Not all cashmere wool is created equal
If you want to buy cashmere wool and don't have the opportunity to feel and try it on in a physical store, you have to rely on product descriptions, which isn't easy: Is there a difference if you want to buy "Kaschmir" and "Cashmere" wool? No, the first is the German spelling, the second is English. Which animal does cashmere wool come from? From the cashmere goat, which primarily lives in China and the Himalayas. Are there different qualities of cashmere? Yes!
Cashmere fibers: Fineness and hair length
Are you looking for a cashmere yarn for knitting that is super soft yet doesn't pill after the first wear? Then it's important that you choose a particularly high-quality version: The finer the individual cashmere fiber, the softer the cashmere wool. The longer the individual cashmere hair, the less pilling. Fibers that are both fine AND long are rare and therefore expensive. The fiber fineness is measured in microns – the finest cashmere is approx. 14.5 microns. The fiber length is classified in staple. The staple length of cashmere is 35-90mm.
How does cashmere become fluffy?
Do you want to knit a cashmere scarf or a cashmere sweater? And should the knitted items be as fluffy as possible? Is fluffy cashmere particularly high quality? No! High-quality cashmere wool is not naturally fluffy at first. What appears as soft fluff on the surface of a ball of yarn are either shorter fibers that have been brushed out or softened with fabric softener, or the yarn has been brushed after spinning. Both can lead to pilling relatively quickly. Long-staple, fine cashmere only gradually becomes softer with knitting and washing (hand wash, gentle liquid soap, lukewarm, gently swish, do not rub). You can even put the finished knitted item in the dryer for a short time for a particularly fluffy result.
Buying Cashmere Wool
If you want to buy cashmere wool online and are looking for a sustainable and affordable option, then Kremke Eco Cashmere Fingering is a good alternative. It uses 50% recycled cashmere. The Summer in Kashmiroffers a great cotton-cashmere blend with a GOTS certificate.
