Why is cashmere so expensive?
Cashmere is a very soft and warm undercoat wool of high-elevation Himalayan goats known locally as “Chyangra”. The cashmere is also known as ‘soft gold’ in Persian and is the softest, most delicate, and fluffy fiber.
Cashmere is the most exquisite and delicate fabric ever found in the world. A cashmere can be understood as a shawl, scarf, or stole produced from cashmere wool. Usually, the cashmeres made in Kashmir, India, are known as cashmere cashmere, and those produced in Nepal are known as cashmere or pure cashmere.
Why is cashmere so expensive?
Cashmere is a very popular natural wool fabric, and has a high demand all over the world. But with a limited annual production, this fabric is expensive. The following reasons make cashmere expensive:
Procurement Process for Cashmere aka Pashmina
The wool used for making cashmere fabric is mainly found in Himalayan goats, called Chyangra, found in high elevations of the mountain region. Each year during the spring, their wools arewovend and collected for the process of making wool.
A single cashmere shawl requires about three goats because one goat can only produce a few grams of cashmere each spring. This is why the cashmere prices go way higher than regular wool.
Purity of Cashmere or Pashmina Wool
A high-quality cashmere is lightweight, soft, and warm. The cashmeres are the finest wools, measuring about 14-16 microns, while the sheep or lamb’s wool is about 23 microns.
So the purity of a cashmere is measured by passing it through a wedding ring. A fine thread provides more incredible warmth as real cashmeres are soft and warm tothe touch.
Hand-Woven Products from Cashmere
A high-quality and authentic cashmere is hand-woven using the finest of threads. Cashmere clothes are made by talented weavers who put their highest level of skills, giving grace and glory to the final product.
One cashmere shawl can take about a week to years to complete,e depending on its size and quality. Since it is hand-woven, the price can rise compared to machine-made products.
Legacy of Cashmere
Cashmere is like royalty to whoever wears it due to its quality, richness, and legacy since its existence. The expensive fabric was worn and adorned by kings and queens in the past, and now many famous persons and celebrities wear it.
Due to the great legacy from ancient times, the cashmere products are pretty expensive.
Extinction of Chyangra Goats
The goats that produce cashmere are only found in the Himalayas region. Because they are challenging to manage and people have low incomes, the number of Goats is gradually decreasing. This causes a decrease in the production of cashmere wool and increases in the price of cashmere.
Time-Consuming and Lengthy Process
Producing a cashmere shawl is a long process and consumes more time than other industrial products. And since there is a limited number of weavers and industries for making cashmere products, only a limited number of products are produced over a long time. So, this is also a good reason for the high price of cashmere in the market.
Cashmere is an authentic and high-quality product when it comes to clothing. Preferred by many, the cashmere products are only affordable by a few because all good things come at a reasonable price. Cashmere has gained popularity for a long time and created a legacy in the world market, attracting many, causing the demand to increase. So, when the demand lowers at some point in time, the price might decrease slightly or remain static for a prolonged period.
High Demand and Limited Supply
Due to the increased popularity of cashmere, the demand has gradually increased. Since there is only a limited number of weavers who can make quality cashmere, the product’s supply is decreasing. The lower number of weavers is due to the lack of facilities, infrastructure, and good income.
High demand for a good product with less supply always results in an increased product price.
Conclusion
All these reasons make the production of cashmere challenging, with a limited annual production. It is also highly sought after as it is ultra soft and provides warmth like no other fabric.
Browse high-quality 100% cashmere clothing at Yuna Handicrafts online store:
