cashmere
KASH-meer
/ˈkæʃmɪər/
An extremely soft, fine, and costly wool fiber obtained from the undercoat of cashmere goats.
Represents premium luxury insulation; far warmer yet much lighter and softer than conventional sheep's wool.
The story behind the word. Named after the mountainous Kashmir region, where European traders first encountered shawls woven from goat undercoat hair in the 18th century. Local herders harvested the soft under-fleece shed by Changthangi goats during spring molting, spinning it into prized royal garments.
Word relationships
- pashmina: Pashmina is a specific ultra-fine grade of cashmere cashmere wool from Himalayan goats.
- coarse wool: Coarse wool is scratchy and thick compared to silky cashmere.
Commonly confused with
- mohair: Mohair comes from Angora goats and has a lustrous, fuzzy texture, unlike cashmere's smooth undercoat pile.
Collocations
- cashmere sweater
- pure cashmere
- cashmere scarf
- cashmere blend
Example sentences
- "This hand-knitted cashmere sweater offers incomparable warmth without adding heavy bulk." Luxury retail catalog
- "Prized for centuries, pure cashmere remains the gold standard for high-end winter scarves." Fashion journalism
Memory hook
CASHmere costs serious CASH because it is ultra-luxurious wool. Soft luxury goat wool.
When not to use
Do not use to describe ordinary sheep wool or low-pile synthetic imitations.
Fun facts
- It takes the annual wool yield of four to six cashmere goats to manufacture just one single sweater!
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