What does cashmere contain? All about cashmere. What is cashmere and what does it consist of?

Cashmere or soft gold is a fabric extraordinary in its composition and properties. Any woman will confirm that softer and more comfortable clothes simply do not exist. Warm softness, delicate lightness and a comfortable fit to the body made this material ideal for any time of year.

You can sew almost any thing from it - a delicate scarf, an elegant sweater or a light coat - cashmere can do it all.

Cashmere is often called wool. But that's not true. In fact, this is the down of a mountain goat of a certain breed, which is still extracted by hand. Down is collected in early spring, when the animal no longer needs it.

The undercoat of the animal is combed out with a special comb or plucked by hand, and the resulting raw material is thoroughly cleaned of dirt and removed from fur. The resulting raw materials are sorted according to the thickness and length of the hairs. Then it is sent for weaving into thin threads.

Thus, wool and cashmere are different materials, because the first is obtained by shaving the wool of sheep, the second by plucking or combing the down of goats.

Goat down was first mined in the Indian state of Kashmir, from which the name of the material comes.

Currently, the main suppliers include China and Mongolia. The most expensive and valuable cashmere produced in the world comes from these countries. Indian, Iranian and Afghani material is often sold, but it is significantly inferior in properties to the first two. It is dirtier and its hairs are thicker.

They tried to breed cashmere goats in other countries recognized as leaders in breeding domestic animals in order to obtain valuable fur, but the unsuitable climate deprived the animals’ undercoat of its amazing lightness and ability to retain heat. After all, the temperature in winter in the highlands of Mongolia or China reaches -50 degrees Celsius, and in summer it rises to +40. This led to the appearance of such a delicate and soft material as cashmere.

Interestingly, cashmere fabric is divided into three types:

• Children's from goat's fluff;
• Pashmina made from the neck and belly fluff of goats;
• Natural cashmere made from down from the back and sides of the animal.

According to legend, cashmere was brought to Europe by Napoleon, who gave his wife a precious shawl made from this material.

Features, characteristics of cashmere

We can talk about the advantages of soft gold for a very long time. The main ones are the following:

• This is perhaps the only natural material that does not cause allergies even in people susceptible to this disease. It does not scratch or irritate the skin.
• This is the lightest natural source of heat.
• At the same time, it has great strength and wear resistance. Retains its appearance after washing and does not leave lint behind.
• Thanks to the special properties of the hairs, it repels dirt and water, resulting in things always looking clean and well-groomed.
• Delicate threads are superior to silk in softness, and wool in thermal conductivity.

Why so valuable

When asking this question, you should take into account that cashmere:

• It is made only from a certain breed of goats living in a certain region. Naturally, under such conditions there are restrictions on the number of animals;
• It is impossible to collect more than 200 grams of raw material from one goat. It should be noted that it is plucked only once a year, and after processing the amount of material obtained is almost halved;
• Collection, processing and twisting into threads is carried out manually, without the use of technology.

By the way, the price of products can vary significantly depending on the type of fluff, the place of its collection, and the quality of weaving. And Italy is recognized as the undoubted leader in the production of cashmere items.

Cashmere is a soft, airy and warm fabric used to make luxury clothing. Cashmere contains only natural high-quality fluff, the cost of which is quite high. But products made from expensive material remain elastic, stylish and beautiful for decades. You can often see movie stars on the covers of fashion magazines wearing simple dresses and cashmere jumpers. This confirms that cashmere fabric is a symbol of wealth and high position in society.

What is cashmere

The underhair of the Tibetan goat is used to make yarn.

The name “cashmere” is consonant with the name of the province of Kashmir, which is one of the principalities in the Himalayas, where the finest down shawls have been produced since the 12th century. This fabric came to Europe thanks to Napoleon, who brought an amazing shawl to his beloved Josephine. After this, supplies of this unique material to Europe became regular.

To make real cashmere, the undercoat of the Tibetan goat, which lives in the highlands of India, Pakistan, and China, is used. After the onset of spring warmth, the thick undercoat, which warms the animal in the severe winter cold, becomes unnecessary. It is carefully combed out using special combs.

At one time, breeders tried to breed a similar type of goat in other mountainous areas, but it turned out that in the process of acclimatization the animal loses the amazing properties of its fleece. The absence of sharp temperature changes in summer and winter was reflected in the qualities of the undercoat: extraordinary lightness and ability to retain heat.

