Cashmere is one of the most rare
and special wool in the world and also one of the most valued. It is soft, silky,
light and good thermal insulation.
Cashmere wool comes from the
innermost layer of the hair of a goat, which originally could only be found in
isolated local populations in the mountains of Tibet, on the southern slopes of
the Himalayas and in the Xinjiang region in China, mountain areas with sub-zero
temperatures.
This inner layer of hair is
separated from the outside, protective and thicker during the moulting in
spring and only after a manual combing work and classification. Over two goats
are needed to make one sweater. If we add the low rate of world production
(approximately 6,500 metric tons of pure cashmere by year, instead of 2 million
tonnes of sheep wool), we can understand its relatively high price compared
with other fibres and its use as a sign of class, luxury and
distinction.
Its name comes from a region of
northern India. The cashmere is manufactured in Mongolia, Nepal and Kashmir
since thousands of years ago to make fabulous scarves and shawls. This fibre is
also known as pashmina (Persian wool).
In the fourteenth century, Ali
Hamadani reached Ladakh region with 700 weavers and artisans from Persia,
discovering the goats of the region and its soft wool. Legend said that he
took some yarns and knitted a pair of socks as a present for the king of
Kashmir. The sultan loved the quality and allowed Hamadani starts a weaving
industry of shawls with this wool.
The shawls were introduced into
Europe when the Commander in Chief of the French campaign in Egypt (1799-1802)
sent one to Paris. The arrival of the shawl was an immediate success and
manufacturing started in France. Trading in commercial quantities of
raw cashmere between Asia and Europe began with Valerie Audresset SA, a French
company located in Louviers, being the first European company to
commercially spin cashmere. Years later the Scottish textile manufacturer
Joseph Dawson discovered the Indian pashminas and began importing the material
to its factory in Scotland. Dawson sells these shawls to the British upper
class women, who appreciated the fabric for its softness and warmth. A piece of
high quality cashmere can be up to eight times warmer than sheep’s wool despite
its lightweight.
Texture, colour and fibre length
affect its manufacture and its price. The more white cashmere fibres require
less dye, minimizing the damage that causes the colour to its natural softness,
and they are the most appreciated. The quality also depends on the region
in which the wool is collected. In Inner Mongolia, for example, winters are
harsh and goats have a poorer diet. They produce a finest hair, perfect
for the garments of the highest quality.
China has become the largest
producer of raw cashmere, but Europe is who controls the spinning and
manufacturing methods, and it has cornered the market on high quality products.
One brand that currently
manufactures wonderful cashmere shawls is Burberry. This season has presented a
new section on its website, “Bar Scarf”. There, fans can customize the classic
checks scarf classical of brushed cashmere, adding
their initials embroidered. For this campaign, Burberry has made this
video that I share with you, because apart from an exquisite aesthetic, you will
see the whole making process the shawls in Scotland.
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Now that you are aware of cashmere's history, write ten questions whose answers are in the text. Make sure that the most important information is in your questions.
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