From What Animal Do We Get Cashmere? From What Animal Do We Get Cashmere? 2007.09.30 | Filed Under: Animals Leave a Comment The goat may be the most laughed-at animal, but people do not laugh at the cashmere goat, for it gives us the softest, most expensive wool in the world! The cashmere goat, named for Kashmir, a region of India, lives in the Himalaya Mountains of Tibet, India, and China. People have tried to bring it to this country, but it has never done well here. The cashmere goat is medium-sized, with twisted horns and a long silky coat that is either white, tan, or yellow. Since its wool is very sensitive to chemicals that are used in bleaching, the white wool is the most desired. The cashmere goat actually has two coats, the coarser outer coat, which isn’t worth much, and an under, or down, coat, called pashm. It is the pashm which is used to make pure cashmere. Each goat produces only about three ounces of fleece. Cashmere goats are not sheared, like other goats and sheep. Instead, they are combed.

In that way the under coat is separated from the outer coat. It takes the fleece of 10 cashmere goats to make a shawl a yard and a half square. This shawl can be sold for as much as $2,000! Read More Where Does Cashmere Come From Where Does Cashmere Come From 01 Nov, 2010 where does 2 What Is Cashmere? Cashmere is the name given to a soft woolen fabric made from the wool of the Kashmir goat. It has a smooth, soft texture and is lightweight and warm. Cashmere fiber is strong and is easy to spin into both light weight and thick yarn for making clothing. In its original state, cashmere wool comes in various shades of gray, brown and white. Dying the wool to get different colors affects the weight and quality of the piece of clothing. Where Does Cashmere Come From? Cashmere wool comes from a specific species of goat called Kashmir goats (Capra Hircus). These goats have a double fleece, one of which is a soft, fine undercoat. This is the wool that is used to make cashmere garments. These goats are found in the Gobi desert which stretches from North China into Mongolia.

The Kashmir goat is also bred in Iran, Tibet and India. More recently people in the United States have begun breeding them. China is the world’s largest producer of raw cashmere with an estimated 10,000 metric tons collected per year. How Is Cashmere Collected? To collect the soft, fine fibers that make cashmere, the wool is harvested when the goats begin to shed their winter coats. This occurs from March to May every year. At this time the wool or fleece of the goat is collected and de-haired to separate the course outer coat fleece (guard coat) from the softer cashmere fibers (under coat). This is done by combing the fleece of the goat to separate the fibers. This process can take up to two weeks to complete. Due to the labor intensive processes of collecting pure cashmere, cashmere garments are quite expensive. The best quality cashmere comes from the underbelly and throat of the goat, but the wool collected from the back and legs is also used to make cashmere garments. Generally these are not as smooth or lightweight as garments made from the fleece collected from the throat and underbelly and tend to be less expensive.

Related Topics Cashmere Shawls of Uncompromising Quality - Sunrise Pashmina What's a shawl? In recent decades, pashmina has become known internationally as a term applied to the wool, and products made from the wool, that is derived from the undercoat of the "Cashmere goat," any of various breeds sometimes referred to as Capra hircus laniger (wool-bearing domestic goat). These breeds are raised primarily at high elevations in Central Asia, particularly Mongolia. Due to the ongoing war in Kashmir, and with the die-off of goat herds in Ladakh due to blizzards, China has been able to dominate pashmina production in past couple of decades. There is a lot of misinformation (or disinformation) about pashmina online. This may be due to the lack of scientific research, and/or to the fact that most production is in out-of-the-way places that are never visited by the staff of pashmina shawl manufacturers or exporters. Claims made about the relative fineness of cashmere and pashmina are false. Claims made that pashmina (or, alternatively, the best pashmina) comes only from the throat and belly of the goat are also false.

Shahtoosh (Persian for "King fabric") is a term used for a fiber and fabric derived from the undercoat of an endangered Tibetan antelope, the chiru, and is illegal in most Western countries, but easily obtainable in India. It is much more expensive than pashmina. And did we mention that it is illegal? 20 Myths about pashmina Myth #1: Pashmina is different from, and better than, cashmere. Briefly, pashmina is cashmere, which is the fiber or fabric woven from fiber deriving from the undercoat of certain high-elevation (and therefore long-haired) breeds of domestic goat. Myth #2: Pashmina is produced only by a special goat known as Capra hircus. Capra hircus is just the scientific name for domesticated goats in general. The caprids are those animals belonging to the goat and antelope genus. Wiktionary gives three meanings for hircus: 1) a buck, male goat; 2) (by extension) the rank smell of the armpits; 3) (figuratively) a filthy person.

Cashmere goat breeds have been referred to as Capra hircus laniger (laniger means wool-bearing), but this is not an accepted scientific grouping. Myth #3: Pashmina is produced only in the high Himalayas. There are many goat breeds with fine undercoats, and they are raised in China, Mongolia, Australia, the United States, India (particularly Ladakh), and elsewhere. The huge preponderance of cashmere yarn fabric now comes from China. Myth #4: Pashmina wool is plucked only from the undercoat of the throat and chest of the animal. Just not true. The undercoat extends around the whole animal, more or less, and none of it is intentionally wasted. Myth #5: Real pashmina is produced only in Kashmir. Kashmir (in India) has prevailed in an epic trade dispute with the result that the word "pashmina" is considered to belong to Kashmiri cashmere producers. Nepal had to settle for "chyangra pashmina," which means "goat cashmere." Potato, potahto. Myth #6: A fullsize pashmina is too big for a petite woman.

