lifestyle : the curious case of cashmere
In use since the 14th century, we take a look at the fabled history of cashmere and how the fabric synonymous with luxury has become one of the most sought after by brands across the globe.
There are a handful of materials in life which are simply a cut above the rest. A collection of materials that ooze opulence, quality and a grandeur feel, which inevitably means a high price point too. We are talking about diamonds, gold, fur, exotic skins and more. Alternate and cheaper versions of each of these materials can be made, faux fur, crystals etc, but never can these luxury goods be replicated due to the lengthy and meticulous processes that are needed to produce them. Cashmere is no different. The smooth and almost silky-like wool is made using goats from the himalayan regions of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and can take 4-8 goats to make a single sweater. Let’s look at the materials history, how expensive and comfortable it actually is and what brands are using it for.
Often referred to as the golden fleece, the Cashmere you find today could be from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan or Mongolia. It is a material that requires some serious effort to produce and lots of fur growing from the goats, with one single fluffy mammal taking around a year to produce enough wool for a scarf. The reason the material is so fluffy and takes so long for the goats to grow it is because the fibres themselves are longer, smoother and straighter than the wool that a sheep produces. Those fibres, which can only be taken at a certain time of year and only from the goat's chin or underbelly are removed with a comb, spun into a filament, dyed and then ready to be woven or knitted into whatever garment you please. It all seems a bit much but in reality if you have ever worn a cashmere sweater or even scarf, you can understand why people go to these lengths to make it and why customers are willing to pay such a high price point for it.
The demand for Cashmere in the West came knocking late in the 18th century, more specifically in Britain and France, when women of the upper class wanted something comfortable to drape over their short sleeved ball gowns. A neo-classical style if you will. As one can imagine, the material's popularity with the elite of the world soared, including with royalty such as Empress Josephine of France, first wife of Emperor Napoleon I, who was reportedly known for the ownership of hundreds of cashmere shawls in the early 19th century.
Like all great things, especially those that are worth quite a lot of cash, replacements and gimmicks are made and by the late 1800’s, the amount of imported cashmere began to drop. Local wool businesses proved they could make something fairly similar and comfortable for a fifth of the price and the popularity of the fabled material dropped. Cashmere certainly didn’t disappear but was certainly more of a rarity. The resurgence of Cashmere came in the 20th century when brands started to realise the fibres made for great cardigans and sweaters and didn’t only need to be used for womens shawls. The 1970s saw a key rise in popularity due to brands often using the product for their Fall/Winter collections and draping it over models on runways across the world.
Today, Cashmere is more popular than perhaps it has ever been. 700 million cashmere goats roam the earth in a multitude of locations and the market itself for the fibres on those goats' bellies and chins is in excess of 2.6 billion USD. It helps too that Cashmere production is turning into a much more sustainable process as time goes on.
Some recommendations from us in terms of Cashmere are The Elder Statesmen for a pop of colour, Zegna for a younger modern vibe and Loropiana for the most classic aesthetics.