Why are Cashmere products so popular?

Cashmere is incredibly soft and luxurious wool that originated from Kashmir and the Gobi desert. The fiber of this kind of wool is derived from a specific goat category available in those areas.

Cashmere today is a popular wool type that is used for various purposes. The popularity of this product is high because of its softness and because it can be worn directly and not cause any roughness unlike other wool with the skin. Cashmere blankets demand is on the rise apart from other products made out of cashmere-like scarves or cardigans.

Today China is the biggest producer of Cashmere, and Central Asia has seen a rise in Cashmere production also.

History of Cashmere

The farming of Cashmere goats in Mongolia and Kashmir is well documented. References to this fabric date back to the 3rd century BC, and it seems that cashmere wool production goes back much further than that.

Trade with Turkestan brought cashmere wool to the Middle East, and from there ancient trade routes brought this incredibly soft fabric to the courts of Europe and beyond. Cashmere wool became especially popular in France, and merchants defied dangerous trade routes to bring the legendary material back to the thriving European market.

In the 19th century, cashmere wool production was a major industry throughout Europe, and the trade-in of this wool product was economically beneficial in many geographical regions. To this day, traditional goat farmers in Central Asia benefit from the cashmere trade, and interest in this ultra-soft weave remains high around the world.

Present

Today, cashmere wool is mainly produced in China, but there is still a thriving artisanal cashmere economy in Central Asian countries. Cashmere production continues to grow with world population and poverty reduction, and China will likely remain the top cashmere exporter for the foreseeable future. Although there are many unethical textile manufacturers in China, there are also many ethical Chinese cashmere wool manufacturers.

Although animal fibers such as wool have fallen out of style to some extent due to animal rights concerns, there is no suitable synthetic substitute for cashmere wool. For decades, textile manufacturers had expected people to gradually start wearing only synthetic fabrics, but the opposite has happened. The global economy is moving towards fair trade and sustainable textile production processes.

Combined with the latest standards in organic and toxic-free production processes, cashmere is a fabric that will continue to have a lasting impact on the development of the textile trade in the 21st century. It is a simple fact that nothing can compare with the elegant shine of fine woven cashmere wool and people will continue to pay for cashmere products as long as they are on the market.

Usage of Cashmere

For many years, cashmere was coveted as one of the finest fabrics for elaborate dresses and other elaborate formal attire of European nobility, and this association with high culture remained. Although cashmere wool is significantly more expensive than other wools, it is much softer and finer, giving the wearer an immediate feeling of comfort and luxury. Cashmere is lightweight material, and it is not commonly used for outerwear or heavy clothing. While lightweight cashmere sweaters are popular, the material is highly used for making scarves or shawls. Another very popular item with Cashmere is the baby blankets. The Cashmere Baby Blankets are lightweight and travel-friendly and one can carry them anywhere it can uplift your garment apart from making you feel warm and comfortable at the same time.

Let us know the process of how Cashmere fabric is woven:

  • Shearing

The goats first grow full coats of hair which makes the process easier. The animal is not harmed in this process.

  • Cleaning

After shearing, the raw wool is collected and the dirt is removed from the wool.

  • Combing

Then the individual wool fibers that are collected are combed into straight lines and grouped into a light group of fibers.

  • Spinning

The fibers are then put inside the spinning machine and form the yarn. The thickness of the yarn depends on which product is being produced.

  • Cleaning, Dyeing

The yarn collected is then cleaned and dyed in the desired color.

  • Weaving

Finally, the yarn is weaved into the desired product the manufacturer wants to make.

Hence you can now understand why cashmere products are so high in demand.