By CASHMERE WOOL – NATURAL MATERIAL THAT SCORES WITH FINENESS
Cashmere is known as one of the highest quality wool types due to its excellent fibers, the cashmere fibers and is therefore considered precious wool. For over 3000 years, man has been using this warm precious wool made of downy hair to make sweaters or scarves.
THE ORIGIN OF CASHMERE
The fine and soft Cashmere is obtained from the undercoat of cashmere goats, mainly found in Central Asia. The undercoat of these animals is particularly fine due to their habitat. This fineness ensures that heat is stored exceptionally well between the individual fibers. Cashmere goats are bred in China, Nepal, Afghanistan, Mongolia, and Iran. The term cashmere comes from the same name in the Himalayas.
THE QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF CASHMERE WOOL
Genuine Cashmere comes from the cashmere goat and is white in its original state. Cashmere wool with brown and black parts comes from the Persian and Afghan regions. These must first be bleached before dyeing, which affects the quality. There are also cross-breeds of cashmere goats and other goat species and recycled fibers mixed with the high-quality cashmere wool. However, this combination does not achieve the original quality of pure cashmere. In addition, genuine cashmere products must meet the minimum requirements of the Textile Labeling Act, which states that the cashmere content must be at least 85 percent.
THE PRODUCTION OF CASHMERE
Only about 150 grams of wool per goat can be obtained from the animal’s undercoat each year. Therefore, the fallen wool is collected, or the undercoat is carefully combed out. The material from the Cashmere Goat is then sorted by colour and washed. This is followed by the so-called de-boning, in which the coarse top coat, i.e., the awns, are separated from the fine undercoat. For a knitted sweater, for example, at least 400 grams of wool are required. Therefore, a model made of 100 percent cashmere requires the wool of at least three goats. With conventional virgin wool, which is obtained from sheep, on the other hand, one animal provides wool for up to 15 sweaters. This illustrates why cashmere wool is one of the most valuable and expensive natural fibers.
HOW DO I CARE FOR CASHMERE CLOTHING?
At best, store cashmere clothing in the dark and avoid high temperatures. Store your cashmere clothes carefully folded in the closet and not on a hanger because then the fabric can lose its shape. After wearing, the fabric will regain its previous soft texture through extensive airing. If necessary, wash the clothes inside out at a maximum of 30 degrees with a special wool detergent in the wool program of your washing machine. If you dry cashmere lying, it keeps its shape. In addition, please always follow the care instructions on the label.
THE SPECIAL FEATURES OF CASHMERE WOOL
Precious cashmere has these advantages:
- Cashmere wool is very soft, thanks to its fineness.
- Thanks to its high elasticity, clothing made of cashmere is exceptionally comfortable to wear.
- The fine fibers warm not only the goats in the Himalayas: the excellent thermal insulation ensures that you are cozy even at low temperatures.
- Unlike other types of wool, cashmere has a low weight.