Pashmina shawls are customarily quite large. The usual fullsize is 95 X 203 cm (36" x 80"). But even Asian women, who are typically rather small, wear fullsize shawls quite comfortably; because of the light weight of the fabric, the shawls can easily be folded lengthwise and/or widthwise, so that the generous dimensions are never a liability. What we call "medium-size" is not much smaller: the same length, and only 20 cm (8") narrower. Myth #7: In pashmina, more plies is better. Threads can be twisted together to make thicker threads, which can then producer thicker fabrics. On the other hand, there is no need to twist threads together, when the individual thread can be made any desired thickness. Furthermore, fabrics can be made more dense by packing the threads closer together (i.e., using four paddles instead of two). These days very few shawl producers in Kathmandu are using true double-ply yarn. In fact, multiple-ply yarn is now used almost exclusively for knitted goods. One further remark: in pashmina shawls, more is not better.

If it were, you guys would be wearing bed-spreads or horse-blankets, rather than shawls. The modern pashmina shawl has evolved to meet women's need for a warm AND light wrap. The paddle-adjusted shawl may be a shade less dense than a double-ply, but it has undoubtedly achieved its international success due to the fact that it so successfully achieves the desired balance of warmth and weight. Myth #8: Water pashmina is a special, highly luxurious, type of pashmina. That shimmery look can come from anything but pashmina, which has a dull matte finish. Usually it's from some synthetic derived from petrochemicals. Yuck. Myth #9: True Nepalese pashmina, known as chyangra pashmina, is different and better than ordinary pashmina. No. It's the same as pashmina, or cashmere. Kashmiri interests lobbied successfully for the "pashmina" trademark, and in 2011 the Nepalese production group settled for "chyangra pashmina." With no laboratory capable of monitoring quality anywhere in the region, the entire issue is bogus.

Myth #10: Pashmina should only be drycleaned. Drycleaning can be tough on delicate fabrics. Best bet: hand wash in mild soap. See How to Wash Pashmina . Myth #11: In pashmina, as in all luxury goods, you get what you pay for. Au contraire. You pay mostly for the brand name, and the advertising that props it up. Pashmina yarn is not cheap, and you can be sure that anything you get for ten dollars outside of Port Authority bus terminal in NYC is synthetic. Likewise, all those cheap e-Bay and Amazon pashminas. Our stuff isn't the cheapest on the market, and some of the cheaper stuff may be just as good (not better). We try to give our producers a fair return on their labor and their capital, and we're trying not to go broke ourselves. If we do get rich (unlikely!) we'd like it to be because of our volume, not our profit margin. Myth #12: Real pashmina must have twisted and knotted tassels. Not true.

In fact, the ragged look ("eyelash fringe") is gaining in popularity, and probably more authentic, historically. Myth #13: Machine-loomed pashmina is superior to hand-loomed pashmina. Machines can produce straighter lines, and fewer "mistakes." But the warp threads have to be strung at a lower tension in order to prevent disruptive breaks, yielding a looser fabric. Also, as with carpets, the soulless machine-made version of the traditional pashmina shawl is considered inauthentic. Does authenticity matter? Myth #14: Hand-loomed pashmina is superior to machine-loomed pashmina. Depends on the skill of the weaver. Weaving pashmina is a skill that takes some time to perfect. Quality control is key. If a producer is just trying to increase output, the quality is going to reflect that. Myth #15: High-quality pashmina doesn't pill. Those little bugger-size balls are caused by abrasion (rubbing). If you wear your pash under a heavy coat, you're probably going to get pill issues.

Myth #16: The best quality pashmina is fluffy like a kitten. No. Pashmina gets softer with use. Producers recognize that Westerners doen't understand this, so they use chemical softeners and some of them brush the pashmina to make it fluffy. Brushing weakens the fabric. Myth #17: The best quality pashmina at the best price is found in Kathmandu. You might find a good deal, but the competition among pash dealers is intense, and the result is a race to the bottom. Most of the stuff is mediocre quality, adulterate, mislabeled, and overpriced. Sorry. You really need to know the product, or at least know someone who does. Myth #18: Ritzy New York department stores can be trusted to have the best quality pashmina. Nah. They need quantity and consistency. The only way they can do that is with machine looms. So they get regular-looking fabric, but it's never the best. Myth #19: 100% pashmina means pure pashmina. American import standards (never enforced!) allowed about 3% impurities.

