Cashmere | Sven-Holger Clothing Atélier

Cashmere Guide

Few other fibres are more delicate than the precious wool of the Cashmere goat.

Natural Material

We recommend following these care recommendations to preserve the elegant appearance and softness of your cashmere garment.

ESSENTIALS

The amino acid composition of the fine hair of the Cashmere goat resembles human hair in its structure and softness.

One year’s collection of underdown from up to 5 goats is required to produce one of our cashmere garments, as only 150-200 grams of the finest underdown can be collected from each goat per year. Global production of pure cashmere is approximately 6,500 metric tonnes per year, miniscule in comparison to 2 million metric tonnes per year of sheep’s wool.

The name cashmere comes from the Kashmir region, where the combing out and weaving of the underdown first began in the 13th century.

The goats are bred primarily in Mongolia, China, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and India.

Cashmere goats can only be raised in small free-range herds.

Cashmere is up to eight times warmer than sheep’s wool and significantly lighter in weight.

Sven-Holger Cashmere

What are they key features of good cashmere and what does SVEN-HOLGER look for?

Capra hircus laniger

Our cashmere is of a very fine and soft natural fibre from the undercoat of the Kashmir goat (Capra hircus laniger). The coats of carefully selected goats are painstakingly combed out during the natural moulting at the end of each winter.

This special combing produces approximately 150-200 grams of the finest underdown hair per year from each animal. This is then sorted according to colour and washed to remove any grease or other impurities.

In a traditional last step the upper hair, called guard hair, is separated from the desired fine undercoat/underdown. This undercoat hair is very fine, with a diameter of just 15 to 19 microns and a length of 25 to 90 millimetres.

The average diameter of the hair is not allowed to exceed 19 microns in order to satisfy the high standards we have for top-grade fabric. The fineness of these fibres leads to the demonstrable formation of minute insulating air pockets between the fine hairs.

By setting a maximum content of 3% for hairs with a diameter of approximately 30 microns we achieve above average quality and delicate texture. This provides great heat retention at very low weight.

Our finest cashmere selection is dirt and stain resistant, inimitably soft and feather light – the ultimate second skin comfort.

Care guide for cashmere knitwear

The following advice is for cashmere knitwear only.

Hand washing

These care instructions do not apply to knitted cashmere such as that in our jackets. These should be professionally cleaned only.

Please wash your cashmere item in lukewarm water of about 30 degrees Celsius using a special mild wool laundry detergent. Wool detergent should not be used to soak cashmere; it is to be used solely for washing.

Thoroughly rinse your cashmere item with lukewarm or cold water. DO NOT twist or wring out cashmere items as this deforms and alters the fibres.

Place the item on a dry towel and restore it to its natural fit and original form. Next, roll up the towel and gently squeeze out any excess water from your cashmere garment, allowing the towel to absorb its moisture.

Repeat this step if necessary. Allow to dry on a dry towel at room temperature, preferably one that is the same colour as your cashmere item so there is no transfer of differently coloured fibres to the item.

TIPS

Please keep your washed cashmere item away from direct sunlight or heat sources as the fibres change and contract when dried or heated too fast. Hanging wet cashmere on a clothes hanger can cause stretching and warping due to uneven weight distribution.
If possible, avoid wearing a cashmere item on a daily basis, as it should rest for up to 24 hours after wearing so its absorbed moisture can be released to fresh ambient air.

Machine washing

Modern washing machines offer sophisticated wool washing programmes which will wash your cashmere item as safely as by hand. Your item should be turned inside out and washed at a maximum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius with a mild wool laundry detergent.

Afterwards, the item can be spun at low speed but we recommend drying it with a towel according to the drying recommendations for hand-washed items written above.

TIPS

After washing, place your cashmere item on a dry towel and restore it to its original form. When washing, turn your item inside out and make sure there is enough space in the drum for it to freely unfold. The drum should never be more than half full.

In order to prevent fibres from mixing and colours from transferring, we recommend not washing several woollen items together and never different colours.

Storage

Please keep your cashmere item lying flat if possible. The soft fibres can warp if hung on a hanger, especially with thin yarn or finely-woven products (e.g. 12gg, 14gg, 16gg quality).

If possible, keep your item protected from insects in the clothes bag in which it was delivered to you. Please do not use airtight plastic packaging.

TIP

You can hang your cashmere item up for airing before wearing. This as well allows the fine cashmere hairs to fully extend.

Ironing

Restore the item to its original shape. If you have a high quality steam iron, you can lightly steam your item after drying.

Holding the steam iron some distance from your cashmere item and steaming with a short burst or two will reduce the likelihood of fuzzing.

Nodules, lint and fluff accumulation

Mixing pure wool with 10-20% artificial fibre from crude oil slows the build-up of lint and fluff. However, this type of mixture compromises the authenticity, quality, feel and natural warming function of the cashmere and can even negatively impact the health of the wearer.

We advise purchasing only products containing 100% of a single type of wool – whether cashmere, conventional wool or Merino – not mixed wool products or mixes containing other fibres, whether natural or synthetic.

Natural cashmere fibres age differently from crude oil-sourced fibres (e.g. polyester). This allows 100% natural cashmere items to be enjoyed by future generations with proper and loving care.

Small nodules, lint and fluff are hallmarks of a natural, authentic high quality garment. These can be removed easily with common lint rollers or gently picked off by hand.

We generally advise against using products with razor blades or machines on high-quality clothing. Their use should be carefully evaluated on a case-by-case basis as they can cause holes, runs or other fabric damage.