What Is Cashmere
Cashmere is a natural, fine fibre obtained by combing the Hircus Laniger Goat, a strong, active animal that resists well at the lowest temperatures. The Hircus Laniger Goat, providing the best cashmere fibres, lives in some areas of inner Mongolia (Alashan) and Outer Mongolia ( Suhbaatar, Bajanhongor).
To survive in a hostile habitat, with frigid winters and steaming summers, Hircus Goats have developed an undercoat made of thousands of ultra-fine, really soft fibres under their longer, coarser outer coat.
For over 14 years, Cariaggi has had a Joint Venture near pasture areas; this selects and purchases raw material from the goatherds directly to control its quality.
Once a year, in spring, when the weather is milder, the cashmere fibres leave the skin of the goats, and the herdsmen bring their goats together to collect the fibres, combing the animals with a delicate process. The new clip will not cause much pain for the goats.
This material is then accurately selected by hand by personnel from our Chinese joint venture. After discarding the more ordinary fibre parts, they divide them and group them by colour and fineness. During this operation, inevitable contamination caused almost completely by packaging fragments is then removed.
After that, fibre selected is sent for beating using strong aspirators to remove all earth residue. lt is then washed and degreased and moved to the drying stage to be ready for true dehairing. Dehairing separates and eliminates the coarser hair from the "duvet".
The washed, dehaired flock arrives in Cariaggi in lots and is dyed and turned into yarn.
The whole selection is also made and guaranteed from other trusted suppliers, with whom the company has built twenty-year relationships.
They are in direct contact with the goatherds, ensuring the best quality, traceability and the good treatment of animals.
For what concerns the environmental impact of goats, please note that the Chinese government has recently issued environmental protection laws. ln particular, goatherds have to create breeding farms to avoid animals ranging freely. Secondly, the maximum number of goats that can be raised per hectare is regulated as is there being fed using animal feed.
Furthermore, Cariaggi cashmere yarns are certified by the Health and Textile Association and it can comply with the limits enforced by the Guidelines for eco-toxicological requirements for clothing, leather goods, footwear and accessories of the National Chamber of Italian Fashion and Health and Textile Association. We enclose the report and the certificate of Health and Textile Association. The Company Cariaggi has always focused on eco-sustainability and has decided to intensify the monitoring of use of chemical, extending it to the entire production process. ln fact, the company has invested in a project aimed at measuring the chemical sustainability across its supply chain for increased traceability and transparency of the use of chemicals.