Cashmere is a very unique, very popular and special material. And when it comes to natural fabrics, it is probably one of the most precious one in the entire world. People seem to love this material, and it has always been extremely present in the world of clothing.
In the past, not everyone could afford cashmere. Only the very high-ranked upper classes of society could have a piece of clothing that is made out of cashmere wool. However, things are a bit different today. Cashmere might still be one of the more expensive types of fabric, but at least anyone can afford a piece or two at some point in their lives.
Since this type of material is so popular and widely used, a lot of attention is drawn towards it. And, it is worth mentioning that the quality of the cashmere fabrics is definitely not the same in each product. Some people tend to use the price tags in order to determine the quality of their cashmere, when in fact there are tons of other factors that play a huge role.
Grades of cashmere quality
The cashmere fiber can be categorized into three different grades. You need to be paying real close attention when purchasing because someone might sell you a quality grade C cashmere fiber for the price of a quality grade A. Here’s a quick explanation on these so you get a better picture of what we’re talking about.
The Quality Grade C
This is the lowest quality that a cashmere fiber can have. The fiber in this category is thick, and its diameter is about thirty-five microns. The quality is overall much worse than the following two categories, and it is way much cheaper for that reason.
The Quality Grade B
The fiber in the B grade is much thinner than the one in grade C. According to Italy in Cashmere, it is twice as thinner than the previous one. This grade is considered as an “okay” one, but if you really want to wear the best kind of cashmere, you should always go for the quality grade A category.
The Quality Grade A
So, the cashmere fibers that belong in this grade are the thinnest and longest, which means that they come in the best possible quality out there. Their diameter is extremely small and it can go as low as twelve microns. Also, their length can go up to thirty-eight millimeters. Products that are made from cashmere fibers in the grade A category last for very long periods of time, but their price is definitely much larger than the previous two categories. Which is one of the reasons why many people get tricked into thinking they are purchasing a quality piece of cashmere clothing if they see a large price tag.
When it comes to checking the quality of cashmere fiber, if you are being careful enough, you can find out the category by using your fingers only. Make sure to remember all of the things that we explained about the three grading categories, and try to utilize it next time you run into a cashmere product. Nine out of ten times you will be able to tell if you are holding a high-quality product or not by feeling the material with your hands.