What is Cashmere?
To begin with, Cashmere is the raw wool, the undercoat of a Pashmina goat which is found in Ladakh. Even though, it is found in China, Mongolia, Tibet, Nepal and other region in the world, but Ladakhi Cashmere Series is the best and finest of them all. The Changthangi goat in Ladakh survives a temperature of -40 degrees just because it is covered in this warm fleece. Cashmere keeps the goat warm and comfortable in winters, and is the only protection that the goat has in a freezing temprature.
As soon as Winter bids goodbye, and Spring arrives, this wool becomes a burden for the goat. To get rid of its warmth, it rubs itself with rough surfaces. Fine hair can be seen around on bushes, rough stones, coarse bushes and in their own shed walls. Herders realize that its time, and call for professional help. Professionals arrive with specialized tools and combs, and start combing the goat's body gently, stroke by stroke. Firstly large portions are covered and then the smaller ones. Finally the goat is freed from the burden and it starts moving around freely.
It must be noted that one goat produces 70-400 grams of Cashmere, depending upon the size. Hence, to make one Pashmina shawl, wool from 3 to 4 goats is required.
The art of handcrafting luxury shawls, scarves, stoles and accessories from this fine Cashmere wool. The fabric was discovered in the 14th century by a Sufi mystic, who envisioned the world wearing it. He got his artisans working on the first set of Cashmere socks ever and voila, Cashmere has remained the most sought-after fabric in the whole wide world.
The pros and cons of each type of wool depend on the animal it comes from.
Alpaca: A versatile medium-weight wool fabric used for many purposes like high-end suiting, coats, blankets, outerwear lining, and bedspreads, alpaca wool is a lustrous material that's soft, lightweight, warm, and durable. There are two breeds of alpaca—Huacaya and Suri—that produce different types of wool: Huacaya fleece is thicker and often used for knit items, while Suri is silkier and used more in woven apparel.