Chinese manufactures admit a similar rate of adulteration, and cheating is rampant. Can you feel the 5% sheep wool content? Probably not. But you can see the stiff guard hairs and straw in some fabric. Myth #20: A sewn-on tag is proof of pashmina quality. Yeah, right! The following two statements are posted on the Web site of the Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers' Institute at : The Legalities of Pashmina Labeling The Cashmere & Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute (CCMI) has noted the increased prevalence of shawls and other products bearing the name "Pashmina." The Institute has also received a number of inquiries from consumers, retailers and the media about "pashmina" and the use of the term. We are therefore issuing this clarifying statement: Use of the term "Pashmina" in marketing is inherently ambiguous and therefore misleading. Pashmina is a term which is derived from an Indian word used to describe cashmere in India and Nepal. Pashmina is not necessarily finer than other types of cashmere, nor does it have any distinguishing characteristics other than those normally associated with cashmere coming from China, Mongolia, Iran or Afganistan.

In its current usage, this is marketing terminology intended apparently to capitalize on a fad for shawls of a type traditionally associated with India and Nepal. The word pashmina itself is not a legally recognizable term for describing fiber content in European or American law. If a textile product contains cashmere, the fiber content must be designated "cashmere" on required labeling. "Pashmina" cannot be used on textile product labeling in the absence of the legally required terminology. Recently the term pashmina has been used to market a range of products from 100% cashmere to blends of cashmere and silk. The term "pashmina" does not refer to cashmere and silk. Textile products composed of blends of cashmere and silk fibers must be labeled with the appropriate percentages of cashmere and silk and designated as such according to textile and Customs labeling regulations. Because there is no consistently understood definition of the term "pashmina," CCMI regards the use of the term in signage or promotional literature for cashmere and silk blends, to be misleading. Pashmina is not a descriptive, generic term.

CCMI considers the use of the term "pashmina" on required garment labels and in the absence of the appropriate designation "cashmere" to be in violation of labeling regulations and to be misleading to the consumer. The Institute will take action against such mislabeling. CCMI has informed the United States Federal Trade Commission, the US Customs Service and corresponding authorities in the European Community of its position on the use of the term pashmina without proper fiber identification and has asked for appropriate enforcement of the labeling laws at retail and at ports of entry. Further questions or concerns may be addressed to me directly at telephone +(617) 542-7481, by facsimile +(617) 542-2199 or email: cashccmi@aol.com. Karl Spilhaus Cashmere And Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute 617-542-7481 [We at Sunrise Pashmina appreciate the concern of CCHMI, but we believe that pashmina is a more legitimate term than cashmere, which reflects colonialist assumptions and has no basis in indigenous usage.] Shatoosh ...

Not As the foremost international organization of cashmere processors, the Cashmere & Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute would like to clarify that the mission of the Institute is to promote the use of genuine cashmere and camel hair products and to protect the interests of manufacturers, retailers and consumers of these products. Above and below: endangered chiru antelope > The term, "Pashmina" and "Cashmere" are synonymous for soft, fine, high-quality fiber. The ancient name of the precious shawls still made by hand in the Central Asian regions is called "Pashmina." "Cashmere" is the internationally accepted term for the fiber content designation on labeling cashmere products and goods. Pashmina is accepted as a marketing term but is not recognized as a fiber designation under the Wool Products Labeling Act of the Federal Trade Commission. (Please see our web site for further details on the cashmere goat, Wool Products Labeling Act and the Federal Trade Commission or contact CCMI). Cashmere fibers are removed from live goats÷the animals are not harmed nor are they slaughtered.

The herders live in communion with their goats; although it is a difficult life for the herders and goats living in the frigid Mongolian winter months, the lives of the herders and animals are respected. "Shatoosh" is not cashmere or pashmina. The term, "Shatoosh" describes the fine hair from the Tibetan antelope or chiru, which is being slaughtered for this hair and is traded illegally under Chinese and international law. It is illegal to import or trade Shatoosh in the United States. Retailers and testing laboratories worldwide are encouraged to contact their countries customs department should they come across shatoosh products. For further information about shatoosh you are advised to contact the Tibetan Plateau Project, . Karl Spilhaus Cashmere And Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute 617-542-7481 What is a pashmina shawl? The following notes are drawn from an account of Kashmiri shawl production in Anamika Pathak's Pashmina. Our understanding is that methods are similar in Nepal. The primary source of wool is the domesticated goat Capra hircus. This wool is called pashm.

The word shahtoosh derives from shah (king) and tus (wool), and refers to the highest quality fabric, which was reserved only for royalty. Although historically (and perhaps currently) other wild species are used as well, shahtoosh wool is derived primarily from the endangered Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii), more commonly known by the Tibetan name chiru. It is illegal in most countries. The domesticated shawl goats have an outer coat composed of short and relatively brittel guard hairs, and a softer inner coat. The best quality fiber comes from the area under the neck and belly. The goat is sheared once a year, at the beginning of the summer. A knife is used rather than scissors, because the scissors allow the inner and outer layers of fleece mix. A knife is used to remove the outer coat first, and then the inner fleece is combed toward the head and carefully cut off. Despite the care and skill of shearers, there is always some outer hair mixed into the finer fleece, and this has to be removed by hand. The raw wool is sorted according to quality and fiber length. Individual hairs may be as long as 40 cm (16").

