17 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Cashmere

Cashmere wool or simply cashmere is one of the most luxurious and most expensive natural fabrics.

Because of its specific and useful properties, this is one of the most wanted materials. It is not unusual for people around the world to find 100% cashmere products in their local stores or in online stores.

One of the first things they notice about these products is their beautiful visual appearance and the price.

But, why is cashmere so expensive? The simple answer is – cashmere is special. Really special fiber.

Cashmere is special on many levels and we want to share with you 17 interesting facts that make cashmere so special.

17 Facts About Cashmere

1. This is one of the rare materials that got its name from a goat that lives in a specific region – Kashmir in India/Pakistan.
2. Specific process of production – cashmere wool is obtained with combing of the lower hair (the lower layer of hair) from special goats that provide cashmere wool. The Cashmere goat originates from India and Pakistan, although in the ancient times it could be found in the neighboring countries like China and even in Mongolia. Today, the Cashmere goat is bred in many different countries around the globe.
3. Thin fabrics with great insulation properties – The soft and dense material can keep users warm even when it is -40 °C although it is only a few millimeters thick.
4. In order to produce one average-sized sweater, you will need wool from between 3 and 5 goats.
5. Clothing products made of cashmere keep their original shape even after years of use.
6. Cashmere products do not stretch and do not fade (of course, only if you take proper care of them).
7. The most popular and most famous factories for processing and turning Cashmere wool into garments are located in Europe – Italy and Scotland to be more precise. The oldest factory that is still producing Cashmere clothing is located in the city of Elgin in Scotland and it was founded in 1797.
8. Cashmere doesn’t require special care, but when you treat it, you need to practice hand-washing.
9. The ninth fact about cashmere is that each cashmere goat has the ability to produce between 4 and 6 ounces of underdown each year which is one of the reasons why this material is expensive.
10. Cashmere comes in three colors – gray, brown and white, but this is a material that is capable of dyeing to a very large range of colors. It can be dyed as good as any other type of wool.
11. Cashmere wool is used in more than 10 different types of products including women’s and men’s coats, hosiery, blazers, jackets, gloves, sweaters, socks, scarves etc.
12. Cashmere fiber is six times finer compared to human hair.
13. Cashmere was a material that was used by noblemen in the Roman Empire. Starting from the 18th century, this material became popular among European royal families and aristocrats again.
14. Families in the region of Kashmir are still weaving and spinning Cashmere manually. They are able to produce high-quality Cashmere products.
15. Cashmere fineness starts from 14 microns and goes up to 19 microns. Thinner cashmere is softer.
16. China is the world’s largest supplier of raw materials needed to produce Cashmere wool.
17. Cashmere is usually woven into two-ply yarn. This form of yarn has better characteristics – it lasts longer, it is more resistant to different weather conditions etc. However, since it includes two strands and requires more work in order to be produced two-ply yarn in Cashmere products means higher price.

Remember that these are only some of the interesting facts about cashmere, a material that is so special and wanted.

Do you know more? We would like to hear from you.