What's Cashmere? Let's unveil this material.

Cashmere is actually a type of wool – except, unlike the traditional wool, cashmere is the fine, soft fiber combed from the undercoats of a certain kind of goats, Kashmir goats.

Cashmere gets its name from an old spelling of Kashmir, the region where its production and trade originated. These goats are found across the Himalayas where temperatures can drop to -30°C and their freezing cold habitat means that they grow an incredibly thick, warm coat.

Cashmere goats have two layers of hair – a super-soft cashmere undercoat, and it’s protected by the goat’s outer layer, AKA the wool, as the topcoat.

Cashmere goats are originally found across the Himalayas where temperatures can drop to -30°C and these harsh climates have allowed the goats to grow the longest and finest fibers that shepherds then collect every spring when these warmer coats begin to shed.

Therefore, the best cashmere goats typically live in places like Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, Nepal, Ladakh, Baltistan, etc, places that are known for their cold and harsh climates.

The process of combing and collecting the under layer is pretty labor-intensive, as the undercoat has to be separated from the outer layer by hand.

Thankfully, we've got some excellent shepherds who are up to the task. Each goat typically produces just 150 g of fibers, and it takes approximately 4-5 adult-sized goats to make one 100% cashmere sweater.

Part of what makes cashmere so exclusive is how elusive acquiring the fiber can be... it is only harvested from goats once a year!

That's why cashmere is so valuable.

Here at State Cashmere, our founder comes from a family of shepherds. He longs to share with you the beautiful life of growing up in Inner Mongolia, grandparents who were shepherds, and the raising of our cashmere goats.

Because of his family heritage, and his passion for cashmere, we bring you the finest cashmere basics from the heart of my homeland, with integrity and honesty.