The sorted fibers are washed with plain water to get rid of dust and plant matter. Soap is not used, as it makes the wool harsher. The cleaned wool is teased between two wooden combs to loosen and separate tangled fibers. Prior to spinning, the cleaned wool is spread out and rubbed with a paste of pounded rice and water. Once dried and teased again, the toughened wool is ready for spinning into yarn. Two qualities of thread were spun. The warp thread, which is subject to more tension than the weft, is prepared with a greater number of twists. The weft thread is less intensively twisted, so that it retains a fluffier texture. The process outlined here is summarized from Pashmina by Anamika Pathak. Pathak describes the traditional preparation of Kashmiri pashmina, and we cannot be certain how similar it is to the production of pashmina yarn used in Nepal, which is imported from China. About the word shawl... The word shawl is derived from the Indo-Persian word shal, which meant a fine woven woolen fabric used as a drape.

The Italian traveler Pietro della Valle, in 1623, observed that whereas in Persia the scial or shawl was worn as a girdle, in India it was more usually carried 'acrosss the shoulders'. The shal, shawl or do-shalla (the Hindi term for shawl) has a long history. Although its origins are popularly traced to the medieval period, archaeological findings, ancient literary references, and travellers' accounts provide ample evidence of the existence of the woollen tradition in India right from the Indus Civilization (2700-2000 B.C.) [Source: Pashmina by Anamika Pathak] In the photo above, a street merchant sells "pashmina" shawls in the Asan Tole bazaar of Kathmandu. Most of his shawls are actually made from sheep's wool, cotton, or acrylic. Sunrise Pashmina 511 W. Green St., Ithaca, NY 14850 USA Call us at (607) 256-0102. Night or day. If we can't answer immediately, we'll get back to you. Soon.

Or email us at seth@sunrise-pashmina.com main page GK Mickey, son of JRW Black Bart. That's Silas peeking from around the tree. What is cashmere? Cashmere has long been one of the most exotic and rare fibers to be found. The soft undercoat of hardy cashmere-producing goats has traditionally come from nomadic herders in the remote mountains and deserts of the Orient. The fleece of the cashmere goat is made up of two distinct types of fiber - one is a fine undercoat (under 19 microns) which is the source of the luxurious cashmere fiber. The other fiber is a coarse guard hair. All goats (except angora goats) produce some cashmere, but it usually isn't long enough to be marketable. Cashmere goats have been bred specifically to improve the quality and quantity of cashmere they produce. How did cashmere goats come to the U.S.? In the early 1970's researchers began investigation of the down produced by American goats. They found that many goats did produce cashmere but not enough to make it economically viable.

Because of the potential for cashmere in the U.S., animals and embryos were imported from Australia and New Zealand to establish herds here. Why would I want to raise cashmere goats? Cashmere goats are a wonderful small animal that can be raised on a few acres. They can also be raised to compliment an existing sheep, cattle or other animal farm. Goats help improve pastures through weed and brush control. They produce a luxurious fiber that can be harvested, processed and sold to others or used by the owner to create beautiful garments. Cashmere goats are presently used for for breeding stock, fiber production, weed control, meat and pelts. They are wonderful for small homestead enterprises and 4-H projects. How much cashmere does one goat produce? The amount of cashmere a goat produces depends on a number of factors including genetics, age, health, pregnancy and size of goat. A good cashmere doe will generally produce about 4 oz. of cashmere fiber per year. The quality and quantity of cashmere produced depends on the fiber's diameter, length, style (crimp of fiber) and coverage on the animal. It takes the cashmere from about 3 goats to produce a sweater which is why good cashmere is generally quite expensive.

When and how do I harvest cashmere? The cashmere fiber is actually the goat's winter undercoat. It begins growing in late June and stops growing in late December. The best time to shear here in Oregon is late January or early February. Shearing must be done before the animals starts to shed its winter coat. Shearing in colder climates is usually later in the year. Breeders with small herds have successfully harvested cashmere by combing out the cashmere when it begins to shed. Combing is more labor intensive but the raw fleece can generally be successfully hand dehaired if necessary and requires little in special equipment or skills. Hand combed cashmere may also be commercially dehaired. Cashmere harvested by shearing requires commercial processing to remove the guard hair. There are several dehairing mills in the U.S. and Canada capable of washing, dehairing and processing cashmere into rovings or yarn. There are now several options for turning your raw fleece into a marketable retail product. This has not always been so. How do you care for cashmere goats? Cashmere goats are cared for much like any other goats. Goats are browsers and thrive on brushy pastures.

They also do well on hay or improved pastures. Some does may require grain during late pregnancy and lactation, depending on browse available and hay quality. The less land you have to provide feed for your animals, the more supplemental food (hay) will be required. Trace mineral salts need to be available. In some areas additional selenium and other vitamins may need to be supplemented. Parasite control and foot trimming are a necessity for the general good health of the goat. Cashmere goats very hardy animals, easy kidders and good mothers. Goats require shelter from the wind and rain. Buildings can be simple 3-sided sheds. What about fencing? Goats require good fences. They do not do well tied out to a stake as they cannot defend themselves against predators. We prefer 4 foot woven field fence with one strand of electric wire about a foot off the ground, but others have success with electric fence systems. Keeping your goats contained is important, for keeping peace with your neighbors and for protecting them from predators. How can I start with cashmere? Do as much research as you can. Talk to other goat owners. Visit other goat farms/ranches.

