Feral goats mainly from pastoral areas of Australia were used as the initial stock. Cashmere is recognised as a luxury fibre, commanding some of the highest prices in the world for textiles. The finer portion of the cashmere goes into luxury knitwear, sometimes as a blend with silk. The coarser products are used in the weaving trade for items such as scarves, travel rugs and cloth for luxury coats and suits. Unlike mohair, which is more subject to the vagaries of fashion, cashmere has a high proportion of perennially loyal consumers.
China is the major producer of cashmere.
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