Cashmere: what is it, and why do we love it?

Cashmere is soft, cozy, luxurious, and durable [when cared for properly!]. It is one of our favourite materials for these reasons, and for the way it is used by our designers; it falls, flops and fits in all the right ways. 

What is cashmere? 

Cashmere is a yarn made from rare fibres of the undercoat of certain types of goats, which live mainly in Mongolia and Inner Mongolia China. These goats have adapted to the harsh climate in which they live by developing a double fleece: an outer coat that acts as a raincoat, guarding the undercoat made of ultra-fine fibres, which keeps the goats warm throughout the winter, and cool in the summer heat. These undercoat fibres are what cashmere comes from; collected through a labour intensive process, and then divided into different quality ranges - based on thickness, length and colour. Once the fibres have been collected, they are dyed and spun into yarns, and ready to be knit, woven and incorporated into different garments. 

What is unique about Cashmere? 

Durability - Cashmere lasts! So long as it is cared for, cashmere can last for years. See our Cashmere Care Guide for how to get the most out of your cashmere. 

Softness - Cashmere fibres have a very narrow diameter, which makes a very fine, soft texture of the yarn.

Non-itch - The narrow diameter that makes cashmere soft, is the same reason it doesn’t itch; there is a high density of the fibres, making the texture soft and not scratchy or irritating to the skin. 

Warmth - Cashmere has an insulation capacity that is 3 times higher than wool, which helps maintain body temperature, resulting in a yarn that keeps you warm but not hot. 

Lightness – Because of cashmere’s fine and insulting properties, it doesn’t need to be heavy, which means cashmere garments can be lighter than those made of wool, and still keep you warm. 

Shape resilience - Quality cashmere will not shrink when washed correctly, and will retain its shape over the years.