Get in touch with one of the cashmere associations:- Products from animals Products from animals Products from animals Products from animals Animals play very important roles in our lives. Animals are pets, they are raised as food and they provide products important to everyday life. You may not realize how many things come from animals. Pigs Pork is the most widely consumed meat in the world. People eat many different pork products, such as bacon, sausage and pork chops. You might grill pork ribs in the summer, or you might enjoy a Christmas ham. A 250 pound market hog yields about 150 pounds of pork. In addition to pork, several valuable products come from swine ( USDA, 2012 ). These include insulin for the regulation of diabetes, valves for human heart surgery , suede for shoes and clothing, and gelatin for foods and non-food uses. Swine by-products are also important parts of products such as water filters, insulation, rubber, antifreeze, certain plastics, floor waxes, crayons, chalk, adhesives and fertilizer (USDA, 2012). Lard is fat from pig abdomens and is used in shaving creams, soaps, make-up, baked goods and other foods.

Cattle “ Beef: It’s what for dinner ” is a phrase that you might hear in commercials. So what products do beef animals give us? Beef cattle provide different cuts of meat that many of us eat every day. These include ribs, steak, fillet mignon and ground beef. Take a look at the picture to learn more. Dairy cows are another type of cattle that provide us with nutritional products . There are many different dairy products but some you might be most familiar with include milk, cheese, yogurt, butter and ice cream. Other dairy products include sour cream, cottage cheese, whey, cream cheese and condensed milk. Dairy products are often used in cooking and baking and contain calcium, which can help to strengthen your bones. When dairy animals can no longer produce milk, they are often used for meat, primarily in the form of ground beef. It is possible to get the same cuts of meat from a dairy cow that you do a beef animal. Male dairy calves, called bull calves, that are not used for beef are often used for veal . Veal is meat from younger animals and is very lean. It is considered a delicacy in many countries. There are various by-products that come from all types of cattle.

Tallow is fat from cattle, and it is used in wax paper, crayons, margarine, paints, rubber, lubricants, candles, soaps, lipsticks, shaving creams and other cosmetics. Gelatin is a protein obtained by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones of cattle in water. Gelatin is used in shampoos, face masks and other cosmetics. Gelatin is also used in foods as a thickener for fruit gelatins and puddings (like Jell-O), candies and marshmallows. Leather comes from the hides of animals. It is used to make wallets, purses, furniture, shoes and car upholstery. Leather can be made from the skin of pigs, cattle, sheep, goats and exotic species such as alligators. Byproducts from an average 1,000-pound steer are worth 96 dollars and account for 3.4 billion dollars annually for the United States (USDA, 2012). Poultry Poultry meat, broiler meat in particular, has the highest per-capita consumption in the United States (USDA, 2012).

Meat from chickens can come in many different forms such as BBQ, wings, nuggets, boneless, roasted or fried, just to name a few. Chickens also produce eggs which serve as a source of protein and are used in baking. Click here to see the egg's journey from farm to plate. Eggs are also used for the production of therapeutic vaccines and are beginning to be used for production of antibodies and pharmacological proteins (USDA, 2012). Some lesser-known members of the poultry family include turkeys, ducks and geese. We use all three of these animals for meat production. Turkeys are most famous for their use as the centerpiece at Thanksgiving. Turkey is growing in popularity as a lean protein and alternative products, such as turkey bacon and sausage, are available. The eggs from all three of these species are safe to eat; they are sometimes just larger in size or a different color than traditional chicken eggs. Feathers from ducks and geese are also used as stuffing (down) in jackets and pillows. Sheep Sheep produce a wide variety of items that people use. Like cows, sheep produce milk that is safe for people to drink. This milk can be made into cheese, yogurt and various other dairy products.

Sheep provide meat in the form of lamb, which is from an animal less than a year old, or mutton, which is from an animal older than a year. Sheep meat is mainly consumed in Europe and the Mid-East, but sheep are mainly raised in Australia and New Zealand. Other than meat, wool is one of the most commonly known products from sheep. Wool is sheep hair that is shaved off during hot weather. After processing, wool can be made into lots of different things, such as shirts, socks, yarn for knitting and tennis ball covers. Wool is also used as an oil absorbent in oil spills. Check out this video on sheep shearing. After slaughter, sheep skins are turned into leather used in car upholstery, clothing and shoes. The bones, hooves and horns of sheep are also used to make products such as gelatin, tape, brushes and pet food ingredients. Goats Meat from goats is a type of red meat and can come in many different cuts from the animal. Goat meat is not widely consumed in the United States, but it is a popular protein source in developing countries. Goats also produce milk that can be made into cheese, yogurt, soap and baby formula.

