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What is Cashmere?

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You hear a lot about luxurious cashmere blankets, scarves, sweaters and more. But what exactly is cashmere, and what makes it so luxurious?

Couple More Australian Cashmere Goats
Cashmere Goats by pontman, on Flickr

The experts at Sferra explain:

Cashmere is wool from the Cashmere goat. The majority of the world’s Cashmere today comes from China and Mongolia, with the finest found in the Gobi Desert region of Inner Mongolia. Cashmere goats produce a double fleece. The fine, soft undercoat (or underdown) of hair is mingled and must be de-haired from the straighter and much coarser outer coating of hair (or guard hair.)

Cashmere is characterized by its fine, soft and strong fibers, which are highly adaptable and skillfully spun into yarns. This luxuriant wool provides a natural, light-weight insulation with a silken feel. The resulting Cashmere fabric is highly durable and will last for years if cared for properly.

We have several cashmere throws and they really are softer than any other wool products. One of our favorites is the Dorsey Throw from Sferra:

Although cashmere is best cared for by dry cleaning, you can wash it. Use a specially formulated detergent for cashmere, as normal detergents are too harsh for this fine fabric. We like The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Shampoo.

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