What is cashmere?
Cashmere is the soft under hair of a Capra Hircus goat, indigenous to the mountainous region of Nepal, India, China and Inner Mongolia. To survive in this hostile climate with freezing winters of (-35*C) these goats have developed an under-down of thousands of super-soft, super-fine fibers. Every spring when the weather is mild the herders remove this under-down using a gentle combing procedure which is entirely harmless to the animal. It takes the under-down from 2 goats to make a single garment.
What makes cashmere so special?
Genuine Cashmere wool is soft, strong and light. Pashmina/Cashmere is great insulator and also provides excellent protection against all cold weather. Cashmere travels well and doesn’t wrinkle. It actually becomes softer with age and rarely pills after being worn and washed correctly.
Why Pashmina/Cashmere products are expensive compared to other wool blends?
Cashmere comes from the soft undercoat of goats bred to produce the wool. It takes more than two goats to make a single two-ply sweater. The fibers of the warming undercoat must be separated from a coarser protective top coat during the spring molting season, a labor-intensive process that typically involves combing and sorting the hair by hand. These factors contribute to the relatively low global production rate of cashmere, approximately 6,500 metric tons of pure cashmere annually, as opposed to 2 million metric tons of sheep’s wool.
Does Cashmere/Pashmina product only come in 100%?
No, Cashmere/Pashmina can be in various combination blends with different wool example. 100% Cashmere = where the product is made of 100% cashmere there is no other wools like lamb wool, Marino wool etc. mixed with cashmere. 80/20 Cashmere = Where the product is made of 80% cashmere and 20% wool of other blend like lamb wool, Marino wool etc. 50/50 Cashmere = Where the product is made of 50% cashmere and 50% wool of other blend like lamb wool, Marino wool etc. 40/60 Cashmere = Where the product is made of 40% cashmere and 60% wool of other blend like lamb wool, Marino wool etc.
How to differentiate pashmina/cashmere with other wool blend?
First of all, if you own a quality cashmere sweater, you know that it is pure softness. On the other side, a pure wool sweater will always be a bit itchy. Just compare the feeling of the two fabrics on your cheek. You will immediately understand what we are talking about. This pure softness comes from the origin of cashmere. Cashmere goats live in extreme cold temperatures mountains in high altitudes. This extreme environment forces them to produce a natural fine, warm and soft under fleece. These ultra-fine fibers are then turned into cashmere garments. This guarantees the feeling of pure softness on your skin.
What should you look for when buying cashmere?
A quick test is to rub the palm of your hand on the surface of the garment and see if fiber starts rolling into little balls. If it happens, watch out. Another quick test is to stretch the garment body side to side and see if it snaps back into shape. If it does not, it suggests possible low quality fiber or very loose tension when knitted which is another way for retailers to lower costs.
How should I store my cashmere garments?
Cashmere should be neatly folded on a shelf, not a hanger. It should be clean and in some sort of sealable garment bag for protection against moths. If the garments wrinkle, you are better off steaming than pressing to remove the wrinkles.
What are some of the differences between high quality cashmere and low quality cashmere?
The most important factor in the quality of cashmere is the length and fineness of the fibers. Garments made with long and thin fibers pill less and maintain their shape better than cheaper lower quality cashmere and will get better with each wash. Fineness, length and color are the most important factors for high grade pashmina/cashmere.
How is cashmere graded?
Cashmere fineness runs from about 14 microns to 19 microns. The lower the number the thinner the fiber and the softer it feels.
How to wash cashmere?
How do i view Price?
Only Registered wholesale members can view our price.
How do i become a Registered Wholesale Buyer?
Please click here to fill out our online Wholesale Program Application. We will verify your information and will activate you account in 24 hours. You might be contacted via email or phone if further verification is required. Once your account has been verified and activated you will receive an email from us and will be able to login and view prices for all of our products.
How does the checkout process work?
Once you have added your products to your cart and ready to checkout, you will not be required to provide us with your credit card or payment details. You will be able to submit the order without making any payments. This is because we will first need to provide you with a shipping estimate and delivery time information. Once we have that information available we will send you an email with a link to view the invoice and make payment.
What payment types do you accept?
We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Paypal. If you would like to make a payment using some other modes of payments like Western Union or LC please contact us by clicking here