Goat’s milk is a good replacement for babies who are allergic to cow’s milk. Soft cashmere comes from the wool of certain types of goats called cashmere goats. Other types of goats, such as Angora goats, also produce wool, but it is different than cashmere. All wools can be used to make clothing such as sweaters, socks and scarves. Horses Horses are often ridden for fun or by farmers who are using them to herd animals. But there are other uses for horses that you may never have realized. In the country of Kazakhstan, milk from horses is consumed and is often fermented into a drink called kousmiss. Meat from horses is also consumed in many countries around the world. Rabbits You may be surprised to learn that rabbits provide fur and meat. Angora rabbits are a type of rabbit that have long fur. People obtain their fur by combing them. This fur can be turned into yarn, socks and other clothing. Rabbits can also be raised for meat . Fish and seafood The oceans, lakes, rivers and streams of the world provide us with different types of nutritious foods. Fish serve as a source of protein.

Fish eggs, called caviar, are also used as food and are considered a delicacy. Fish oils are a by-product of fish and are said to improve mental health, decrease the risk of cancer and increase heart health. Seafood can also include products such as shrimp, squid, mussels, clams and crab. Bees Bees play a vital role in the food you eat even if you may not realize it. Honey bees help crops grow by pollinating plants. The value of honey bee pollination in U.S. agriculture is more than 14 billion dollars annually. Bees also make honey from the nectar of plants which is collected by bee keepers. Honey can be used as an all-natural sweetener and in hand lotions, soaps, natural cough suppressant and also as a natural form of energy . Honey is also a source of the carbohydrates that provide energy to your muscles. Bees also produce beeswax which is used to make candles, lipstick, lotions, shoe polish, crayons, chewing gum and floor wax. You might have known about meat, milk and eggs, but did you ever realize how many other products there are from animals?

When we use by-products from animals, we can reduce waste and be more environmentally friendly. We are able to take items that would otherwise be thrown away and turn them into something that benefits society. Works cited Why your next sweater should be alpaca, not cashmere — Quartz Ninety percent of Mongolia is already at risk of turning into a desert , and many hypothesize that over-grazing is compounding the effects of climate change in a process that is already underway . Between 1994 and 1999, the Gobi Desert increased by an area larger than the Netherlands . Because goats are hardier than sheep, herders tend to shift their livestock mix towards goats as land becomes more arid. But that adds to the problem by further damaging the ecology; the goats’ sharp hooves destroy topsoil and grasses and they nibble plants close to their roots , destroying the native grasses. It’s a vicious cycle. And herded animals aren’t the only creatures in the area.

Those former grasslands are also home to endangered snow leopards , wild horses , and Tibetan antelope—all of whose survival have been threatened by the cashmere industry The environmental footprint of an alpaca is far lighter than a cashmere goat’s—literally Alpacas live largely in highlands of the Peruvian Andes, for now a less fragile ecosystem, where their soft, padded feet are gentle on the terrain and they graze without destroying root systems. (For a glimpse of alpacas—reputed to be placid, affectionate, and curious as cats—check out this livestream of a Martha’s Vineyard alpaca farm.) The kind of population boom that cashmere goats have seen seems less likely for alpacas. In spite of fluctuating demand for their fiber, Salazar says the animals’ population in the Andes remains relatively steady. If anything, he worries that the herds will decline as the current generation of alpaca herders and breeders ages, their children are more interested in finding work in the city than continuing their parents’ work. For this reason, Michell owns and operates a breeding ranch and education center to help sustain Peru’s alpaca population.

The high life: alpacas stepping lightly at about 10,000 feet in the Andes. (Reuters/Janine Costa) Alpacas are also more efficient than goats. An alpaca drinks less water than a goat and can handily grow enough wool for four or five sweaters in a year. It takes four goats the same amount of time to produce sufficient cashmere for a single sweater, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council . Alpaca makes it easy to quit cashmere None of this would matter to clothing connoisseurs if alpaca products themselves didn’t measure up to cashmere. But they do, especially as cashmere’s quality has declined. After Mongolia’s cashmere industry privatized in 1990, breeders began crossbreeding their herds and focusing on quantity over quality . So goats produced more cashmere by weight, but the fiber became shorter and coarser. The result? A sweater that’s less soft, and more likely to pill .

(And what’s the point of buying a fancy sweater if it’s going to look and feel cheap?) While an alpaca fiber has an overall larger diameter (read: coarser texture) than a cashmere fiber, after animals are shorn, experts hand-sort the wool by staple length and diameter, ranging from prime, downy-soft baby alpaca (those finest of under-hairs, not actually shorn from baby alpacas) to the more robust guard hairs found on animals’ legs and undersides. If you want a soft sweater, go for the gold. (New England Alpaca Fiber Pool Inc.) Just as certain parts of a cow produce prime cuts, so do specific sections of an alpaca produce prime fibers—and that’s how alpaca yarns are sold. A sweater made of classified “super baby” alpaca can rival its cashmere counterpart when it comes to softness, and outdo it when it comes to strength. A sweater costing $150 to $200—pretty standard for 100% alpaca—may seem expensive, but it can be a good investment.

