How Cashmere Is Made: From Mountain Goats to Your Favorite Sweater
When people talk about winter fashion, cashmere is always at the top of the list. Known for its softness, warmth, and lightweight feel, cashmere has become a symbol of comfort and quality all around the world. But even though almost everyone loves wearing cashmere, few truly understand how this luxurious material is collected, processed, and transformed into the sweaters we enjoy. Today, we want to take you behind the scenes and show you how cashmere is made β from the high mountains where the goats live to the delicate knitting process inside our factory.
Understanding where cashmere comes from makes you appreciate it even more. It also helps you choose better cashmere products and understand why high-quality cashmere is so valuable. So letβs explore the entire journey step by step.
Where Cashmere Comes From
Unlike regular wool, cashmere comes from a special type of goat that produces ultra-fine, soft undercoat fibers. These goats usually live in cold and high-altitude regions such as Inner Mongolia, Mongolia, and parts of Nepal and Afghanistan. The extreme climate in these areas encourages the goats to grow a warm and fluffy undercoat, which becomes the cashmere we use.
Each goat produces only a small amount of usable cashmere every year β usually around 150β200 grams. That means it takes the output of several goats just to create one high-quality cashmere sweater. This limited supply is one reason why cashmere is considered a luxury fiber.
How Cashmere Is Collected
Many people imagine that cashmere is simply shaved off like sheepβs wool. But thatβs not how it works. The collection process is gentler and more precise.
Every spring, when the goats naturally shed their winter undercoat, herders comb the goats by hand. This careful combing process separates the fine cashmere fibers from the rougher outer hair. Since the goats shed naturally, this method is comfortable and safe for the animals.
Hand-combing takes time and patience, but it helps keep the cashmere fibers long, clean, and soft β all qualities needed to make a good cashmere product. Longer fibers mean smoother texture, less pilling, and a longer-lasting sweater. Thatβs why hand-combed cashmere is prized by high-end factories like ours.
Sorting and Cleaning the Fibers
Once the raw cashmere is collected, it needs to be sorted by color and quality. Natural cashmere comes in shades of white, beige, gray, and brown. White cashmere is the most valuable because it can be dyed into a wider range of colors.
After sorting, the cashmere is washed to remove dirt, grease, and anything else that doesnβt belong in a finished product. The aim is to keep the natural softness of the cashmere while ensuring it becomes clean and suitable for spinning.
This cleaning step is important because raw cashmere contains both fine undercoat fibers and thick, coarse hairs called guard hairs. A high-quality factory carefully separates these to ensure the final cashmere yarn is soft and smooth. If too many coarse hairs remain, the cashmere product will feel scratchy and less comfortable.
Dehairing: The Key Step That Defines Quality
Dehairing is one of the most essential steps in the entire cashmere production process. During this stage, special machines gently remove the coarse hairs and leave behind the pure, soft cashmere fibers.
The higher the purity after dehairing, the softer the final cashmere will feel. Premium cashmere often reaches a purity level above 95%. This means that when you touch a piece of high-quality cashmere, you feel only the light, silky fibers and none of the rough ones.
Factories with advanced dehairing technology can produce cashmere that is finer, cleaner, and longer-lasting. This is why choosing a factory with experience and strict quality control makes such a big difference in the final product.
Spinning Cashmere Into Yarn
After dehairing, the clean cashmere fibers are ready to be spun into yarn. Spinning transforms loose fibers into long, even threads that can be used for knitting or weaving. The spinning process also affects how the finished cashmere fabric will behave β whether it will feel smooth, whether it will stretch, and how well it will resist pilling.
There are various spinning techniques, and each creates different types of cashmere yarn:
Worsted cashmere yarn: smooth, strong, and ideal for lightweight sweaters.
Woolen cashmere yarn: fluffy, warm, and perfect for thick winter knits.
Blended cashmere yarn: combines cashmere with other natural fibers for special textures or improved durability.
At this stage, the cashmere yarn can be left in its natural color or dyed into vibrant shades. High-quality dyeing preserves the softness of the cashmere while creating long-lasting color.
Knitting and Making the Final Cashmere Products
Once the spinning is complete, the cashmere yarn is ready for knitting. This step transforms yarn into sweaters, scarves, blankets, and other cozy products.
Modern knitting machines allow factories to create precise designs and consistent quality, but craftsmanship still matters. The density of knitting, the thickness of the yarn, and the pattern style all influence how a cashmere sweater will feel and how long it will last.
High-end factories check every step of the knitting process to make sure the cashmere fabric remains soft, smooth, and even. After knitting, the cashmere sweaters are shaped, washed again to enhance their softness, and inspected carefully.
This final wash, often called βfinishing,β gives the cashmere its signature soft and fluffy touch. It also helps the sweater maintain its shape and drape beautifully.