Premium Cashmere
When you can combine the old and the new just by wearing quality
Da sempre definita come il patrimonio del mondo tessile, il cashmere affonda le sue radici nelle antiche tradizioni dei pastori che dimorano le lande e i promontori dell’Asia Centrale.
Used in the past as a natural resource to protect against harsh climates, the properties of this extraordinary fiber have traveled along the evolutionary paths of various cultures, managing today to blend the traditional aspects of a civilization with current modern creations.
Not surprisingly, its wonderful enveloping sensation, the unmistakable quality to the touch, and its surprising thermal properties have captured the attention of today’s fashion world, making it the true textile treasure of any production.
Located between India and Pakistan, the region of Kashmir rises, an ancient and rugged territory where goat farming and the incessant migrations of shepherds have faced the challenging climatic conditions of the area for years. Nonetheless, it remains the origin point from which the fiber gets its name.
To withstand the severe temperature fluctuations of that habitat, the Hircus Laniger goats have developed a dense undercoat, or Duvet, formed from the union of countless very fine fibers with such an extremely soft touch that it feels almost weightless. It is from this that Cashmere is derived, a fiber whose quality is inextricably linked to the harshness of the environmental conditions.
While on one hand we see how this animal has evolved to withstand the harsh climatic conditions, on the other hand, we understand how the life of the herder is marked by perseverance in obtaining such a precious material in one of the most naturally hostile places in the world.
The shepherds, intimate knowledge keepers of that land, have been passing down the ancient processes for collecting cashmere fibers without disrupting the natural cycle for generations.
In spring, when the weather becomes milder and the first timid rays of sunshine start to warm the air, the shepherds proceed with collecting the undercoat of the animals through a special “combing” process. This involves passing a comb over the underbody areas of the animal, where the fibers are softer and denser.
What makes cashmere the diamond of yarns is not only the skilled process of fiber collection but also the quantity that can be obtained. Indeed, from a single Hircus Laniger goat, between 150 and 200 grams of Duvet are collected each year, meaning that to make a cashmere sweater, fibers from at least four goats are required.
Another valuable element is its fineness, which, compared to the 24 microns of the highest-quality merino wool available on the market, ranges between 11 and 18 microns for cashmere. A figure that may seem insignificant at first glance, but in reality, produces extraordinary advantages in terms of thermal regulation and breathability, unparalleled by any other material.
The history of this precious fiber has traveled through eras, cultures, and traditions, eventually arriving in the tailoring workshops of Monia Mancinelli, where each day the quality of cashmere comes to life in the seams of her knitwear.