Whereas cashmere fibers over four centimeters in length are considered long, alpaca fibers commonly measure between eight and twelve centimeters—so are far less likely to pill, and longer-lasting. And with consumers in the US generating about 14 million tons of textile waste each year ( about 385,000 tons of clothing are tossed annually in the UK), it’s better to buy a single great, durable sweater than a pile of highly replaceable ones. Unlike cheap cashmere, alpaca feels stylish and substantial. Knowing that it’s also relatively sustainable might be the ultimate luxury. A baby alpaca sweater by Alicia Adams Alpaca. Aisha Harris Aisha Harris is a Slate culture writer and host of the Slate podcast Represent. Its costly production process and scarcity. Cashmere comes from the soft undercoat of goats bred to produce the wool. It takes more than two goats to make a single two-ply sweater . The fibers of the warming undercoat must be separated from a coarser protective top coat during the spring molting season, a labor-intensive process that typically involves combing and sorting the hair by hand.

These factors contribute to the relatively low global production rate of cashmere—approximately 6,500 metric tons of pure cashmere annually, as opposed to 2 million metric tons of sheep’s wool. * The name cashmere comes from an old spelling of Kashmir , the region where its production and trade originated, possibly as early as the Mongolian empire in the 13th century. According to historian Michelle Maskiell, author of “ Consuming Kashmir: Shawls and Empires, 1500-2000 ,” from the 1500s to as late as the early 1900s, Iranian and Indian emperors used Kashmiri shawls in political and religious settings; in the Mughal Indian courts, for example, the acceptance of a shawl from a political figure established a hierarchy between the giver and the receiver. In the late 18th century, Scottish textile manufacturer Joseph Dawson discovered shawls made from cashmere in India and began to import the material to his factory in Scotland. Dawson sold shawls to upper-class British women who prized the fabric for its softness and warmth.

(High-quality cashmere can be up to eight times warmer than sheep’s wool despite its light weight.) Advertisement But not all cashmere is equally luxe: The texture, color, and length of the fibers all affect manufacturing and pricing. Naturally, whiter cashmere fibers require less dye, diminishing the damage that coloring causes to its natural softness. Quality also depends on the region in which the wool is collected. In Inner Mongolia, for instance, the winters are harsh and the goats have a more meager diet, which produces the finer hair seen in the highest quality garments. Still, even the best raw material can be compromised by a sub-par finishing process. The fineness of a cashmere item comes down to that process, as the spinning and weaving of the fabric affects the look, feel, and touch of the final product. China is the largest supplier of the raw material needed to make cashmere wool, but Europe has mastered cashmere manufacturing methods, and has cornered the market on premium quality (and costlier) products. Luxury Explainer thanks Nick Hahn, founder of Hahn International, LTD and Karl Spilhaus, president of the Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute. Correction, Dec.

28, 2012: This article originally misstated the annual production rate of cashmere and sheep’s wool. ( Return to the corrected sentence.) What is Cashmere? (with pictures) What is Cashmere? Last Modified Date: 12 December 2016 Copyright Protected: Can you see through these real-life optical illusions? Cashmere is a luxuriant wool that many a fashion-conscious woman has dreamed of wearing against her skin. Its silken feel, feather-light weight, and appreciable status make it highly desirable. Despite the glamour associated with cashmere, it hails from humble beginnings. It is the wool or fur of the Kashmir goat. Kashmir goats are primarily raised in Mongolia, but many are bred in Iran, Tibet, India and China. American herders have also joined the international cashmere production market in recent years. Cashmere is harvested from the goats during their annual molting season through the shedding or the shearing of their down. In the frigid high desert climates where most of the goats are raised, the dense inner coat guards against harsh winter weather, but once seasons change, goats begin to lose the protective layer of down.

The finest cashmere usually comes from the back and shoulders of the goats. Fibers from the belly and hind area may be usable because they are fine fibers, but they are usually too short to make quality wool. They can be mixed with other fibers though to make quality material, just not quality cashmere wool. Shorter fibers have a tendency to "pill," whereas longer fibers are easier to spin and don't pill as easily when they're woven into garments. The fibers come naturally in white, gray and brown, but the wool is easily dyed. Ad Garments made of cashmere were once only available to royalty because the rarity of the wool increased its value. Napoleon is said to have popularized its use for shawls or wraps when he gave his second wife, Empress Eugenie, seventeen of them. In more recent years, Old-Hollywood glamor girls graced the silver screen, bringing cashmere to the hearts of people everywhere. The "original sweater girl," Lana Turner, created a phenomenon when she wore a tight cashmere sweater in a 1937 film called, They Won't Forget.

Similar sweaters of all description soon became haute coutre; evening sweaters with heavily encrusted jewels and embroidery became popular during the 1940s, and the famed sweater set of best-dressed college coeds ruled the 50s. Avid collectors are now frantic to snatch up those fine examples of vintage cashmere sweaters. Woven garments made of cashmere must be dry cleaned, but knitted articles may be hand washed. Home weavers and knitters cherish the yarn for its soft hand and practical warmth; the wool is available for home projects at yarn shops or online via Internet craft and knitting sites. The quality and feel of cashmere will leave you longing for more. Owning a garment made of of this fabric is a fashion treat to be truly treasured — after all, it takes one little goat four years to produce enough wool to make just one sweater. Ad anon152302 Post 19 @ Ebay person: do you still have the catalog? Copy it and send it to her. It had a label that said cashmere, right? Take a sample and send it to a lab? This is the best I can suggest. Good luck.

