CASHMERE - THE FIBRE
CHARACTERISTICS
Cashmere is one of the finest and most precious fibres in the world. It is referred to most reverently by the Chinese as “soft gold.” China produces 50% of the world’s cashmere with Mongolia representing 25% and Iran/Afghanistan making up the balance.
The physical characteristics of the fibre are extremely unique possessing properties of softness, elasticity strength and durability which cannot be found in any other fibre. A slogan which is often used refers to cashmere garments as having “warmth without weight”
It is recognized that China has the finest cashmere in terms of micron diameter and is used predominantly in the knitwear sector whereas Mongolia produces a more flexible fibre with greater length having more adaptability to both knitted and woven products.
Afghan and Iranian cashmere fibres due to their relative coarseness is mostly used in woven products
The Mongolian climate is very well suited to producing good quality fibre with harsh winters and good summers contributing to its unique physical characteristics.
THE PROCESS
The cashmere fibre is removed from the goat during spring time by combing. The average weight of the fleece is around 250-300 grams. In its raw state the fibre consist of down, hair, body fats and body oils, vegetable matter dust and sand.
The fibre is then washed and dried to remove the soluble impurities which make up around 30% of the original weight and then the coarse outer hair is separated from the soft downy fibre leaving only the fine cashmere fibre. This process is called dehairing and roughly 50% is left from the original fleece.
CASHMERE - THE HISTORY
FIBRE ORIGIN
As one would imagine the name cashmere has an association with Kashmir in the northwest region of the Indian subcontinent.
The etymology suggests that the cashmere industry began in the district of Kashmir with the skilled hand craftsmen renowned for their craft. Further accounts state that it may even have started around the time of the Roman Empire.
THE MOGULS
In the 16th century the weaving industry prospered under the auspices of the Mogul Dynasty.
The Mogul Dynasty has very close ties with Mongolia as Mogul is the name used by Indians for Mongols and Turks.
India’s Mogul Empire which lasted from 1523 to 1857 had its start under Babur, a central asian descendant of Chinggis Khan.
THE BIRTH OF THE CASHMERE SHAWL
Many Kashmiri shawls were woven from the goat fibre from Srinigar the capital of the Kashmiri region. The shawls were adored by the Kings and Lords in Mogul, Persia and Afghanistan. The soft, light weight but warm shawls were elaborately designed and worn by the governing class.
NAPOLOEON AND THE INTRODUCTION INTO EUROPEAN SOCIETY
Following Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign in 1792 these shawls were introduced into European society.
Between 1850-1860 the import of these shawls from India to Europe doubled in size however the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war in 1870 made the import virtually extinct.
INDUSTRIALISATION
In the 1870’s a British industrialist, Joseph Dawson visited the Kashmiri region to attend the wedding of his daughter. Whilst there he observed the locals hand dehairing the cashmere fibre, then hand spinning the yarn and hand weaving the shawls.
He was inspired into designing and building the first mechanical dehairing machine and as a result the modern cashmere industry was born.
Address:
20th khoroo, Blue Sky Cashmere, Bayangol District, Sonsgolon street.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
http://www.bsc.mn/ our web site
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