Cashmere

On the icy slopes of the Himalayas, at an altitude of approx. 3,000–5,000 metres, lives the Kashmir goat, whose wool develops its unique properties under extreme climatic conditions. Its coat needs radical weather challenges to develop its warming down layer. It lives for at least six months in temperatures reaching -40°C (!) in order to need its warming down blanket at all. Thanks to this, such severe frosts are no problem for it. The coat of this wonderful goat consists of two layers. The outer layer consists of long, stiff and coarse hairs that protect the animal from the biting wind. The undercoat is soft, delicate down that keeps the animal warm like the cosiest duvet. This down is very warm, light and durable – it is cashmere, the most expensive fibre in the world. The processes of shearing a cashmere goat and a sheep are completely different. In spring, when it gets warmer, the animals lose their warm down lining. To prevent the precious down from mixing with the coarse outer coat, their hair is collected by hand or carefully combed out. This ensures that the long hairs are thoroughly separated from the delicate down (cashmere). This process takes up to two weeks. The raw cashmere is then further processed and subjected to rigorous quality assessment – during processing, many fibres are thinned out and the cashmere loses weight during the further process. It is estimated that one goat produces approximately 50-150 grams of pure cashmere per year. One sweater requires the wool of several goats (approximately 400g)! We are talking about cashmere that has already been cleaned of coarse fibres, impurities and grease. The demand for cashmere is high and its production is unable to meet it. Attempts have been made to breed cashmere goats, but without success. The uniqueness of this raw material stems from the living conditions of goats in the Kashmir region. Its prices have been gradually rising for several years and are likely to continue to do so. From this perspective, the prices of finished products are not surprising.


ADVANTAGES OF CASHMERE

One of the main advantages of cashmere is its wonderfully light softness, which is incomparable to other types of wool. Its warmth is also noteworthy – it is six times warmer than sheep's wool sweaters. You will definitely not feel cold in a cashmere jumper. The elasticity and flexibility of cashmere are also unquestionable. Not only does it drape beautifully, but it also quickly returns to its original shape and does not crease easily. Cashmere "breathes", is hygienic and healthy for the skin. It absorbs water vapour, almost immediately wicking it away. At the same time, however, its surface does not absorb water, which means that it dries quickly and, although it is not waterproof, autumn drizzle will not soak us to the skin. Its durability is also an important feature. The patina of time only enhances the beauty of cashmere, which, like a stylish, antique piece of furniture, with proper care, proves to be an almost indestructible material that will serve you for many years.


CARE

The care of cashmere products (sweaters) requires the right approach. We recommend gentle hand washing in lukewarm water with wool detergent to prevent the loss of natural waxes found on the fibres. We do not recommend long soaking to avoid losing the natural waxes. The washed product should be gently squeezed in a towel and dried flat. Outerwear made of wool or cashmere should be dry cleaned at specialist laundries.