Cashmere

Cashmere is everywhere, even more now that stores are trying to purge their winter inventory. Savvy shoppers know there is cashmere, and then there is cashmere. This topic was well-covered in the Los Angeles Times Image section on Sunday, December 20.

Journalist Sabrina Azadi writes that the price for a cashmere sweater runs from $1,000 to $59.99. This explains why cashmere products can be found both at high end boutiques and Costco. In the end, the difference in price is an indication of quality. Cashmere, given the labor and time to manufacture it, should be expensive. "It takes a Mongolian goat about four years to naturally shed enough hair to make one cashmere sweater; then the hair has to be washed and sorted by hand. Once the raw material has been harvested, it must be spun into yarn and made into a garment."

When cashmere is blended with wool, silk, or other synthetic fibers the price decreases. So too does the softness. An acquaintance recently recounted the "amazing" deal she got on her cashmere sweater. Her story included special sales, a discount card, and a coupon she clipped from the newspaper. I am all for getting a bargain, but when I felt her sweater, it was not soft. Why bother! While two-ply cashmere offers tremendous warmth, people are attracted to cashmere for its luxuriously soft feel.

Historically, the best cashmere is from Scotland and is spun and knit there and in Italy. I was recently given a number of cashmere sweaters and scarves with "Made in Scotland" on their labels. Believe me, I have never felt such softness. The blends I have purchased over the years pale in comparison, and they have pilled a great deal.

Here is the scoop if you want to "tell the good from the destined to disappoint:
Labels: Opt for 100% cashmere if you can afford it.
Touch Test: Good quality cashmere should be really soft; it doesn't shine and shouldn't feel slippery or look fuzzy.
Quality: Cashmere should rebound back into shape when stretched."
Care: Hand wash in gentle soap in cool water, roll in a towel to soak up extra water, then dry flat.
Store cashmere in breathable clothing bags; do not hang it up; and put it away for the season CLEAN.

As a final word, "Just remember that at prices lower than $100, you're mostly buying into the cashmere name and the connotation of luxury without getting any of its benefits." Your money may be better spent on a lovely merino wool sweater.