Goat fluff is very light, its fibers are three times thinner than human hair. In addition, it is soft and warm. The work of collecting fluff is carried out manually. On average, it is possible to collect no more than 100 g of raw materials from one goat, while the production of one down shawl will require about 0.5 kg of thread. Further processing of the yarn, spinning and dyeing, is also carried out in small batches without the use of machines. It will take more than one month to receive the finished material. The high price of cashmere products is explained by the significant costs of producing yarn.

Its cost depends on the thickness and color of the undercoat. If the down fibers are finer than 15 microns, the yarn is called pashmina. Elite fabrics and famous shawls are made from it. Coarser wool is called semi-pashmina. It is used to produce cashmere fabrics and knitting yarn.

Today, the highest quality material is produced in Italy and Scotland. The best conditions for fiber cleaning, dyeing and spinning are created there.

Properties of cashmere

Cashmere fabrics have healing properties.

Cashmere has amazing, at first glance, incompatible properties.

• The weight of light and airy cashmere fabric is only a few grams. A mountain goat down shawl can be easily pulled through a wedding ring.
• Cashmere fibers are much thinner than silk threads, so the fabric is significantly softer.
• The low thermal conductivity of the fiber makes cashmere a surprisingly warm material.
• Cashmere fabric does not cause an allergic reaction, since dust mites do not grow in it.
• In terms of strength and wear resistance, cashmere is comparable to wool and silk.
• Pills on fabric form only in places of direct contact and after prolonged constant wear.

In addition, cashmere yarn and fabric have healing properties. It heals the diseased spine and joints. The natural wax contained in the fibers has a beneficial effect on the skin, gently caring for it.

Application of fabric

Cashmere sweaters are soft and warm.

Cashmere is a truly versatile fabric. Textiles for newborns and clothing for children and adults are made from it. Everyone knows gloves and berets, skirts and cardigans made from this fabric.

Cashmere sweaters and dresses are especially popular, without which not a single famous Italian or Scottish brand can do. Eastern countries are still famous for their magnificent cashmere shawls and handmade carpets.

However, the cost of down products is quite high and depends on the thickness of the fiber and the original color of the raw material. Natural, undyed wool is white, grey, beige or black. White is the most valuable because after dyeing it it is easy to obtain pure colors.

Cashmere has a slight haze. To obtain a bright, rich color, silk or wool fibers are added to the fluff.

Rules for caring for cashmere products

Natural cashmere fabric is very durable, but it also requires proper and regular care.

• Cashmere products should be allowed to “rest” for at least 2-3 days. You shouldn't wear them without taking them off.
• Wardrobe items made of light knitwear: blouses, sweaters, shawls - should be stored folded on a shelf. Heavier cashmere clothing, such as a coat or jacket, should be hung on hangers to prevent creases.
• It is better to wash cashmere products by hand or in a machine, setting the delicate cycle and water temperature to no more than 30°C.
• After washing, items should be lightly wrung out and laid out on a horizontal surface away from a heat source to dry.
• Ironing cashmere items is not recommended. If necessary, clothes can be steamed without touching the surface with the iron.
• As a result of prolonged use, lint pellets may form in areas where two surfaces come into contact. They can be removed manually using scissors or a special comb.

Cashmere is known throughout the world for its beauty, sophistication, softness and airiness. Products made from this yarn never go out of fashion and are invariably a symbol of prosperity and good taste.

Cashmere is a fabric that is actively used today in the manufacture of such materials as coats, jumpers, hats, shawls and other warm things. It is necessary to understand that cashmere contains elite down. Its cost is quite high, but this is explained by the presence of such properties as softness, elasticity and attractive appearance.

Description of cashmere fabric, its characteristics

Cashmere is a natural material obtained from the thick downy undercoat of goats native to the mountainous province of Kashmir. For several decades, people have been producing fluff and yarn from it, a beautiful material. Down production occurs once a year, and 100-150 g of down can be obtained from one animal. To sew cashmere fabric, you will have to use down collected from 10-15 goats.

