Why is cashmere so warm? The secrets you should know about cashmere!

Have you ever worn a sweater made of cashmere yarn? Cashmere is my favorite fiber during the winter time! With it, my body can keep warm and comfortable thanks to its lightness. Let’s explore the secrets behind cashmere together!

How rare is the precious cashmere fiber?

Cashmere refers to the animal fiber obtained from cashmere goats which can withstand the severe winter such as the temperature of -30°C (-22°F) in China, Mongolia and other regions where the altitude is over 3000m. 

The cashmere goats are wearing natural coats(the outer fiber)which are their main fiber. The so-called cashmere fiber is just a tiny part under their coats. Usually people can only get around 100～170g of the cashmere from one goat every year during the spring season! After the process of sorting, washing, combing…, less amount can be used for making products! For instance, it’s said that it needs the fiber from 30 cashmere goats to make a coat! 

Let’s see another data of how rare cashmere is!

The amount of cashmere fiber produced per year is around 1/150 of the wool fiber, which is only 0.02% of the whole textile industry!

Also, have you heard of the baby cashmere?

It refers to the fiber from cashmere goats under 1 years old. Therefore, people can only get the rare fiber once from one cashmere! The yield of baby cashmere is only 2% of the cashmere!

Why is cashmere fiber so warm?

Cashmere is extremely fine and soft, with great heat retention, crimps, and the length is usually between 30 to 45mm. 

We refine the fineness of fiber according to the diameter. Cashmere ranges from 13 to 16 micros! In comparison, regular wool from sheep typically ranges from 19 to 24 micros, and human hair is about 70 to 80 micros!

(Sheep fibers also come in various fineness levels, and some high-end ones can compete with cashmere in fineness!)

↓The enlarged photo of the cashmere fiber(the right).

Because cashmere fibers are generally finer than sheep’s wool, they don’t prick the skin, making cashmere sweaters soft and warm to the touch! 

So why is cashmere so warm? Cashmere goats live in regions where the terrain is mountainous and the temperature differences between summer and winter are extreme. The fine undercoat grown during these cold winters is sheared in early spring to make yarn.

Another significant point that makes the fiber warm and light is the“air”.

Since air has low thermal conductivity, it acts as a barrier against the cold, preventing body heat from escaping. Imagining a house with a single pane window and another with a double pane window, the double one must be warmer in winter because of the air between the layers.

When yarn is made from such fine fibers, the fibers intertwine intricately, trapping a lot of air inside. Additionally, the hollow structure inside the cashmere fibers holds even more air. This combination of fine fibers and air layers are what makes cashmere light yet exceptionally warm.

The special cashmere yarns recommended

There are several cashmere yarns recommended!

SABRICH 2/16

Blended with another even extremely finer fiber ”sable”, the yarn is really soft with lightness.

↓The fluffy garment is really soft and comfortable!

SABRICH TWEED 2/6

Same material as SABRICH yet with lovely neps.

In the process of finishing, through washing longer at a lower speed, the knitted garment will turn softer and much more fluffy!

MATER 2/50，2/66  / MATER LILY 1/3，1/4.5

The yarn is blended with cashmere and cotton. 

We collect and reuse the short fiber of cashmere fell from the spinning machine while producing other yarns. It’s not common to blend the short cashmere fiber in the yarn yet the short fiber actually is the reason it makes the yarn more fluffy after the washing.

Let the cashmere knitwear give you a warm winter!

Even on those freezing days when you feel like you can’t move, a cashmere sweater would help you get through it!

We’d be delighted to assist in creating such a special knitwear for winter!

See you next time!

References

https://m.solotex.net/information/kashimiya-tokuchou/#:~:text

https://bottone.jp/blog/30305.html

https://shop.uto-knit.com/blogs/mail-magazine/cashmere?srsltid=AfmBOoq_P0Pb4qzMwIv9ENf3V4Rb1FOXQMLh-d4otYX0XlnUhNwDS2CQ

https://cashmeregoatassociation.org/post.php?pid=3

https://www.lilysilk.jp/jp/page/baby-cashmere-2024

https://windowwhirl.com/blogs/blog/single-pane-vs-double-pane-windows-understanding-the-difference

https://naturallounge.jp/blog/cashmere-cashmere-pashmina.html

http://www.buckeyeridgefarm.com/cashmere-fiber/