Where does cashmere come from?
Cashmere comes from the fine undercoat of the cashmere goat, Capra hircus laniger. The fleece grows as a dual coat: a soft, crimpy down layer and a longer, coarse outer layer of guard hairs.
The goat and the undercoat
According to the Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute, cashmere is the fine dehaired undercoat fibre produced by a cashmere goat, Capra hircus laniger. Oklahoma State University's Department of Animal and Food Sciences states that the fleece consists of two kinds of fibre, cashmere and guard hair, and average cashmere percentages are in the 20 percent range. The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources notes that the fleece consists of very fine, crimpy down and usually longer, coarse, straight guard hairs.
Where the world's cashmere is produced
Oklahoma State University reports that 60 percent of the world's supply of cashmere is produced in China, with the remainder from Turkey, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Kashmir, Australia and New Zealand. The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources lists the majority of the world supply as coming from Afghanistan, Iran, Outer Mongolia, India, and China. Published accounts of where cashmere is produced do not agree on the list.
Knit-On cashmere is sourced from Mongolia. Garments made from cashmere are listed in the Cashmere Knitwear collection.
How the down is taken off the goat
The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources explains that cashmere down growth begins around the longest day of the year and stops around the shortest day. Shortly after growth stops the down is shed naturally if the goat is not combed or shorn. The same source describes how the down must be separated from the guard hair, either by combing out the down or using a commercial dehairer on sheared fibres. Oklahoma State University notes that the goats are shorn once a year.
The Woolmark Company states that one goat provides only 0.2 to 0.3 kilograms of cashmere down fibres. Oklahoma State University gives a whole-fleece figure for a full grown adult buck of as much as 2.5 pounds, which includes the guard hair and is not the dehaired down.
What counts as cashmere
The Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute defines cashmere fibre as generally non-medullated with a mean diameter not exceeding 19 micron, a coefficient of variation around the mean not exceeding 24 percent, and no more than 3 percent by weight of fibres over 30 micron. In the United States, the Wool Products Labeling Act at 15 U.S.C. 68b sets the same 19 micron average and the same 3 percent limit into law.
Similarly, the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources states that for a fibre to be labelled cashmere its diameter must be under 19 microns, that select goats may produce fibre as fine as 14 microns, and that the usual range is 16 to 19 microns. These figures define the fibre and the labelling rule and are not a description of any particular garment or any shop's stock.
What we can say about ours
It is chosen for its quality, softness and durability. In our experience it holds its quality well when it is properly cared for. Our guide to choosing between merino and cashmere covers the differences in more detail.
Common questions
What is 100% cashmere made of?
100% cashmere is made from the fine dehaired undercoat fibre of the cashmere goat, Capra hircus laniger, as defined by the Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute. The fleece carries two fibre types: the fine crimpy down and the longer coarse straight guard hair. The down is separated by combing or commercial dehairing.
What country is famous for cashmere?
Published accounts do not agree on a single country famous for cashmere. Oklahoma State University reports 60 percent of the world's supply produced in China with the remainder from Turkey, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Kashmir, Australia and New Zealand. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources lists Afghanistan, Iran, Outer Mongolia, India and China and gives no shares. Knit-On cashmere is sourced from Mongolia.
How much cashmere does one goat produce?
The Woolmark Company puts one goat at only 0.2 to 0.3 kilograms of cashmere down fibres. The fleece carries both fine down and coarse guard hair, with Oklahoma State University reporting average cashmere percentages in the 20 percent range. The down is separated by combing or a commercial dehairer.
What makes a fibre count as cashmere?
The Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute defines cashmere as the fine dehaired undercoat fibre of the cashmere goat, Capra hircus laniger. The definition ceiling is a mean diameter not exceeding 19 micron, with the usual range 16 to 19 microns per University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. The down is separated from the coarse guard hair.