History

Cashmere, once reserved for royalty, is a wool that has been used for thousands of years to make high quality garments. It's characterized by its ultra soft fibers and is appropriate for all climates. The high moisture content of this wool allows its insulating properties to change with the humidity, this in turn provides a light weight insulator with almost no bulk. Cashmere goat down is used to produce the wool that later becomes a scarf, stole, shawl, sweater or a multitude of other garments. The goats produce a double fleece that consists of a fine undercoat that is mingled with a much coarser outer layer of hair. The prized under down must be separated from the coarse outer hair, this is a tedious process and is one of the reasons for the high price of cashmere.

Care

With proper care and cleaning, your cashmere treasure can last a very long time. Woven cashmere must be dry cleaned, but knitted articles may be hand washed. If in doubt as to which method was used in producing your article, dry clean. With that said, many people hand wash their cashmere and it actually tends to make it softer over time. Gently wash in lukewarm water with a mild soap. Rinse in water of same temperature. Do not wring or twist, gently press excess water from garment. Lay on a towel on a flat surface and allow to air dry. Be sure to block to desired shape, for the item will take on the shape in which it is placed while drying. Once dry, use a lint brush to remove pills and then fold carefully to avoid creases. Lay flat in a drawer. Do not hang cashmere, as over time this will cause it to stretch out of shape.

Quality

The test for quality cashmere is warmth, feel and the the ability of the item to pass through a wedding ring. This is the meaning of the term ring cashmere. While this isn't always possible with larger garments, it can be achieved with some small items. The most popular blend is 70% cashmere with 30% silk. The 70/30 makes for a tight weave, elegant sheen and nice draping characteristics. Pure cashmere has a more open weave and can't tolerate much tension. Ply refers to weight not quality. Obviously two ply is thicker and heavier than one ply.

Garments

Garments are available in various sizes, from a scarf (12"x60") to a stole (28"x80") to a shawl (36"x80"). This will give you a general idea of the amount of cashmere to be found in a particular item. Owning a cashmere garment is a fashion treat to be treasured, after all, it takes a goat four years to produce enough wool to make just one sweater.