Cashmere thread is a couple of times thinner than a human hair. Its thickness is 19 microns. If you buy the highest quality material, then its name is pashmina. The main advantages of cashmere include:

1. Lightness and airiness. Because the cashmere thread is so thin, a cashmere shawl can be threaded through a wedding ring.
2. Softness The material in question is several times higher than silk.
3. Low thermal conductivity, thanks to which a warming feature is achieved.
4. Yarn and fabric have amazing healing properties. Since cashmere has dry heat, a sweater made from this material has a positive effect on sore spines and joints. If we talk about wax-lanolin of animal origin, then thanks to it the skin acquires softness and elasticity. Cashmere threads have the ability of micro-massage. Thus, cashmere products provide warmth and comfort.
5. Cashmere products are free from dust mites, so even people with allergies can wear them.
6. High strength and wear resistance.
7. Cashmere does not form pills for a long time.

Video: how cashmere is made from wool

In the video, wool cashmere fabric:

Types and properties of material, what they are made of

Cashmere today can be presented in different versions. It all depends on what method was used to make cashmere threads.

Mongolian

To obtain this material, the fluff of several species of goats, which grow in China and Mongolia, is used.

Mongolian cashmere

It is carefully selected and processed using a manual method. Products made from Mongolian cashmere are soft and cannot be stretched. Also, pellets do not form on such things.

Coat fabric

This version of cashmere is considered the most common. It contains 30% cashmere, and the remaining 70% is the wool of another animal. Cashmere with alpaca remains very popular today.

Coat cashmere

This coat material has the following properties: smoothness, softness, lightness, uniform structure and silkiness. The material is resistant to rolling, creasing and falling off.

Eco-cashmere or artificial

This version of matter is the most inexpensive and accessible. Under this name they produce artificial fabric, the composition of which is 80% polyester (the properties of polyester are described here) and 20% viscose (see photo of viscose fabric). But only eco-cashmere is not characterized by excellent thermal conductivity and aesthetic qualities.

Eco-cashmere

Double-sided coat fabric

This type of material is used in the manufacture of expensive Italian coats. The peculiarity of the fabric is that they have two front sides, so when Shia there is no need to hem the lining. The composition of the material involves two layers, which can be fused together or bonded with fibers.

Double-sided cashmere coat fabric

The layers may have the same material on both sides or they may be different fabrics. In this case, one side is plain, and the second has a pattern.

Compound

To obtain cashmere threads, low quality wool is used. Also, in order to reduce the cost, you can find wool from other animals, viscose, silk, and polyester in the coat fabric. Thanks to additional materials, the finished product acquires high wear resistance. If we talk about the cheapest option, it will be made of acrylic or viscose.

Application

Not every canvas can boast of being universal. But cashmere may well lay claim to this role. Almost any product can be sewn from it:

• berets,
• shawls,
• coat,
• cardigans,
• gloves,
• coat,
• skirts (cashmere knitwear),
• trousers (suiting fabric is used).

There are various styles and models of clothing that both children and adults can try on. But most often a sweater is made from cashmere. It can even be seen on popular Hollywood stars, singers and politicians.

The video shows the characteristics of cashmere fabric:

Price per meter

What is the price? The cost of cashmere per 1 m is 2000-3000 rubles. The cost of material is influenced by factors such as thickness and shade. If you choose natural material, it has black, gray, white and brown colors. The most expensive is white fluff, because it lends itself best to dyeing and is much more delicate.

Even in the photo, cashmere fabric looks gentle and pleasant, let alone when you have the opportunity to touch or even wear it on your body.

This is a natural woolen material, the name of which came to us from India, to the part of the town where it was first mentioned - Kashmir. It spread to Europe thanks to Napoleon. While in the East, he purchased a gift for his wife in the form of an original translucent softest shawl, after which constant deliveries to European countries began for special lovers of exquisite things.

Cashmere - fabric composition

Cashmere fabric with photo - what is included? More details about the properties and qualities of 100% cashmere fabric products can be found in this article. 100% cashmere fabric is obtained from mountain goat down. When combing, only the undercoat is taken, it is delicate and soft, which is ideal for making material. Thin hairs of down are collected together and processed on special machines, obtaining a translucent material that can retain heat.

Additional reading:

• - features of the canvas;

The composition of cashmere fabric is natural and its extraction is not easy. Therefore, the finished product comes to the market at a high price. There are explanations for this:

• the fabric is hypoallergenic, so it is suitable for absolutely everyone;
• despite weightlessness, it is strong and durable when worn;
• Surprisingly, this fabric retains heat very well.

