In the fashion industry, cashmere, which is from Kashmir goats, is regarded as one of the expensive wool types. It’s known for its high-quality fabric that gives luxurious feels. Women’s cashmere clothing is already a wardrobe that’s known for its soft, warm, and lightweight texture. You’ve probably seen this durable and soft natural fiber in high-end fashion boutiques or lavish gift shops.
If you’re eyeing for some cashmere clothing, it may be overwhelming because when the fabric is transformed into a clothing piece, it’s quite hard to distinguish which one is cashmere, especially if it’s also surrounded by other wool fabric. As a consumer, it’s best to know how to check if it’s a high-quality cashmere or just an imitation.
Here’s a guide to help you score the finest cashmere clothing in the market.
How To Know If The Cashmere Is Good Quality?
In order for you to determine if the cashmere is of good quality, there are various factors to consider. One of the obvious indicators of the quality is the price, but it’s not always reliable.
Here are a few things that you can check if you want to make sure you’re getting a high-quality cashmere fabric:
- Touch It
Cashmere is known for being a soft fabric, which means that all of its quality grades are soft. A way to check its quality is through a crinkle test. Pinch the fabric; if it bounces back to a smooth form, you would know that it’s of high quality. You should be able to determine the softness of natural fiber from the texture of synthetic fiber.
Chemically processed cashmere is mushy to the touch and it’s too soft. Synthetic cashmere softens and loses its form as you wear it, indicating that the fibers decrease their durability. On the other hand, while natural cashmere has fibers that get better and softer as you wear and wash it.
- Buy From Reputable Store
Even though it’s pricey, there’s an increasing demand for cashmere clothing, especially during the holiday season. According to Lux-review.com, which is a lifestyle publication, it’s a go-to holiday present. That’s why there’s an increase in production during the Christmas season. No wonder there are a lot of brands in the market that venture into selling it because it’s considered a fast-moving item because of its quality. However, like luxury brands, cashmere is often counterfeited.
There are a lot of cashmere products in the market that claims to be 100% authentic, but actually have low-quality fibers added into them. It’s important to be wise in making sure that you only get a high-quality product so you won’t end up wasting your money.
Fortunately, there are reputable stores online, such as Italy in Cashmere, that craft and sell quality and aesthetically appealing cashmere products. Don’t be fooled purchasing an affordable cashmere because you might get a product that’ll only last for up to a few uses.
- Check The Label
A clothing piece that uses authentic cashmere usually indicates 100% cashmere on the label of the type of fabric used. When you see merino blends or acrylic blends, the manufacturer didn’t use pure cashmere. If you’re looking for high-quality cashmere, avoid clothing that has acrylic blends.
Since acrylic blends are man-made, it may negate cashmere’s natural temperature regulation, making it unbreathable. The label is where you can tell what kind of quality grade the clothing used. However, in some instances, some products have misleading information, which you should be aware of.
- Inspect The Fibers
If you slowly run down your hand in the fiber and notice that there’s a loose thread that comes up in your hand, the clothing is most likely made from a low-quality cashmere because of its short strands. A high-quality cashmere makes use of long, thin strands and it won’t easily shed fibers.
You may also stretch the fabric. A high-quality one will spring back into its shape, and when you look closely, the threads are knitted together nicely. When the wool is knitted loosely, that’s an indication that it’s of poor quality or it’s not pure cashmere.
- Notice The Color And Treatment
Even though 100% pure cashmere is used, if it undergoes several manufacturing treatments, such as dyeing, the fabric may become rough, lowering its quality. It’s common for fabric that has darker shades. According to experts, it’s best to use cashmere clothing in lighter colors because they don’t need much treatment, so there’s a possibility that its quality won’t be altered.
When the clothing piece is color-treated, an indication of its quality is if the color bleeds when you wash it. Cashmere is highly absorbent, so a pure one won’t shed color even if it’s the first time you wash it.
Are All Cashmere Created Equal?
Unlike other types of fabric that have the same style, texture, and quality, cashmere is graded differently. If you’re not aware of this fabric’s grading system, you may wonder why different cashmere products don’t have the same quality.
Cashmere fabric is categorized into three grades–Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C. It’s essential to know the differences of these quality grades to know if the clothing you’re buying is worth it for its price.
- Grade A is renowned as the highest quality cashmere, which is why luxury brands utilize it for its long and fine fibers. It’s also known to last for a long period of time. It has a diameter that’s only 14 microns and up to 36mm long.
- Grade B has a fabric that’s less soft and more affordable compared to Grade A. It has a thickness of 19 microns and has a shorter fiber.
- Grade C has the thickest fabric, with a diameter of 30mm. Among the three grades, it’s known to have the lowest quality.
Final Thoughts
In finding cashmere clothing, it’s important that you know how to distinguish high quality from a low-quality fabric to ensure that your money is spent wisely. If you’re finding cashmere clothing, make sure to check the label to know if it’s pure, inspect the fibers to test their quality, and make it a habit to buy from reputable stores only.