Once upon a time, it was "for the nobility" and distinguished social classes: some wore it and others only dreamed of it, some had coats, jackets, and sweaters in various weights and thread counts in their wardrobes, and others begged Santa Claus for one. But today, everything has changed, and while it remains the most prized, comfortable, and soft yarn par excellence, it has become a commodity within everyone's reach.
Let's talk about cashmere (cashmir or cachemere is the same) and its widespread diffusion at very low costs and decidedly far from the hyperbolic prices of the past (although of lower quality).
Cashmere is a natural textile fiber, among the most prized in the fashion world for its softness, lightness, and thermal insulation. One of the most common beliefs is that it comes from sheep, but this is not the case: it comes from the undercoat of goats native to Central Asia and some regions of the Himalayas. The name comes from the historical region of Kashmir, currently divided between India, Pakistan, and China, from where the fiber has been exported to Europe since the early 1800s.
Many mistakenly believe it's just a type of wool, but there are actually significant differences between the two yarns. Wool, which comes from shearing sheep, is made up of keratin fibers found in both the outer and inner layers of the sheep's hair. Notoriously durable, it's suitable for a wide range of uses, from clothing to furnishings. However, wool fibers tend to be thicker and can be rough or itchy for some people. Cashmere, on the other hand, is a natural yarn made from the undercoat hair of Capra hircus goats, called duvet, collected to be transformed into a textile yarn through hand-combing during the shedding season, typically in late winter and early spring. Cashmere fibers are fine, smooth, and incredibly warm—a combination of qualities that makes it an ideal material for luxury apparel such as sweaters, scarves, and blankets.
Today, you can purchase sweaters made from regenerated cashmere or a blend of natural yarns that aren't 100% cashmere, but still offer its distinctive characteristics, allowing you to enjoy all its benefits. Thus, the wide range on the market also reflects the varying costs: from several hundred euros for high-quality 100% cashmere to a few dozen euros for a significantly lower percentage, perhaps blended with other fibers. Hence the affordability, while obviously recognizing the vast differences in the fabric.
The average annual global production of cashmere is estimated to be around 5 million kilos, with China being the world's leading producer (60% to 90% of global production depending on seasonal trends), followed by Mongolia, Afghanistan, Iran, India, and Pakistan. Although the fiber is produced virtually entirely in Asia, Europe imports 80% of its output, and Italy alone accounts for 60% of global imports, supplying the fashion industry, a prime example of Made in Italy production.
Costs: Production averages between 100 and 200 grams of fine hair per adult animal, a decidedly modest quantity, which makes this fiber not only extremely fine, but also rare and expensive. Furthermore, to make a single sweater, cashmere yarn is extremely fine, requiring approximately 6.5 kilograms of yarn, which is typically produced by three goats.
Italy is the leading European country for cashmere processing, not only for the production of finished knitwear products, but also for spinning activities.
(Unioneonline)
