When discussing cashmere, individuals frequently conjure up images of high-end elegance, delicate softness, unparalleled warmth, and opulent luxury. However, to unravel the enigma surrounding its elevated price tag, it is imperative to delve into its origins—beginning with its evolution, sourcing, production techniques, and the distinctive advantages it holds over other fiber materials. By gaining a profound understanding of each facet of this exquisite fabric, we can gain clearer insight into why cashmere has ascended to the status of a highly coveted luxury item in the marketplace.
1. History of Cashmere
6,000 years ago in the Anatolian Peninsula, people began to use sheep's hair to keep warm, but they mostly used wool and did not know how to obtain precious goat cashmere.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, herders in Kashmir, India, separated cashmere from wool to create cashmere shawls. This is how cashmere got its name, which is still used today.
In the mid-19th century, the British transported cashmere from Kashmir to Britain for processing, marking the beginning of the cashmere processing industry.
In the 1870s, Scottish manufacturers enhanced the method of combing cashmere. This breakthrough shifted the center of cashmere production to Scotland and marked the beginning of cashmere textiles.
In 1920, the first cashmere sweaterwas produced in the United States, breaking the trend of cashmere culture. For more than 100 years, cashmere shawls have always been the main consumer product.
In 1964, Beijing Renli Hemp Textile Factory broke through the blockade of key cashmere technology and produced China's first cashmere sweater, ending the history of only being able to export raw materials.
Currently, China produces 80% of the world's cashmere, with Inner Mongolia being particularly renowned for its high-quality fibers. China leads the global cashmere industry in several important areas, including the production of raw materials, processing volume, exports, and sales.
2. What is cashmere?
Cashmere is collected from the undercoat of goats, specifically from the area closest to their skin. This undercoat grows in cold winter months to protect the goats from wind and cold temperatures. When spring arrives and the weather warms up, the cashmere naturally sheds as a way for the goats to adapt to the changing climate. It is considered a rare and special animal fiber.
The structure of cashmere contains a significant amount of air, which creates an insulating layer that defends against the invasion of cold air while helping to retain body heat. Cashmere fibers are much finer than wool, with smoother and finer scales. As a result, cashmere is light, soft, and resilient. When worn close to the body, it feels incredibly comfortable, which is why it is often referred to as "soft gold."
3. Where does cashmere come from?
The main cashmere-producing countries in the world include China, Iran, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Turkey, and others. Among these, China accounts for approximately 80% of the global cashmere market. It is important to note that not all cashmere goats are raised in environments that meet ethical standards, which can lead to animal abuse and affect the quality of the cashmere. Poor living conditions often result in inferior fiber quality from unhealthy goats.
However, IMField adheres to strict ethical standards, guaranteeing that all its cashmere is sourced from Mongolia and that the procurement process is both ethical and sustainable. The company also produces clothing in its own vertically managed factories to ensure fair working conditions and fulfill its responsibilities.
4. Cashmere production and weaving
The entire process of cashmere from goats to made clothing is long and complicated. Each step is done carefully to maintain the quality of the cashmere fiber, requiring a lot of time and labor.
Combing: In spring, herders will use a special metal comb to comb the wool gently and evenly against the hair to collect the raw cashmere.
Preliminary selection: Manually remove impurities to ensure the first line of defense for the quality of cashmere.
Selection: The cashmere selected in the preliminary selection will be carefully selected by professional teachers.
Washing cashmere: The selected cashmere will be washed in all directions.
Combing: The cleaned cashmere will be combed by machine, and repeated seven to eight times, and you will get light and snow-like hair-free cashmere.
Strip making: The loose hair-free cashmere is combed into a wool strip, which is convenient for combing fine yarn on a needle combing machine.
Dyeing: The traditional hanging dyeing process is used to ensure the natural softness and elasticity of the fiber, giving the cashmere a new color.
Spinning: 1 gram of cashmere yarn can be spun into 100 meters of cashmere yarn after weaving.
Weaving: The cashmere yarn is finally transformed into a soft cashmere fabric through the weaving process, thus making cashmere clothing.
5. What is the difference between cashmere and wool?
Finer cashmere, with the same coverage area, can trap more still air compared to cashmere with a larger surface area, leading to better warmth retention. Cashmere is eight times warmer than wool and is significantly lighter, weighing only one-fifth as much. While it is the best choice for winter clothing fabrics, it is also relatively delicate.
Finer cashmere, with the same coverage area, can trap more still air compared to cashmere with a larger surface area, leading to better warmth retention. Cashmere is eight times warmer than wool and is significantly lighter, weighing only one-fifth as much. While it is the best choice for winter clothing fabrics, it is also relatively delicate.
Cashmere sweaters basically do not shrink after washing, but wool sweaters will shrink.
Ultimately, the reason why cashmere is expensive is...
