Baby Cashmere
Discover baby cashmere, combed once in a lifetime from young goats. Around 15% finer and up to 20% warmer than adult cashmere, from Lapels Bespoke in Dubai.
Baby Cashmere, a Fleece Gathered Once in a Lifetime
Cashmere comes from the Capra hircus goat, and it has long been one of the most sought after fibres in fine clothing.
When Europeans first traded it for shawls, the fibre was known as pashmina, and the name cashmere itself is the anglicised form of Kashmir in India. Today, however, less of it is grown in India and more comes from goats raised in the mountains, where temperatures drop sharply and prompt young goats to grow a dense, protective under fleece.
What Makes It Baby Cashmere
Baby cashmere comes from the fleece of young goats aged no less than three months and no older than twelve months.
It is harvested in late spring during the natural moult, gathered through gentle combing that causes no harm to the animal. Because this fleece can be collected only once in each goat’s lifetime, it carries the name baby cashmere.
Finer and Warmer Than Adult Cashmere
Adult cashmere measures between 15 and 16 microns, while baby cashmere measures just 13.5 microns, making it approximately 15 per cent finer.
Its fibres are hollow and trap air, providing up to 20 per cent more warmth than adult cashmere. The result is a cloth that is incredibly soft and light, and perfectly suited to being worn directly against the skin without any lining or canvas.
The Rarity Behind Every Garment
Each young goat can be shorn only once in its lifetime and yields a maximum of 30 grams of fibre that can be used to produce cloth.
The numbers behind a single garment show just how precious that harvest is. A sweater requires the fleece of approximately 20 goats, a blazer between 55 and 60, and an overcoat approximately 75.
For a tailored blazer or overcoat, baby cashmere brings a softness and lightness that sits naturally against the body, drawn from a harvest that can never be repeated for the same animal.
