Confused over what constitutes good quality cashmere sweaters and accessories in today's marketplace? If so, Carmel Cashmere and Company is here to help you make intelligent, informed decisions, so next time you are looking to buy a cashmere sweater, scarf, gloves, etc.,you can do so with confidence and knowledge. The finest quality cashmere fiber comes from Tibet and Mongolia, where the high altitude and cold, harsh conditions enable the goats to grow the finest, longest fiber. BUT NOT ALL CASHMERE IS EQUAL! The yarn used in our sweaters and accessories come from the throat and belly of the animal, where the fiber is longer and denser to keep the animals vital organs warm. Cheaper cashmere manufacturers use the short fibers from the back and legs, where it is coarser, but which also costs less to buy and produce. Also they often mix other fibers with cashmere and then label them "pure or 100% cashmere", which is deceptive and illegal. The Cashmere Manufacturers Institute was established to promote genuine cashmere and to protect consumers - visit their website at www.cashmere.org for more information. The finest quality cashmere garments still come from Scotland and Italy who have a world renowned reputation for expertise and quality products. Be wary of merchandise coming from the Far and Middle Eastern countries usually listed as "Imported" in catalogue and print advertising. The mass merchandisers use these countries for their cheap labor and production costs and then try to confuse the consumer by stating that all the cashmere on the market is the same. The quality and workmanship are simply NOT the same caliber as cashmere products made in Scotland and Italy. What has to do with quality is how pure the yarn is to begin with and how tight the garment is knitted (gauge). The lighter the knit, the tighter the knit should be and the higher the gauge. So, a 1 ply sweater will be a lighter weight but a tighter knit. With woven items such as scarves, shawls, and blankets, look for how tightly the item is woven, which is always a good indicator of quality. Also, all our items are YARN dyed NOT pieced dyed. This makes for uniform color consistency and a far more superior product. The other important factors are ply and gauge. All ply relates to is weight. It has absolutely nothing to do with quality. A single ply will be a lighter weight than a 2 ply, which will be lighter than a 4 or 8 ply, which is very heavy and loosely knit. To add even more confusion, many manufacturers are calling a single ply cashmere a 2 ply and a 2 ply cashmere a 4 ply, etc. to imply that the higher the ply the better the garment. This is absolutely untrue! Also, softness has nothing to do with quality as many inferior cashmere manufacturers use short fibers, which although may make the sweater "fluffier" will also more likely pill and wear out faster. Our items are knitted and woven with the longest, finest strands possible, which give it a tighter, flatter feel, but which wears much better. Dyes can also play a role in how soft an item feels; lighter shades will always be softer to the touch as stronger dyes must be used for dark colors which may make the item not as soft. However, once a knitted garment is washed, the strands "open" and get fuller and softer. questions? e-mail us at carmelcashmere.com |
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