Yes, things made from natural fibers often cost a lot of money, but this is due precisely to the complexity of production, the rarity of raw materials and the excellent qualities of the final product, and not to the needlessly inflated price of the manufacturer. You can see all natural fabrics.

Properties of cashmere, types and categories of use.

The properties and price of cashmere fabric depend on the length and thickness of the fibers, the addition of impurities and the origin of animal down.

The thinnest option is pishmina, made from the finest fluff and used for shawls and fine fabrics. The cashmere fabric itself is denser and is suitable for yarn and warm clothing.

If, or is added to the fluff during the manufacturing process, this reduces the cost of the final product, but also changes the properties of the cashmere fabric.

Cashmere fabric is almost universal in use. You can make anything from it - hats, shawls, dresses, sweaters, and even coats. These products are suitable for everyone, because they are non-allergenic and natural. In the "" section you can read even more information.

Cashmere products and their care

Products made from cashmere fabric require special care. It will serve faithfully if you treat it with care and love.

It is not recommended to wear delicate items very often; items should hang quietly in the closet for at least a few days. In this case, do not allow creases or bends; store only on hangers. If the product is still wrinkled, you should spread it out and leave it for a couple of days. It will soon become noticeable that the folds have disappeared by themselves.

Washing takes place only on delicate cycle. It is better to hand wash in cold or warm water. Sharp and rough spinning is also prohibited, and the washed item must be dried by spreading it over the surface or on hangers. It is advisable to avoid exposure to bright light, as the material may fade.

When ironing, do not allow the surface of the iron to come into contact. Gentle steaming at a distance will be just right.

If pellets have formed on the material, they can simply be trimmed with a special machine or removed manually. You can find out in another article.

Every person needs to feel luxurious sometimes. This material is the best tool for this! But when purchasing a product made from natural material, you should not forget about proper care, otherwise you will not have to enjoy the luxury for long.

Read more in the article "".
Example of cashmere fabric:

Cashmere - the dream of any fashionista, because heconquered the whole world with its unsurpassed beauty, softness and airiness. In addition, dHowever, not every fabric is so versatile. It is used to make: berets, shawls, coats, cardigans, gloves, coats, skirts and even trousers. ButToday, unfortunately, few can afford something made from this expensive material. And those who still can, should know what cashmere is, how to choose the right cashmere item and not fall for a fake. But first things first.

What is cashmere and how is it made?

Many people make the mistake of thinking that cashmere is expensive wool or well-dressed wool. Cashmere is the down (undercoat) of a mountain goat, plucked or combed by hand after the winter cold, when the goat no longer needs the down.The fluff is removed using a special comb, separated from the coarse wool, cleaned, and then sorted according to the thickness and length of the hair. The finest hairs have a radius of only 16 microns (for comparison: the radius of a human hair is approximately 50 microns).About 100-150 grams of fluff are collected from one goat per year (!), and the production of a short cashmere coat will require 1.5-1.8 kg, and this is the undercoat from 10-15 mountain goats.Therefore, things made from real cashmere are expensive.

Where is the best cashmere made?

The main suppliers of goat down are India(main region- state of Kashmir) , China and Mongolia, you can also find products from Afghanistan and Iran, but they are not as high quality, clean and airy, but the price is slightly lower. For proper cashmere, you need the right climate - sharply continental, so that the fabric retains heat better and is more airy. This is why attempts to breed cashmere goats in Scotland, Australia and New Zealand have not been particularly successful.Italy is famous for the highest quality processing of precious down, where the best conditions have been created for additional cleaning of hairs, coloring and weaving of the lightest fibers. Scotland also produces high-quality cashmere fabric, which is explained by the country's ancient traditions of producing natural woolen fabrics.

Historical background: where did cashmere come from?

Today it is not known for certain who came up with the idea of ​​combing fluff and turning it into the finest fabric. However, the name itself comes from the province of Kashmir, located in India, and the first information about this material dates back to the 12th century. The presence of shawls made of amazing cashmere was recorded in one of the inventory books of the Persian royal court.Europe learned about cashmere in the 18th century: Napoleon, after the Eastern campaign, brought Josephine a woolen shawl, thin, almost transparent, decorated with embroidery, called “Pashmina”.

Are pashmina and cashmere the same thing?

