01How cashmere is made
Cashmere goats grow a fine downy undercoat under a coarse outer coat. In spring, during the molting season, herders comb (or in some places shear) the fiber. The raw fiber is a mix of soft down and coarse guard hair.
Dehairing is the critical step: machines separate the fine down from the coarse hair. Better dehairing means fewer coarse hairs left in the yarn, which means less itch and a cleaner hand. The clean fiber is scoured, dyed (often as loose fiber), spun into yarn and plied.
Most cashmere is knitted, on flat knitting machines for sweaters or circular machines for jersey. Some is woven for scarves and coats. Finishing usually includes a wash or milling step that blooms the fibers and creates the soft, fuzzy surface people expect.
02Grades, ply and gauge
There is no single official A, B, C grading for cashmere, so treat those letters in a quote as marketing. What actually decides quality is fiber diameter, fiber length, how well it was dehaired, and how the yarn was spun.
- Micron: finer fibers, roughly 14 to 15.5 microns, feel softest and cost the most. Around 16 to 19 microns is common in mid-market knitwear.
- Fiber length: longer fibers make stronger yarn and pill less. Short fibers make cheaper, fuzzier yarn that pills quickly.
- Ply: 2-ply yarn (two strands twisted together) is the standard for durable sweaters. Single ply is lighter and cheaper but weaker and more likely to twist.
- Gauge: the number of needles per inch on the knitting machine. 12 to 16gg makes fine, light sweaters; 3 to 7gg makes chunky, heavier ones that use more yarn.
03Blends, mislabeling and the US labeling rule
Cashmere is one of the most faked fibers in apparel. Common problems are sheep wool or yak blended in and labeled as 100% cashmere, recycled cashmere sold as virgin, and percentages that do not match the label.
Under the US Wool Products Labeling Act and the FTC’s rule (16 CFR 300.19), a fiber can only be labeled cashmere if it is the fine (dehaired) undercoat of the cashmere goat with an average diameter of no more than 19 microns, a coefficient of variation around that average of no more than 24%, and no more than 3% (by weight) of fibers over 30 microns. Other markets have their own rules, but a fiber test is the only way to know what you got.
Blends are legitimate when labeled honestly. Cashmere and merino, cashmere and silk, and cashmere and cotton are all common ways to hit a lower price.
04Pros and cons
- Exceptionally soft against skin
- Warm for its weight, so sweaters can be light and thin
- Lofty, luxurious hand that customers recognize
- Gets softer with gentle washing
- Strong perceived value; supports premium pricing
- Expensive fiber, and the price moves with harvest and demand
- Pills, especially cheap short-fiber cashmere
- Delicate: holes, moths, stretching and felting
- High risk of blending and mislabeling by suppliers
- Overgrazing and animal welfare concerns in some producing regions
05Typical uses and price
- Sweaters, cardigans and hoodies
- Scarves, wraps and stoles
- Beanies and gloves
- Knit loungewear and baby blankets
- Woven coats and jacket fabric
- Socks (usually blended)
Price tier: Premium to luxury. Cashmere is one of the most expensive mainstream apparel fibers. Finer microns, longer fibers, 2-ply yarn and heavier gauges all add cost. Blends and recycled cashmere bring the price down.
06How to spec it with a factory
With cashmere, the label is only as good as the test report. Write the fiber spec into the tech pack and test bulk before you pay the balance.
| No. | Field | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Fiber composition | Exact percentages, e.g. 100% cashmere, or 70% merino 30% cashmere |
| 02 | Micron | Maximum average diameter, e.g. 15.5 to 16.5 micron, with test report |
| 03 | Fiber length | Minimum average length, e.g. 34 mm or more, if the supplier can certify it |
| 04 | Yarn | Ply and yarn count (e.g. 2/26Nm), virgin or recycled |
| 05 | Gauge | Machine gauge, e.g. 12gg, and knit stitch (jersey, rib, cable) |
| 06 | Garment weight | Finished weight per size with a tolerance; this catches yarn skimping |
| 07 | Finishing | Wash or milling level, approved against a swatch |
| 08 | Pilling | Minimum pilling grade and test method |
Certifications and marks
- The Good Cashmere Standard
- Animal welfare, farm and environmental standard for cashmere, run by the Aid by Trade Foundation.
- Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA)
- Herder and processor standard for cashmere, focused on grazing land and animal welfare in Mongolia and China.
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100
- Tests the finished product for harmful substances.
- GRS or RCS
- Only if you use recycled cashmere and want to claim it.
From the factory floor
- Send bulk samples to an independent lab for fiber identification and micron testing. This is the only real protection against blends.
- Specify finished garment weight. Factories hit a price by knitting lighter or switching to single ply.
- Ask whether the yarn is virgin or recycled. Recycled cashmere has shorter fibers and pills more.
- Expect yarn MOQs per color; using the spinner’s stock colors keeps minimums down.
07Cashmere vs merino wool
| Cashmere | Merino wool | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Cashmere goat undercoat | Merino sheep fleece |
| Typical microns | About 14 to 19 | About 15 to 21 |
| Feel | Softer, loftier, warmer for weight | Soft, smoother, a bit drier |
| Durability | Delicate, pills | More durable, especially in blends |
| Care | Hand wash or dry clean | Often machine washable if treated |
| Cost | Premium to luxury | Premium |
Merino is the better pick for activewear and everyday knits; cashmere for luxury sweaters and accessories.
08Cashmere vs cashmere blends
Blending cashmere with merino, silk or cotton cuts cost and can add strength. The hand will be less lofty than pure cashmere. Labels must state the real percentages; a blend sold as 100% cashmere is mislabeling.
09FAQ
Q01Where does cashmere come from?
From the fine undercoat of cashmere goats. Most of the world’s supply comes from China (especially Inner Mongolia) and Mongolia, with smaller amounts from Afghanistan, Iran and elsewhere in Central Asia.
Q02Why does cashmere pill?
Fine, soft fibers work loose and tangle with friction. Short-fiber and low-twist yarns pill most. Longer fibers and 2-ply yarns pill less.
Q03What does 2-ply cashmere mean?
The yarn is two strands twisted together. It is stronger, warmer and keeps its shape better than single ply.
Q04How can you tell if cashmere is real?
Feel and burn tests are unreliable. A lab fiber test (microscopy or DNA testing) is the only reliable way to confirm content and micron.
Q05Is cashmere warmer than wool?
Gram for gram, cashmere is generally warmer and lighter than typical sheep’s wool, which is why cashmere sweaters can be thinner.