Cashmere
By: Carol A Hill
What would be better than grazing all day upon a high plateau
in some of the most exotic places in the universe. While below,
human counterparts have need for the luxurious softness of the
herd above. Cashmere is the English word derived the the state
of Kashmir, India. In the early eighteen hundreds, Europeans were
attracted to the fineness of the woven fabric. Although today,
little of it is produced there.
The main supplier of the fiber that is mostly hand-woven on machines comes from Northern China, Mongolia and Tibet. The
hair is collected from the Kashmir goat during the spring months,
of early March to late May. The undercoat is removed with a coarse comb that pulls tuffs raking it from the fleece. The guard
hair is clipped and used for making brushes. The cashmere fiber for weaving sweaters is washed and dehaired for a higher yield of
of pure cashmere.
Some cashmere products such as sweaters, coats and blankets are
very expensive. However, most manufacturers have added wool blends making it inexpensive for mass production with the same
softness touching the skin.
Dry cleaning the woven fabric is the best method for keeping the
its shape and storing a cashmere garment in a garment bag will
keep it wearable for years. If the cashmere fabric is stained
rinse it with cold water and dry it away from direct heat
brushing away from the nap.
For ten years, the author sold skin care, fragrance, and custom
made undergarments.