The best cashmere garments come from Scotland and Italy because they have the oldest mills. Expect to pay a lot for good cashmere. There has been a lot of cheap cashmere on the market in recent years and cheap cashmere is just that: cheap. I bought my wife a cashmere scarf made in Scotland and I ordered it online and had it sent from the UK. It cost about $100 and it has proved its quality with its softness, thickness and durability. It is easy to be tempted by low cost cashmere, but look for something made in Scotland or Italy, and beware of things that seem too inexpensive. There is good cashmere that goes on sale, but the prices don't start off low for the good stuff. I also had a hat made for my wife, in cashmere made in Italy - the best yarn I could find - I got a good price for the yarn and it still cost about $37 for the yarn alone. Good luck.

khopemoss Post 18 I have lots of gorgeous vintage cashmere sweaters that I'd love to sell going back to the 1940's and 50's and triple plys from the 60's and 70's How do I go about selling them. I was thinking of film industry wardrobe people? anon149762 Post 16 So, cashmere is a sheep. Or refers to its fur. Wool. What the hell does it do in soap? anon126161 Post 15 If your contemporary cashmere sweaters look like hell after a few washings or dry cleanings, buy vintage ones. They're generally better made, and for some reason, tend to keep their softness. You can try putting some hair conditioner in the rinse water, too; that's supposed to help retain the soft feel of cashmere. But, I have one modern (designer) cashmere sweater and it's not anywhere near as nice as my vintage ones have been. anon67691 Post 14 anon5490: This is Shabbir. You have a misconception about pashmina.

It is not from the belly and chin portion. it's true that when this goat lies down, dust sticks in its wool but not in the chest and the chin portion. If you have goats you can see from there that when they sit they did not sit from its chest er and chin. these goats sit on their side belly. From this belly portion we get cashmere that is not pashmina. Pashmina is from the chin and belly portion and if you have seen the belly portion there is a smaller quantity of wool there. it is impossible that dust can stuck there for a long time. anon50898 Post 12 I happen to raise cashmere goats, and the finest cashmere does not come from the belly! I don't know where this information keeps coming from, but the belly is where the goat lies down in the dirt, etc., and it gets matted and pretty much unusable. And yes, I do take very good care of my goats. anon43603 Post 11 Can cashmere have an unpleasant smell? If it does, what is the cause? I just received a sweater online that is 10 percent cashmere and the odor actually makes me nauseated.

Smells like a wet animal! anon22670 Post 10 anon15160, does this lady know that Cashmere is wool from the Kashmir goat, the finer cashmere is from the underside and neck area and does not pill, and the coarser is from the back, legs butux, it is not as soft as the under belly and pills easily. Talk to the catalog company where you bought the cashmere and ask if it is cashmere or cashmere mix., maybe the lady is just a disgruntled customer that likes to take things out on others ( i have them once is a while in the store where i work, all because they are in a bad mood and take it out on others). Do, contact ebay first and explain to them what the company said, and also explain that you were going on the description of the item that you had bought. I wish i could wear cashmere, unfortunately i am allergic to wool, i tend to break out in hives and welts. anon22451 Post 9 Very interesting...I've always wondered what's the difference between a $40 "cashmere" sweater and $400 one.

I know that our goats (who produce a small amount of cashmere)would be hard-pressed to produce enough cashmere for a pair of infants' socks! (I've tried combing it off...the goats weren't amused.) If you're wondering about the fiber content of your sweater, you can always tell the buyer to send a sample to a lab. It's usually pretty easy to distinguish fibers under a microscope. A local large-animal vet might even be able to help in this...or a college that has a camera affixed to a microscope. anon20425 biancamoes Post 7 I agree cashmere is wonderful but has to be taken care of in a certain manner. I found good cashmere information online and after reading about it bought their cashmere red scarf and was blown away at how soft and heavenly it was! Sent it for Dry cleaning the first time and it came back like new second time I followed directions and hand washed and line dried and then lightly ironed it and it looks great. anon15606 Post 6 to anon13496, it depends on the quality of the yarn used, not the ply. The cheaper the yarn, the more pilling will occur.

Cashmere made in Scotland is still the best there is and the least likely to pill, so ask where it was made. to anon6897, it's the lava of the moths that eat the cashmere, not the actual insects. to anon6363, no sorry, the finest cashmere yarn does indeed come from the stomach. The cheaper yarns come from the areas you are talking about, and are often not usable. to anon5490, only if you wash it in either very hot or very cold water. Woven cashmere can only be dry cleaned. anon15160 Post 5 i bought a sweater from a catalog that listed it was cashmere a few years ago- it was very expensive- over $200. not i just sold it on ebay and the lady is saying its made of wool. not cashmere. and she wants to open a dispute against me. any ideas? i listed it as cashmere like the catalog did. help! anon13496 I love cashmere sweaters but after they have been washed or dry cleaned a few times they look awful. What kind of cashmere sweater should I buy to prevent this.

Most cashmere in the department stores say 2-ply. anon6897

Question: From which animal do we get cashmere?
Answer: Goats