Two sweaters can both be labelled 100 percent cashmere and still feel completely different. One feels airy and supple, the other firmer or coarser. The explanation begins with the raw material and continues through the whole production process.
To understand a cashmere garment, you therefore need to look more closely at both the fibre and the work that turns it into yarn.
What actually is cashmere?
Cashmere comes from the fine undercoat of the cashmere goat. It has to be separated from the coarser guard hair of the coat before the raw material can become a soft yarn.
The trade organisation Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute defines cashmere as this fine, dehaired undercoat, with an average fibre diameter not exceeding 19 microns.
This means the term cashmere covers different degrees of fibre fineness. The composition tells you which fibre a garment contains, but on its own it does not give the whole picture of its quality.
What does Royal Cashmere mean?
Royal Cashmere is a name used for selected cashmere yarns. A clear example is AURORA, described as the signature yarn within Royal Cashmere.
AURORA is 100 percent cashmere, has a yarn count of 2/26 Nm and is stated to have an average fibre diameter of 15.2–15.8 microns. The yarn's character is described as soft, voluminous and light.
Royal Cashmere should therefore be understood as a quality designation. To compare materials in a meaningful way, you also need to know the specific yarn quality and its properties.
Small measurements that make a big difference
A micron is a thousandth of a millimetre. In textiles the measurement is used to describe the fibre's diameter – how fine the individual fibre is.
Finer fibres bend more easily against the skin and are therefore generally felt as softer. That is an important part of the explanation for why fine animal fibres can feel so pleasant in garments worn close to the body.
But a micron count is not a complete quality rating. Fibre length, how well the coarser hair has been sorted out and how the yarn is spun also affect the end result. Then come knitting and finishing.
That is why the first touch only tells part of the story. A well-made garment also has to work when it is worn.
Origin and refinement of the raw material
For AURORA, the raw material is mainly sourced from areas such as Alashan in western Inner Mongolia, Qinghai and Tibet.
After collection, the raw material has to be sorted and processed. The coarser guard hairs are separated from the fine undercoat before spinning – a step called dehairing.
This is where the craft begins that is rarely seen in a finished product photo. An even colour, a beautiful drape and a pleasant surface rest on many decisions made long before the sweater takes shape.
Why can even fine cashmere pill?
A soft natural fibre also needs some care. When fibres work their way up to the garment's surface and are exposed to friction, they can tangle into small pills. This is often noticeable where the material rubs against itself or against, for example, a bag.
Some degree of pilling can therefore occur even on fine cashmere. It does not automatically mean the material is of low quality. At the same time, the construction of the yarn and the make of the garment affect how the surface develops.
Always follow the garment's care instructions. For AURORA, these include hand washing, drying flat and avoiding tumble drying.
A material to choose with care
For us at Brown Avenue, cashmere is interesting for how it combines comfort with a considered expression. A clean silhouette lets the material's surface and drape take centre stage. A soft crewneck can be worn under a blazer, while a knitted zip hoodie gives the same material a more relaxed role.
When you choose cashmere, it is therefore worth looking beyond the word on the label. Ask about the yarn, feel the knit and think about how the garment will be used.
Royal Cashmere shows how much lies behind a soft surface. Quality begins with small fibres and becomes something tangible: a garment you feel good in and are happy to put on again.