What Kind Of Animal Does Cashmere Come From?

Cashmere is known because it’s used to make high-quality fibers that are famous for being expensive, unique, and fashionable. But the question that is mostly asked is-what animal produces cashmere? Cashmere is made from the high-quality undercoat of cashmere goats which are kept in Mongolia and China and which dominate the market of the luxury materials that are used for the manufacture of high-end garments.

Goats have a little amount of fat in their bodies and since their environment is cold; the fur helps them to stay warm. Most parts of China and also Mongolia where these goats are kept have cold climates and it’s natural for their goats to grow long hair that helps to protect them against harsh weather elements. This also applies to Angora goats that are linked to Mohair and Pashmina goats that are known for pashmina wool.

The Cashmere Goats and the Popularity of the Specialty Fibers

Cashmere goats, Angora goats, and Pashmina goats are famous for being the source of high-quality fiber that can be processed and used to manufacture fibers of the highest quality possible. The cashmere animal fiber and pashmina fibers are known to belong to a class of fibers that are popularly known as specialty fibers and they are mostly used to manufacture high quality and high-end products that include handmade beautiful shawls, a high-quality baby sleeping bag, and premium sweaters among other products.

These goats have a protective outer coat and a coarse fiber those measures anywhere between 1.8 to 8 inches long. The undercoat has a sift fiber that is mostly known as cashmere and which ranges between 1 inch to 3.5 inches long. Most of this animal fiber is picked by hand during the molting season.

However, in some instances, cashmere that is original from regions such as Iran is obtained through shearing and a high-quality sweater will take fleece from 4 to 6 goats. Also, some fiber is popularly known as pulled cashmere which is obtained from the skins of animals that have been slaughtered.

How Cashmere Is Cleaned and Purified

After it’s assembled, the fleece undergoes a serious cleaning process to remove impurities that include vegetable matter and grease. Also, the coarse hair gets removed through a series of mechanical processes which the developers still keep a secret. The final amount of fleece will have been reduced by 50 percent.

Remember that if more coarse hair remains, the price of the fabric is affected considerably. Normally, the high-quality cashmere fabrics should not contain more than 5% of the coarse hair, while the finest quality of sweaters has not more than 1%, and this can represent a significant price variation.

Why Cashmere Made Fabrics Are Popular

Fabrics that are made from cashmere are not only warm but also very comfortable. The soft texture and the amazing draping qualities that it offers are amazing. Over the years, the popularity of cashmere garments has soared and there is a possibility that this will continue in the coming years.