5 Important Cashmere Facts You Must Know

It’s been a cold winter in Melbourne this year and our cashmere products have been in high demand, but with that comes a lot of questions. We’ve had a lot of queries about cashmere from our customers recently, regarding the q. There are still a lot of misconceptions about cashmere and cashmere products. So, this Q&A post is very necessary to help you gain the right perception and knowledge about cashmere products.

Is cashmere only used for warmth and can only be worn in winter?

Cashmere is warm, but can also be worn in the summer, as it is very breathable and light. Many beautiful ladies in the summer carry cashmere shawls outdoors to protect them from the sun, and indoors to keep warm in an air-conditioned room. As for winter and summer, there is a distinction between the thickness of cashmere which depends on the source of cashmere, the yarn, the number of stitches and weaving method. Generally, in winter, you can choose 7 or 5 stitches, with a moderate yarn count and extra thickness. For summer, a thin cashmere scarf with yarn count of 200 or above is ideal to resist cold air conditioning, and at the same time, give you the delicate skin-friendly feeling allowing you to experience the comfort of real cashmere.

Will the sheep be cold after being shaved for cashmere? What happens if they are cold?

The fleece grown on goats is to protect themselves from the cold in winter, but in spring, when the weather gets warmer, the goats will need to change and take off their thick, warm cashmere. If the shepherd doesn’t brush it off, the goats will have to rub it off themselves because it would get too hot if they don’t shed their fleece in time; they could even get a heat rash. As for the goats that live in the wild, their tangled wool also gets uncomfortable, so the shepherds use special iron combs to shed their fleece. The whole process is very comfortable, and as it is a natural process, they of course do not get cold.

Why is it that cashmere can be dehydrated in a washing machine but not washed in a washing machine?

First of all, the principles of washing and dehydration in a washing machine is that in the washing process, the washing machine relies on a continuous and multi-directional rotation to create a frictional environment in which the clothes are rubbed at different angles to achieve a clean effect. In the dehydration process, however, the clothes and the barrel walls are relatively static. The fibres of cashmere are very fine and can be damaged by irregular and vigorous washing. Of course, we have noticed that there are new professional cashmere cleaning solutions and some washing machines are equipped with a separate cashmere cleaning function, so that can also be used and tried. But please be sure to research the machine’s cashmere wash method before you try it. As our cashmere is professionally washed and machine dried before leaving the factory, there is no definitive answer as to how to wash it, but being gentle is a must. After all, cashmere is relatively delicate, so we recommend that you dry clean or wash it gently using a professional cashmere detergent, and that the temperature of the water does not exceed 37 degrees. We believe that your care and attention will reward you with more than ten years of companionship.
An additional tip: It is advised to lay your cashmere product flat to dry to prevent it from going out of shape.

Is sheep’s wool really not cashmere?

Objectively speaking, there is no such concept as sheep cashmere. Cashmere only grows on mountain goats. It is the base fleece that grows on goats with fine short fibres, which is what allows pure cashmere to feel so fine and smooth after weaving. Sheep, on the other hand, can only grow wool, which is relatively coarse and hard. Compared to cashmere, it is much less breathable and warm.

How is cashmere extracted and processed?

In late spring and early summer, when the lambs are shedding their winter fleece, the shepherds use special iron combs to help them remove the excess fleece and prepare them for the hot days of spring and summer. A typical goat can collect around 500 grams of raw fleece. Cashmere is classified by colour, such as black and white. The cashmere from Alxa in Inner Mongolia is the whitest of all, nothing even compares. After picking out any grass and fibres that have fallen in, it is ready to be washed then sorted and combed to remove the coarse wool from the raw fleece to produce a clean, dry cashmere mass. After that, it is ready to dye, weave and begin making products.

If you are in need of a warm cashmere sweater or scarf, Cashmere & Silk is always here for you!