Collection: Cashmere Sweaters

Cashmere fiber comes from the undercoat (down) of the Changthangi or Pashmina goat. This undercoat ranges from 12 to 19 µm depending on the origin and age of the animal. Human skin detects irritation from 30 µm: that's why ordinary wool (25-35 µm) "itches". Grade A cashmere (less than 14.5 µm) is below the detection threshold: never irritating. Tactile grade test: rub the inside of the sweater against the inside of the wrist (very sensitive area). Grade A: immediate softness without the slightest snagging sensation. Grade B: soft but a very slight roughness perceptible. Grade C or fine wool: slight snagging sensation. This test is 90% reliable without equipment.

Mongolia (mainly Ordos province): the largest global producer (about 75% of the world's cashmere). Fibers of 14-16 µm on average, good quality over a wide price range. "Mongolian cashmere" is a guarantee of origin but not of grade: micronage still needs to be checked. Kashmir region (India/Pakistan): authentic pashmina, 12-14 µm. The finest commercially available. Very expensive (true handmade pashmina), many fakes on the market. China (Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia): massive production, variable quality. Some Chinese producers produce excellent Grade A, others Grade C. The origin "China" does not predict quality. Iran (Raeini goat cashmere): generally thicker fiber (16-18 µm): less soft than Mongolian or pashmina. The label "cashmere" without mention of origin = the producer does not want to say.

Pilling is a mechanical property of short fibers that aggregate into balls through friction. Short fibers pill more than long fibers. Paradoxically, Grade A cashmere (very fine fibers) may pill more in the first weeks because its fine fibers detach easily under friction: but it pills LESS over time because its fibers are longer and stronger than Grade C. The first weeks of a Grade A sweater are the most critical for pilling: this is normal. Then pilling decreases significantly. For Grade C (short and thick fibers): pills more and throughout its lifespan. Prevention: wash inside out in a mesh bag, delicate cycle, no dryer. Treatment: depilling stone or pilling razor passed over the surface.

Cashmere fiber is hollow: it traps air in its structure, the best possible thermal insulator. A 100% Grade A cashmere sweater at Nm 2/48 typically weighs 150-180 g. An equivalent warmth merino wool sweater weighs 250-300 g. The difference is physically perceptible on the shoulders over a full day. This warmth-to-weight ratio makes cashmere the ideal fiber for travel (light suitcase), overheated offices (can be put on/taken off effortlessly), and transitional seasons (spring-autumn) where warmth without weight is needed. Fine cashmere (high Nm) is also suitable for summer in air-conditioned interiors: it insulates from artificial cold while remaining light.

Frequency: 1 wash for every 5-7 wears (cashmere naturally resists bacteria thanks to its protein scales). Washing: hand only, cold water at 25°C maximum. Product: specialized wool detergent without enzymes (enzymes digest the proteins of cashmere keratin). Movement: immerse and gently press: do not rub or wring. Rinsing: cold water, press in a towel. Drying: flat on a clean towel, reshape by hand: never hung (stretches), never dryer (irreversible felting). Winter storage: wash before storing (invisible sweat stains become permanent yellow), cotton bag, cedar against moths: never plastic bag (concentrates moisture).

For cashmere scarves and stoles: scarves and stoles. For a cashmere cardigan: sweaters and cardigans. For the entire cashmere range (sweaters + scarves + cardigans): cashmeres. To understand the difference between cashmere vs mohair vs wool: mohair sweaters.