I don't like posting three times in a row, but l will try to make an exception this once.
Industry talk - part 2 (quotes from Style Forum)
The internet is littered with comments saying that cashmere from certain parts of the goat is superior, but according to FrankDC on S.F this is a myth. What are Frank's credentials? This = "a commercial buyer and seller of raw cashmere and finished cashmere garments for 20+ years".
Here's some excellent posts on knitwear from Frank, he seems to know what's going on, and these are the finest posts on knitwear from S.F. I post a few highlights below.
The internet myth
As mentioned, better quality cashmere does indeed come from a particular section of the goat. Because the underside of the neck and front section of the chest never experience the harsh elements, this is the zone from which the best fibers are combed?
The truth according to industry professional Frank
"Actually Gary, that's a myth, popularized by marketeers at companies like Lands End who can't think of any other way to sell average grade cashmere sweaters"
"1. The goats who produced it. The absolute finest cashmere, with a fiber width of <11 microns is known as "super white" and comes from Alashan goats in Inner West Mongolia. This stuff represents well under 1% of the annual production from Mongolia, and most of it each spring goes to only a few companies (Loro Piana alone gets roughly half of it every year). In addition, the best of this Alashan is still gathered by hand from wild goats (results in longer fiber lengths), while the rest is shorn by razor or automated shearing machines, which results in much shorter fiber lengths and greatly reduced durability (much more prone to shedding and pilling).
2. How it's processed. Some companies spend more time dehairing, carding etc than others. Simply put, if you leave a lot of guard hairs in the raw cashmere, it's going to wind up as scratchy clothing, regardless of how fine the cashmere is. Also, as you mentioned, the dye used for a particular color does (or at least can) effect quality.
3. How it's knitted or woven. Ply doesn't matter nearly as much as many people might think, e.g. for feel and hand I actually prefer single-ply sweaters, and have dozens of them that look just as good now as they did 10+ years ago. It's all about fiber quality, not thickness".
FrankDC,
Dec 23, 2006
http://www.styleforum.net/threads/how-can-you-determine-quality-cashmere.26421/#post-367016
More great gems on info from Frank...cashmere quality varies from year to year.
"Another issue is that cashmere, like other agricultural products varies widely in both quantity and quality from year to year and region to region. During a good year you may find a $100 Gobi sweater of incredible fiber quality, and the next year you may pay $400 for a Zegna sweater of completely average fiber quality".
http://www.styleforum.net/threads/how-can-you-determine-quality-cashmere.26421/page-2#post-367193
Frank on cashmere care is different to others
"When hand washing cashmere, unless it's stained or heavily soiled, less is always better. Less water, less soap and less agitation. When finished, instead of squeezing excess water out of your sweaters, you can save wear (and lots of drying time) by briefly spinning them in a washing machine's spin cycle before laying them out to dry. Use the machine's delicate spin cycle if it has one. Do not tumble dry and avoid all sources of direct heat".
http://www.styleforum.net/threads/how-can-you-determine-quality-cashmere.26421/page-2#post-367213
"Increasing the number of plys to two helps avoid thin spots in finished yarn. But this doesn't help reduce shedding or pilling, since the number of fiber ends in the yarn are doubled. Beyond two plys there's no real benefit, other than producing a heavier yarn".
http://www.styleforum.net/threads/how-can-you-determine-quality-cashmere.26421/page-3#post-367933
The best post from an amateur at S.F on knitwear.
Best to read the entire post linked, but quoted below is a real feel good quote.
"In my humble opinion, the quality of the old Ballantyne, Pringle, and Lyle & Scott was and remains unsurpassed. The Lockie and McGeorge I've had the opportunity to see are probably nearly there as well. I've also heard great things about Murray Allan and
Laing.
These are my Ballantynes, all between 35 and 45 years old Even the oldest still look pristine, showing no pilling or stretching; I wash them once every few months",
http://www.styleforum.net/t/218492/cashmere-sweater-hierarchy/30
The 20 ply jumper
It's no big deal, it's just thicker wool. Just a different type of style. Here's one by Brunello Cucinelli. Check how thick the neck area is.
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I've seen wool up to 30 ply.
My conclusions
So now we can see why some expensive cashmere has been reported to be itchy. Apparently the company hasn't taken the time to sort the guard hairs from the other cashmere. And we now know that quality can't be guaranteed because it can change each year.
My explosive statement
Loro Piana talks about baby cashmere being the best, but according to my common sense this could be just marketing hype. Why? Because the best cashmere is the stuff which has the longest strands. To me the baby cashmere is really about having the finest cashmere with a more narrow width, but that in itself doesn't guarantee quality, all it guarantees is softness. Besides...as Frank says, cashmere quality varies from year to year, so what baby cashmere is really about is softness, because quality can never be guaranteed where as soft cashmere from baby goats can. AND l think the company relies on people associating the finest baby cashmere with quality, and the wishy washy way Loro Piana say it certainly gives the hint = "In many ways Baby Cashmere has established a new frontier in cashmere, a new standard of quality". A "new standard in quality" according to whom?? What is a "new standard in quality"? How is quality different now to what it used to be??? What are these "many ways"?? See what l am getting at fellas! What a load of bunk, softer doesn't mean better IMO. Quality is quality, there is no new standard.
Bunk written by L.P marketing folks in an office to baffle brains with loads of meaningless twattle.
https://www.loropiana.com/en/our-world-Loro-Piana/product-origin/baby-cashmere
See...the best cashmere doesn't necessarily come from a baby goat. The best comes from ANY GOAT who produces the longest lengths of cashmere. It's important to use our common sense and not get stupid about things by buying into emotional fluff pieces and marketing hype written on the internet. Like with shoos, loads of junk is written on the internet about knitwear. It's important to use one's common sense and get professional knowledge so one can make a sensible conclusion.
