A Guide to Cashmere: Quality, Care & Longevity
Everything you need to know about selecting, wearing, and caring for the world's finest natural fiber.
Cashmere is perhaps the most misunderstood luxury fiber. Many believe that all cashmere is created equal — that the label alone guarantees quality. The truth is far more nuanced.
**The Grading System**
Cashmere is classified by fiber diameter. The industry standard allows fibers up to 19 microns. Exceptional cashmere — the kind we use at Deeray — averages between 13.5 and 15 microns. To put that in perspective: human hair is approximately 75 microns. The difference between standard and exceptional cashmere is the difference between a rough whisper and total silence.
**Where It Comes From**
The best cashmere comes from the Kashmir goat, native to the high plateaus of Inner Mongolia and Mongolia. These goats endure winters that reach -40°C, growing a fine undercoat that provides insulation against the cold. It is this undercoat — combed by hand during the spring molting season — that becomes cashmere.
**How to Care for Cashmere**
1. **Air, don't wash.** After wearing, hang your cashmere in a well-ventilated area for 24 hours. Cashmere is self-cleaning — it needs far fewer washes than you think.
2. **Hand wash cold.** When it is time to clean, use a specialist cashmere shampoo in lukewarm water. Do not wring — press the water out gently.
3. **Dry flat.** Never hang cashmere — the weight of the water will stretch it. Roll it in a towel to remove excess moisture, then lay flat on a drying rack away from direct heat or sunlight.
4. **Store folded.** Cashmere should be folded, not hung. Hangers create shoulder bumps that never fully recover.
5. **Pilling is not a flaw.** It is a sign of natural fibers. Use a cashmere comb to remove pills gently — never a razor or a pill remover.
**The Deeray Difference**
Our cashmere throws are woven on traditional handlooms, not power looms. This means the fibers are aligned naturally rather than forced, resulting in a softer hand and greater durability. Each throw is inspected by hand before it leaves our workshop.
Invest in one exceptional piece rather than five mediocre ones. Your wardrobe — and the planet — will thank you.