Cashmere comes from the wool or fur of the cashmere goat, mainly bred in Mongolia, Iran, Tibet, India, and China. The best cashmere comes from the back and shoulders of goats, and garments made from cashmere were once only available to royalty. Cashmere is highly desirable due to its silky feel, feather-light weight, and appreciable condition.
Cashmere is a lush wool that many fashion conscious women have dreamed of wearing against their skin. Its silky feel, feather-light weight, and appreciable condition make it highly desirable.
Despite the glamor associated with cashmere, it comes from humble beginnings. It is the wool or fur of the cashmere goat. Cashmere goats are mainly bred in Mongolia, but many are bred in Iran, Tibet, India, and China. American herders have also joined the international market for cashmere production in recent years.
Cashmere is harvested from goats during their annual molting season through shedding or shearing of their down. In the cold high desert climates where most goats are raised, the dense undercoat protects against harsh winter weather, but once the seasons change, the goats begin to lose the protective layer of down.
The best cashmere generally comes from the back and shoulders of goats. The fibers from the abdomen and back area may be usable because they are fine fibers, but they are generally too short to make quality wool. However, they can be blended with other fibers to make a quality material, just not quality cashmere wool. Shorter fibers have a tendency to “pill” while longer fibers are easier to spin and do not become easier when woven into garments. The fibers naturally come in white, gray and brown, but the wool is easily dyed.
Garments made from cashmere were only available to royalty because the rarity of the wool increased its value. Napoleon is said to have popularized their use for shawls or wraps when he gave his second wife, the Empress Eugénie, seventeen of them.
In more recent years, the glamor girls of old Hollywood graced the silver screen, bringing paisley to the hearts of people everywhere. The “original sweater girl,” Lana Turner, created a phenomenon when she wore a tight cashmere sweater in a 1937 film called, They Shall Not Be Forgotten. Similar sweaters of every description soon became couture; evening sweaters with jewels and heavily encrusted embroidery became popular during the 1940s, and the famous best-dressed college student sweater set ruled the ’50s. Avid collectors are now desperate for those fine examples of cashmere sweaters from epoch.
Knitted garments made from cashmere should be dry cleaned, but knitted items may be hand washed. Home knitters and knitters appreciate the yarn for its soft hand and practical warmth; Wool is available for home projects at yarn stores or online through internet knitting and craft sites.
The quality and feel of cashmere will have you wanting more. Owning a garment made from this fabric is a fashion delight to be truly treasured; after all, it takes a goat four years to produce enough wool to make a single sweater.
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