What is Cashmere?

Defining Cashmere: More Than Just "Soft Wool"

Cashmere is a natural fibre obtained from the fine undercoat — known as pashm or pashmina — of the Cashmere goat (Capra hircus laniger). The name derives directly from the historical spelling of "Kashmir," the Himalayan valley where the craft of weaving this fibre was first perfected.

Unlike sheep's wool, which comes from a single animal population, cashmere goats are adapted to extreme cold environments across the Himalayan plateau, the Gobi Desert, and parts of Central Asia. To survive winters where temperatures plunge to −40°C, these animals develop a uniquely fine inner coat — the cashmere — beneath a coarser outer guard-hair layer.

Cashmere is formally defined under international textile standards (ISO 3715 and the US Wool Products Labeling Act) as fibre with a diameter no greater than 19 microns, with no more than 3% coarse fibres exceeding 30 microns. This standard is what legally distinguishes cashmere from ordinary goat-hair or "wool."

Fiber Science: The Three Key Properties

The extraordinary qualities of cashmere are the result of three interlocking physical properties: diameter, length, and crimp. Understanding these helps explain why cashmere commands such a premium — and why cheap imitations fail to replicate its feel.

Why Diameter Matters Most

The relationship between fibre diameter and softness is not linear — it is exponential. At 19 microns, a fibre sits at the threshold of perceivable irritation for most people. At 16 microns, the fibre is below the itch threshold for virtually everyone. At 14 microns — the finest recorded — the sensation is compared to a second skin.

This is why the Changthangi goat of Ladakh is so prized: raised at 4,500+ metres altitude in extreme cold, its fibres have evolved to be among the finest cashmere in the world, averaging 14–16 microns — finer than most Mongolian cashmere (17–18.5 µm) or Chinese cashmere (15–17 µm).

Cashmere Grades: A, B, and C Explained

The cashmere industry broadly uses three grade designations based primarily on fibre diameter and staple length. While there is no single global grading body, these categories are widely recognised by manufacturers, retailers, and standards organisations.