What makes our cashmere so special…

We’re passionate about cashmere. It may be our favorite natural fiber.

We believe in its exquisite softness, its versatile warmth, its ability to make the everyday luxurious.

And in our opinion, ours tops the cashmere out there! Let us tell you why and then give it a try for yourself.

From the way it’s responsibly sourced to its lasting quality and distinctive sense of style, here are just some of the things that make our cashmere so special.

The quality: happy goats make soft cashmere.

Garnet Hill’s cashmere is made from the fine, downy undercoat of Kashmir goats on multi-generational family farms in Inner Mongolia, where changeable weather has evolved the goats’ coats to produce longer, loftier, softer fibers. Due to the cold, arid conditions in the winter months, this region, situated on a high plateau produces cashmere of highest quality.

Combed completely by hand, these fibers are harvested once a year in the spring. Combing a goat is the preferred method of gathering cashmere fibers because it doesn’t hurt the animal and produces long, pure fibers, which are naturally durable and resistant to pilling. The purebred goats that produce our cashmere are treated like pets, and never crossbred for higher yields.

The fibers are then separated, washed, carded, spun, and twisted to create sumptuous two-ply yarns, which resist pilling without compromising strength. Throughout the entire cleaning process, humidity is carefully managed to prevent breakage. Fact: the fiber is stronger when wet.

It’s in the durability, weight, and warmth.

Ply is the number of cashmere threads twisted together to make the cashmere yarn. Two twisted threads are referred to as two-ply. Since cashmere is a fine-hair fiber, it benefits from the increased strength of the twisted threads. Two-ply cashmere yarn is used in most of our designs because it provides superior durability and warmth while remaining lighter weight. We do not use single-ply cashmere because it’s not as durable and is likely to develop holes over time.

The facility used to make our cashmere doesn’t tumble-dry the fibers, as some do. The friction created from tumble-drying during production can add two years of wear in 45 minutes. Instead, the drying process applies warm and cold air on drying beds. No tumbling, no wear.

Oh, the options — one fiber, so many looks!

Gauge refers to the number of stitches and rows per inch. The higher the gauge, the more stitches per inch and the more refined the knit. Lower gauges have more space between needles and fewer stitches per inch, resulting in looser, more relaxed looks. Various guages offer a variety of weights, textures, and design options. Our design team carefully considers what gauge to use for each design to create our collection of beautiful cashmere sweaters and accessories.

For more information about this consciously cozy fiber, read more about how we responsibly source our cashmere, how we artfully bring our designs to life, and how to wash and care for it. To find our latest cashmere styles, shop our latest collections of women’s clothing and bedding and home decor.