100% Premium Cashmere, Natural Blends

Cashmere Goats. Photo © Lana Grossa

The Cashmere Goat (Capra hircus Laniger) is a mammal belonging to the subfamily Caprinae of the family Bovidae. The goats produce a double fleece consisting of the fine, soft undercoat or underdown of hair commingled with a straighter and much coarser outer coating of hair called guard hair. In order for the fine underwool to be classified and used as cashmere it must be de-haired. De-hairing is a mechanical process that separates the coarse hairs from the fine hair. After de-hairing, the resulting "cashmere" is ready to be dyed and converted into yarn, fabrics, or garments.

The Cashmere goats reside predominantly in the high plateaus of Asia with the most significant populations being found in the northwestern provinces of China, Mongolia, Iran and Afghanistan. The best quality cashmere is made of the undercoat of cashmere goats, which live with harsh winds and poor vegetation in the barren Asian steppes. The more extreme the conditions, the better the quality of cashmere. Many nations in that area rely on cashmere as a luxury product that is exportable for high profit, including the significant supplier countries: China and Mongolia.

China is the largest producer of raw cashmere. Current estimates of production put China's annual clip at approximately 10,000 metric tons. Mongolia produces somewhat more than 3,000 tons annually with Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan, India and Central Asian Republics producing significant, but lesser, amounts.
Cashmere (Kashmir) is characterized as a luxuriously soft wool with high loft. It is extremely warm (in order to serve its original purpose of protecting goats from cold mountain temperatures). Cashmere Fibers are highly adaptable and are easily constructed into fine or thick yarns, and light to heavy-weight fabrics. Natural colors: Grey, Brown, and White.
Pure cashmere can be spun into yarns and knit into sweaters, hats, gloves, socks and other apparel items, or woven into fabrics and then cut and assembled into garments such as outer coats, jackets, pants, scarves, blankets and other highly luxurious and desirable items. Fabric and garment producers in Italy, Scotland, England and Japan have long been known as market leaders in cashmere, although recent trends have seen a growing production from countries that actually produce the fiber, like China and Mongolia. * Note: most "commercial cashmere" used in mass knitwear production is made of 100% nylon.

Did you know? The famous Johnstons of Elgin began cashmere weaving in 1797 and is the oldest cashmere mill still in use today. Luxury Knitting by Linda Morse. The ultimate guide to exquisite yarns: cashmere, silk, merino, and their blends. Learn how and when the luxury yarn-producing creatures thrive as well as who tried to cultivate them and failed. Those seeking to learn about the best yarns will benefit from the experience of the author. Valuable tips on knitting and caring, and patterns for each of these types of yarn are included.

100% Cashmere 12 ply Paints * new 100% Cashmere DK, Makalu 100% Cashmere Undyed, Makalu Cashmere Classic, Lang

Cashmere Tweed, Lang Pashmina, Lana Grossa Silky Cashmere Aran, Makalu Solocashmere110, Lana Grossa

Content of Cashmere ≤ 10%: • Alpaca Cashmere Tweed • Silk Road Aran

100% Premium Cashmere

100% CASHMERE DK by Makalu FIBRE: 100% Premium Cashmere, Tibetan YARN WEIGHT: Double Knit TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 22 sts/ 28 rows NEEDLES: 3.75 - 4 mm (US No.5-6) LENGTH: 189 m / 200 yrd HANK WEIGHT: 56g /2oz * hand wash | made in China

100% CASHMERE UNDYED by Makalu FIBRE: 100% Premium Cashmere Undyed YARN WEIGHT: Worsted TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 22 sts/ 30 rows NEEDLES: 4 - 4.5 mm (US No.6-7) LENGTH: approx. 132 m / 140 yards BALL WEIGHT: 56 g /2 oz * hand wash | made in China

CASHMERE CLASSIC by Lang FIBRE: 100% Premium Cashmere YARN WEIGHT: Aran TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 16 sts/ 22 rows NEEDLES: 4.5 - 5 mm (US No.8) LENGTH: approx. 50 m / 56 yards BALL WEIGHT: 25 gr * hand wash | made in Italy

SOLOCASHMERE 110 by Linea Rossa FIBRE: 100% Premium Cashmere YARN WEIGHT: Light Sport (4 ply) TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 23 sts/ 32 rows NEEDLES: 3.25 - 4 mm (US No.5-6) LENGTH: approx. 110 m / 121 yards BALL WEIGHT: 25 gr * hand wash | made in Italy

Natural Blends

SILKY CASHMERE Aran by Makalu FIBRE: 45% Premium Cashmere, 55% Silk YARN WEIGHT: Aran TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 16 sts / 22 rows NEEDLES: 4.5 - 5 mm (US No.7-8) LENGTH: 40 m / 44 yards HANK WEIGHT: 25g * hand wash | made in China

CASHMERE TWEED by Lang FIBRE: 35% Premium Cashmere, 65% Merino extra fine YARN WEIGHT: Heavy Worsted TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 16 sts/ 25 rows NEEDLES: 4.25 - 5 mm (US No.7-8) LENGTH: approx. 78 m / 86 yards BALL WEIGHT: 25 g * hand wash | made in Italy

PASHMINA by Linea Rossa FIBRE: 22% Premium Cashmere, 78% Merino extra fine YARN WEIGHT: Worsted TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 20 sts/ 24 rows NEEDLES: 4.25 - 4.5 mm (US No.7) LENGTH: approx. 125 m / 139 yds BALL WEIGHT: 50g * hand wash | made in Italy

 

 

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