Cashmere

Cashmere is the fine fiber that comes from the soft undercoat or under layer of hair of a goat. It is an extremely rare fiber and is available in limited supply. One goat yields an average of four to six ounces of fiber. It takes 32 ounces of fiber to make one sports jacket and 10 to 12 ounces of fiber to make one two-ply sweater.

There are the following steps in cashmere production:

1. Collecting
   Cashmere fibers are collected by either combing or shearing the animal during the molting season. Goats molt during a several week period in the spring.
    
2. Sorting/Scouring
   Hand sorting for coarse hair takes place. After sorting, the fiber is washed to remove dirt, grease and any vegetable matter gathered in the collection process.
    
3. Dehairing
   The scoured material is then dehaired. This step removes vegetable matter, dandruff and the coarse outer guard hair. At the end of this process, the cashmere is ready to be spun into yarns for weaving and knitting, the fourth and fifth steps.