Almost everyone understands the hype behind cashmere knitwear, and knows it to be a sign of decadence and luxury. But few truly realise the amount of labor and hardwork that goes into making a single cashmere sweater. Generally agreed upon as an expensive and luxurious knitwear product, the actual cost of a cashmere sweater is much higher than what fashion retailers are charging us.
A Twitter thread by journalist Derek Guy has been making the rounds as it explores what really goes into the production of cashmere, and how it might be costing us more than we like.
To begin with, cashmere is taken from cashmere goats, unlike wool which is taken from sheep. These cashmere goats are only found in Mongolia, China and Afghanistan, which makes them scarce to begin with. When it comes to yield, a regular sheep produces 2-3 kg of wool, whereas a cashmere goat only produces 200g. For a single sweater, the yield of 5-10 goats might be needed.
Whereas a sheep can produce 3kg of wool per year, a cashmere goat may only produce 200g. This is enough for maybe a scarf, but for a good cashmere sweater, you may need the yield of five to ten goats. pic.twitter.com/OlfpQvk771
— derek guy (@dieworkwear) November 28, 2022
Furthermore, the variation in price of a cashmere sweater, which ranges anywhere from $50 to $5,000 is explained by the fact that cashmere production has significantly increased due to an increased demand. In 1991, it was estimated that there were 5.2 million goats in Mongolia; in 2004, it was 25.8 million. This has also led to the problem of overgrazing, and other forms of environmental pollution in the region. The animals themselves are suffering, as there are more goats than available food resources.
This has had a devastating environmental impact. Goats have to eat grass to grow hair, and overgrazing has transformed once-lush grasslands into arid moonscapes, unleashing some of the worst dust storms in East Asian history, as well as spoiling the region’s water, soil, and air. pic.twitter.com/i1hNeQ8UX5
— derek guy (@dieworkwear) November 28, 2022
All of this has resulted in the quality of cashmere decreasing, as the fiber has become coarser over time, affecting the signature softness of the fabric. All of this feeds into the problem of overproduction, overconsumption, and a rat race to produce more cashmere when people might not fully understand the difference between a $50 sweater and a $500 sweater.
Additionally, cheap cashmere just worsens the current environmental problems.
If you care to know, my favorite cashmere knits are from William Lockie, particularly the four-plys. (I find that sweaters made from one-ply, while easier to layer, stretch out more easily).
/end
— derek guy (@dieworkwear) November 28, 2022
