Winter is upon us, which means that cashmere sweaters - a staple of holiday gift-giving and cold-weather fashion - have returned to store shelves. Those planning to purchase a garment boasting the label "100 percent cashmere" can expect a hefty price tag; at Banana Republic, one cardigan is priced at $198; elsewhere, you can find cashmere sweaters for upward of $500. Why is cashmere so much more expensive than other kinds of wool?
Its costly production process and scarcity. Cashmere comes from the soft undercoat of goats bred to produce the wool. It takes more than two goats to make a single two-ply sweater. The fibers of the warming undercoat must be separated from a coarser protective top coat during the spring molting season, a labor-intensive process that typically involves combing and sorting the hair by hand. These factors contribute to the relatively low global production rate of cashmere - approximately 30,000 pounds a year compared to about 3 million pounds of sheep's wool.
The name cashmere comes from an old spelling of Kashmir, the region where its production and trade originated, possibly as early as the Mongolian empire in the 13th century. According to historian Michelle Maskiell, author of "Consuming Kashmir: Shawls and Empires, 1500-2000," from the 1500s to as late as the early 1900s, Iranian and Indian emperors used Kashmiri shawls in political and religious settings; in the Mughal Indian courts, for example, the acceptance of a shawl from a political figure established a hierarchy between the giver and the receiver.
In the late 18th century, Scottish textile manufacturer Joseph Dawson discovered shawls made from cashmere in India and began to import the material to his factory in Scotland. Dawson sold shawls to upper-class British women who prized the fabric for its softness and warmth. (High-quality cashmere can be up to eight times warmer than sheep's wool despite its light weight.)
But not all cashmere is equally luxe: The texture, color and length of the fibers all affect manufacturing and pricing. Naturally, whiter cashmere fibers require less dye, diminishing the damage that coloring causes to its natural softness. Quality also depends on the region in which the wool is collected. In Inner Mongolia, for instance, the winters are harsh and the goats have a more meager diet, which produces the finer hair seen in the highest quality garments. Still, even the best raw material can be compromised by a sub-par finishing process. The fineness of a cashmere item comes down to that process, as the spinning and weaving of the fabric affects the look, feel and touch of the final product.
China is the largest supplier of the raw material needed to make cashmere wool, but Europe has mastered cashmere manufacturing methods, and has cornered the market on premium quality products.
Lifestyles
Slate's Explainer: Why is cashmere more expensive than other kinds of wool?
- Lifestyles
-
-
In fan fiction, your favorite characters do what you want them to
When J.J. Abrams took over the "Star Trek" franchise in 2009, he boldly went where the series hadn't gone before — romantically — pairing Uhura with Spock. Many fans disliked the change. Some loved it. Others didn't care, because they just wanted to see Kirk and Spock make out.
-
Bucket brigade to benefit Red Cross
The Fulton Kiwanis Club will work to assist the Gateway Area Chapter of the American Red Cross disaster relief fund.
-
How to get the most out of your air conditioner this summer
Experts say preventative maintenance on your air conditioner can save you hundreds of dollars.
-
Camanche committee meets tonight
A committee will meet again tonight to consider Camanche City Hall's future.
-
Clinton County magistrates to be appointed
The meeting of the Clinton County Judicial Magistrates Nominating Commission is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. May 23.
-
Feces contaminates 58 percent of public swimming pools
Human feces taints more than half of public swimming pools, a finding U.S. health officials are using to urge better personal hygiene as the summer months approach.
- Event to benefit cultural center CLINTON -- The third annual 5K run/walk to benefit the St. Irenaeus Cultural Center will be held Memorial Day. The "When the Saints Go Marchin' In" starts at 8 a.m. Monday outside of St. Irenaeus at 2811 N. Second St. Runners and walkers can register
-
Clinton CC students celebrate graduation
CLINTON -- Community members piled into the W. J. Yourd Gymnasium on Monday for the 65th Clinton Community College graduation ceremony. "This is kind of a culmination of the work that we do with our students," CCC President Karen Vickers said. "We ar
-
Citizen police academy produces largest class
CLINTON -- More than 30 people recently graduated from the annual Citizen Police Academy. Clinton Community College hosted the graduation ceremony involving 31 residents for 18th academy. This is the largest graduating class ever. Graduates included
-
Apple's iPad2 heart risk found in research by 14-year-old
Gianna Chien's study — which found that Apple's iPad2 can, in some cases, interfere with life-saving heart devices because of the magnets inside — is based on a science fair project that didn't even win her first place.
- More Lifestyles Headlines
-
