The Cashmere Fiber

The cashmere fiber is considered one of the most valuable for its characteristics of fineness, softness and warmth.

The fiber is obtained by combing the goats in Tibet only in winter, to separate the fine and soft hair from the rough and long hair. A very small quantity of wool is obtained: 120 grams (it takes 6 goats for one sweater), which is why the price is very high. Cashmere is a fiber that has the advantage of insulating against the cold but also against heat; it has excellent flame-retardant properties and provides good breathability. The quality of Cashmere depends above all on the breed of the animal and, secondly, on the part of the body from which it is drawn, the most valuable being that from the back. The Capra hircus (this is the name of the Cashmere goat) live in mountainous regions and highlands of Asia. The most important supplier countries are: China, Iran, Mongolia, Tibet, and Afghanistan. However, the softest and most expensive Cashmere, because it is produced in small quantities, comes from the Indian province of Kashmir. The extreme climatic conditions with significant temperature changes between day and night in these areas favor the development of hair called duvet. This duvet has the unique peculiarity, like all animal fibers (but this one more than any other), to thermoregulate the animal's body in relation to the external environment, protecting it from both low and high temperatures. Each article and color of pure cashmere yarn is processed individually, with textile machinery for specialist yarn knitting and weaving. The process is very long and particular, which is why it is carried out by specialized spinning mills in the processing of precious fibers. www.florencecashmereyarn.com