Flooding the high street, at continually cheaper prices, itzcaribbean.com takes a look at the world of Cashmere. Cashmere is one of the worlds most rare and precious fibres, soft to handle, light and warm, and to wear it is to be enveloped in sumptuousness. The amazingly soft fibre started out as the Fabric of Kings, and was once only affordable to very wealthy, offering exclusive luxury and sensuality.
Cashmere is everywhere this season, from £25 at Tescos, to hundreds of pounds at prestigious luxury Cashmere houses. Over the last decade fashion designers have increasingly used Cashmere in knitwear ranges, when once you could only buy a twin set or men’s sweater, now it comes in any form of clothing from designer dresses, to socks and handkerchiefs.
The name cashmere comes from the Kashmir province of India, where the cashmere products of this area first attracted the attention of Europeans in the early 1800s. Cashmere Goats come from Afghanistan, Iran, northern China, Mongolia, Tibet, and Kashmir, where the majority of the world’s supply of comes from. In more recent years, New Zealand and Australia have been producing cashmere at high quality.
Goats do not have to be killed for cashmere production. They are combed or sheared for their hair. The most prized wool comes from the undercoat, and is separated from the coarser outer coat, or ‘guard hair’. The separated guard hairs go into rugs or hair canvas used in tailored garments.
For over a century Scotland has been synonymous with the highest quality luxury cashmere. The most prestigious Cashmere houses in Scotland include Johnston of Elgin, Pringle of Scotland, and Ballantyne Cashmere. Only the fine soft wool from the undercoat is sourced, and used in their garments. Today the luxury and exclusivity of Scottish cashmere is still highly prized.
Fibres are classified as cashmere when the fibre diameter is 19 microns or less. Pashmina is classified as the finest cashmere, at 12-14 microns thick. There are variations in cashmere quality from fine fibred Luxury cashmere, to low end with coarse fibres.
Today high streets have cashmere stating 100% pure, however the quality varies, and some garments may contain other fibres including Rabbit and camel wool
Qualities cashmere is prized for are its long lasting comfort (cashmere usually outwears wool!) and warmth.
A quality item will not loose its shape, or shrink with hand washing, or bobble.
When shopping for cashmere, make sure your buying the real thing. Always check the labels for the cashmere percentage. Some tags will read "Cashmere" or Cashmere blend", but the garments may only have 10% or less cashmere. Look out for a statement of fibre percentage in accordance with the Wool Products Labelling Act. Watch out for bargains and go for genuine quality.
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