Cashmere - everything you need to know about cashmere wool
What is the origin of cashmere?
What animal does it come from?
The cashmere used to make your favorite sweater has a beautiful story to tell; from its birth in the highlands of Inner Mongolia to its end on your skin, where it enhances all your looks.
It begins with Cashmere goats or Capra Hircus : during harsh winters down to -40 degrees, they develop a very fine down , particularly warm and extremely soft. It is this material that is the origin of cashmere.
These goats are also found in the Himalayas , whose fiber was originally knitted in the Kashmir region of India . This is where this wool gets its name.
The history of cashmere
Some say accounts of cashmere can be found in the travel journals of Marco Polo in the 13th century. Others say the first cashmere product was a pair of socks given to the King of Kashmir by a Persian Sufi in the 14th century.
But what is certain is that it was not until the beginning of the 19th century that cashmere arrived in France and Europe, via Jean-Baptiste Decrétot, a Norman cloth manufacturer.
The NOTSHY cashmere poncho jumper is now arriving in the 21st century, and we won't wait that long to bring you new iconic creations!
Cashmere producing countries in the world
Today, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China is the leading producer of cashmere, along with Mongolia. Together, they account for 90% of global production. Pakistan and India, which border the Himalayas, as well as Iran, are also among the countries that produce cashmere, though in smaller quantities.
We choose fibers that are perfectly suited to the garment we wish to create, in order to obtain an incredibly soft and supple mesh during knitting.
How is cashmere made?
Cashmere production is the fruit of ancestral know-how combined with the talent of contemporary designers .
Combing and making yarn
The down of cashmere goats is harvested each year in spring , when they naturally shed their winter hair. They are then combed to harvest cashmere fluff.
The down is then separated from the outer hair (the long, thick hairs that protect the animal and keep the down intact under the fleece), then the fibers are cleaned and dyed to create cashmere yarn .
At NOTSHY, we choose fibers that are perfectly suited to the garment we want to create, in order to obtain, during knitting, an incredibly soft and supple mesh : this is the reason why you love wearing our creations next to your skin.
The creation of the stitches
Knitting is where NOTSHY's style truly shines. We've chosen fashionable cuts and bold details to offer every woman an uncompromising look.
Knitted in soft and airy knits in summer, warm and thick in winter, at NOTSHY cashmere accompanies women in their daily lives, from morning until the end of the night!
To achieve this, we carefully study the design of each cashmere garment or accessory. Adjusting gauges, tension levels, yarn count, and thread count allows us to create our pieces in a wide variety of styles, for your enjoyment.
What are the benefits of cashmere?
The benefits of cashmere are numerous, whether it's a dress, a sweater, an accessory or pants, a 100% cashmere piece is always a good choice!
With a cashmere garment, you are sure to enjoy:
• Of incomparable softness
• Unparalleled comfort
• Thermoregulating properties : it can be worn in winter and summer!
• From a natural and durable fiber
• …and at NOTSHY vibrant colors in infinite variations!
What are the disadvantages of cashmere?
They say it's delicate , and it's true. But you just need to take good care of it to keep your favorite pieces looking good for many years. Discover our cashmere care tips , we promise they're easy to apply!
Cashmere is an expensive material because it is precious , it is a reality: it is indeed correlated to the volume of cashmere present in your favorite garment, the higher the quantity, the more the cost is impacted. But its price is also due to its rarity, because a goat only produces 100 to 150 grams of cashmere each year and it takes a minimum of 180 to make a scarf … This explains why cashmere is particularly precious. At NOTSHY, it is also the quality of the yarn, the knitting and the making of its 100% cashmere garments, which justify their value.
How to know if a cashmere is
good quality?
Type of fiber, knitting technique... In order to know the quality of a cashmere garment, several elements must be taken into account.
First, the length, fineness, and purity of the cashmere fibers used in its manufacture are a good indicator. A good quality garment will be knitted with long, fine cashmere fibers. The density of the knit and the quality of the finishing are also important. Finally, the origin of the cashmere and the production methods can be indicators of quality.
How do you know if a cashmere garment is warm or light?
It's sometimes thought that thread count defines the quality of a cashmere piece, but this isn't true. Thread count refers to the thickness of a creation, and it's true that a thicker sweater is often more expensive, but that's simply because it contains more material.
For example, a standard weight sweater, i.e. 2-ply , means that each stitch of the sweater is knitted with 2 cashmere threads, like our best-selling Faustine poncho sweater. It can be worn all year round and goes with all your outfits.
A 4-ply cashmere knit is a mid-weight, like the Vekina mock-neck sweater. It's the perfect sweater to keep you warm and cozy during the mid-season.
As soon as it starts to get colder, opt for a 6-ply piece like the Emilienne V-neck sweater.
Finally, a 12-ply cashmere sweater will be very warm and thick, ideal for winter, like our Audrey turtleneck sweater.
Also remember to check the gauge of a cashmere piece!
Once you've determined your thread count, look at the gauge of your chosen garment. This refers to the number of stitches and rows per square centimeter. It's a measure of the density of the knit.
Concretely:
- A cashmere garment with a small gauge contains more stitches per square centimeter, which means the fabric is denser and less breathable. It will therefore be warm and perfect for winter, as it will retain body heat more efficiently.
- A garment with a higher gauge will have fewer stitches per square centimeter, it will let more air through and will therefore be ideal for spring or summer wear.
To help you choose the garment that will perfectly suit your needs, NOTSHY always indicates the gauge of its sweaters and allows you to sort the pages according to the desired gauge: to do this, go to the filters!
Is cashmere the warmest material?
Cashmere fiber is said to be warmer and more insulating than sheep's wool, even if the thickness is the same. This is not surprising when you consider that the goats that produce it endure particularly harsh winters, regularly at temperatures of -20 and -30 degrees.
What is especially appreciated when wearing a cashmere scarf, sweater, dress or cardigan is the sum of its advantages: its unequalled comfort, its lightness and its incomparable softness for the warmth it provides .
What is the difference between cashmere and pashmina?
Think pashmina is a type of scarf and cashmere is a fiber used to make beautiful sweaters? Not quite! Pashmina is also a fabric made from the hair of cashmere goats, or Capra Hircus, but only from the neck and goatee . Unlike cashmere, which is created from the down found all over the goat.
You are now informed and ready to choose the ideal cashmere garment, of good quality and adapted to your desires.
