Why is cashmere usually so expensive?
A. Cashmere, the very word evokes images of luxury, warmth and softness. The ultra-fine fiber from the undercoat of the Cashmere (or Kashmir) goat, is indeed a premium fiber – one that generally costs a good deal more than mere sheep’s wool. Cashmere is the highest class of all natural fiber, warmer, softer, and lighter than all the rest. A goat only produces about 1.76 oz (50 grams) of washed cashmere each year. A woman’s sweater usually weighs 5.29 to 10.58 oz (150 to 300 grams). That’s the cashmere from 3 to 6 goats! Furthermore, garment production requires more than 20 separate processes, special equipment, and a lot of labor.