Pashmina is a material made from 100% down, combed from the belly and neck of a cashmere goat, where it is softest, without any additions of wool or other materials. The fiber thickness does not exceed 14 microns. Cashmere is woven from the fluff of cashmere goats, but using a small amount of wool (guard hair) from the same goats, so, according to the standards of different countries, it can range from 20 to 40%. Cashmere fibers are up to 30 microns thick. Thus, pashmina is a higher quality fabric than cashmere.

Be careful! Currently, the term “pashmina” is often used as a brand name for products made from synthetics, cotton or silk with the addition of wool thread.

Advantages of cashmere:

• The fashion for cashmere products never goes away.
• Cashmere is very light
• The fabric looks very expensive
• The low thermal conductivity of this fabric allows a person to feel equally comfortable at both low and high air temperatures
• Cashmere is very pleasant to the touch, and at the same time there are no creases or folds on it
• Hypoallergenic: can be worn even by small children

Disadvantages of cashmere:

• High price
• Natural cashmere is not suitable for daily wear
• A large number of fakes

All of the above - both advantages and disadvantages - fully applies only to clothes made from 100 percent cashmere. Now there are mixed fabrics that contain cashmere itself and other types of wool, viscose or polyester.This material also belongs to cashmere, but costs a little less. PSuch additives give items additional wear resistance and wearability in harsh weather conditions, becausenatural material does not tolerate moisture well and requires delicate care.Mixed fabrics are less demanding, and it’s easier for designers to create original models from them. NCotton or silk is often added to cashmere - this only improves the quality of the material.

Proper care of cashmere products.

Cashmere products require very careful wear and care. They cannot be “weared up”. A cashmere sweater, for example, should be washed at least every 4-5 wears. After removing the item, you need to let it “rest” on its hangers, then you can carefully fold it.Cashmere items should be washed inside out first. For this you can use a delicate machine wash cycle with a temperature set at 30 °C. The water temperature cannot be changed. When choosing detergents, choose delicate, liquid powders.Under no circumstances should you twist or rub these delicate products. To dry the item, lightly wring it out and place it on a terry towel. When most of the moisture has been absorbed, lay the product on a flat surface away from heating devices and direct sunlight. If the item needs to be ironed a little, do it exclusively with steam, holding the iron itself a centimeter from the fabric.

How to spot fake cashmere?

Cashmere - one of the most frequently counterfeited fabrics. It can be very difficult to identify real cashmere, but below you will find some tips to help you avoid overpaying for a product made from fake cashmere.

1. Don't trust the labels.
   Unfortunately, now you can rarely trust what is written. If it says "100% Cashmere“, don’t rush to believe it, first check the consistency of other indicators.
2. Look
   To visually identify real cashmere, you need to know that natural cashmere always contains fine down fibers. They are 4-6 times thinner than a human hair. Weightless wool seems to envelop the product in a haze and form branches over its entire surface. And synthetic fibers are dense and of the same thickness. In finished products they look like a solid, smooth canvas.
3. Look again
   Natural cashmere does not shine, it is matte in color. If there is shine, it means silk or synthetic fibers have been added to the yarn. Practice shows that manufacturers indicate the percentage of silk on the label. But, unfortunately, they are silent about the addition of synthetics.
4. Feel
   Cashmere shawls are not electrified, unlike synthetic items. In a dark room, you can clearly see how the synthetic scarf is illuminated by tiny flashes.
5. Burn
   Synthetic and cashmere fibers burn differently. Cashmere thread smokes and burns completely. Its charred pieces crumble in your fingers. Synthetics melt, not burn. As a result, a dense lump remains that is difficult to crumble.
6. Evaluate
   If the price of a cashmere item is too attractive, there is likely little cashmere available, if any at all. After reading the article, you know that the production and processing of cashmere fabric - a long and expensive process, so a cashmere item cannot be suspiciously cheap.

Sometimes the product offered may be of good quality, for example, made from excellent wool, but if they try to sell it to you at the price of cashmere, then you will overpay. How can you tell the difference between wool and cashmere? You can feel it by touch, you are unlikely to go wrong. Cashmere feels great! Your fingers will help you determine what kind of product is being offered to you and accurately feel the fake: the uniqueness of cashmere is that it is an excellent conductor of heat, and without squeezing the fabric too much in your palm, you will instantly feel the warmth emanating from it.