quality cashmere garment can reach prices that are not exactly cheap.

Cashmere is best washed by hand. In this case, it’s necessary to always use lukewarm water with temperatures not exceeding 30/35 degrees. Just use a mild soap/detergent for wool and a few drops of fabric softener, nothing more. Cashmere garments should be washed inside out gently and fairly quickly, absolutely avoiding soaking them. After washing, you should rinse the cashmere just as quickly until all traces of detergent/soap are removed. Once washed, cashmere should be dried with great care and delicacy, absolutely avoiding hanging it and removing excess water by placing the garment between two towels and gently patting it. Avoid direct sunlight and heat sources, so no hangers and quick drying near radiators.

Regarding machine washing, it is strongly discouraged as it is highly degenerative for the fabric.

Finally, proper storage of cashmere garments will allow sweaters, scarves, shirts, dresses, and coats to last for years and years. Just store the garments in breathable and dry bags or pouches, remembering to use products (natural or not) to keep moths away, products that should never come into direct contact with the cashmere.

Not just Cashmere

Cashmere is perfect for making clothing, not only on its own but also together with other materials. For example, for winter, other types of wool are ideal, while for summer, viscose and silk are well-suited. Silk, in fact, thanks to its breathable properties, is also perfect for making winter garments and adapts excellently to all seasons. It’s no coincidence that 1stAmerican creates 100% silk garments, capable of lasting a lifetime while remaining, as the word itself suggests, silky. The brand has also developed 100% cotton and 100% linen garments for summer, comfortable, fresh, perfect for letting the skin breathe. Cashmere, as we’ve seen, is a fabric with an ancient tradition capable of always being in fashion. It never tires thanks to its precious quality and can withstand everything with proper washing. Even time.