where does cashmere wool come from

Cashmere sweaters are just not the softest thing that you will lay your hands on, but they are also extremely warm and anyone who have worn cashmere sweater can vouch for this fact. This expensive yarn is used in making socks, jackets, scarves and sweaters. One more thing that adds to the desire is the weight which is very less than most of other woolens. The name cashmere originally originates from the Kashmir goats which are the source of this fine fabric. These goats are bred in the higher plateau region of the Gobi desert which accounts for the finer variant of cashmere. Many of the Kashmir goats also thrive in India, China and Iran with China slowly emerging as the largest producer of the raw cashmere.

During the spring moulting season the Kashmir goats naturally shed the thick winter coat. In the high deserts where the temperatures are frigid the goats use the thick covering to protect from the winter cold but as the spring approach they lose the protective down layer.

Most of the finer threads are taken from the throat and the underbelly of these goats but the fur at the back and leg is also important though the latter accounts for a lesser grade cashmere. The threads from the throat and belly are long which accounts for the softness and also for less pilling when woven into dresses or coats. Most of the goats in Mongolia in the Gobi desert produce whiter fiber which needs less dying and thus is more expensive. The Kashmir goats in regions like Iran, Afghanistan and India produce brown or gray fiber which makes it more affordable by lowering the price.

The raw fine cashmere is separated from the coarse one by a process which is termed as de-hairing. After this process the cashmere is then dyed and converted into yarn to be made into garments. Though garments made of cashmere were once only limited to royalty but now they are a favorite among all those who can purchase these fine fiber knitted sweaters and scarves.

The Kashmir goats which produce the cashmere takes four years to grow and produce fiber which can be knitted into one sweater. The after process is also intense and the combination of these two factors makes cashmere expensive. This makes this fabric even more desirable, after all who would not like to own a piece that has such a rare source.