Cashmere - The Sceptical Shopper

[UnFacconable]

At the risk of polluting this thread with a petty practical question, is the best approach for low/mid-range cashmere (like from Martin + Osa) to wash in delicate cycle/cold water right away to prevent future pilling and/or shedding? Someone earlier in the thread mentioned it, and it wasn't something I was aware of as a preventative measure.

I understand that for many the answer is "don't buy it" or "wear and discard," but some people want the cheap cashmere.

 

[Pezzaturra]

I prefer merino wool . Cashmere is too spongy and unpleasant, who knows how much biological debris are getting stuck in that cashmere sponge.

 

[oshinex]

cashmere > merino wool

 

[AThingForCashmere]

Originally Posted by UnFacconable

At the risk of polluting this thread with a petty practical question, is the best approach for low/mid-range cashmere (like from Martin + Osa) to wash in delicate cycle/cold water right away to prevent future pilling and/or shedding? Someone earlier in the thread mentioned it, and it wasn't something I was aware of as a preventative measure.

I understand that for many the answer is "don't buy it" or "wear and discard," but some people want the cheap cashmere.

In rare cases, when cashmere yarn contains a very small percentage of too-short fibers, washing can rinse out these fibers and reduce a shedding problem.

But in virtually all cases with cheap cashmere, short fibers make up a significant percentage of the yarn, and washing will only make a shedding problem worse not better.

 

[Nicola]

It's not like water is an unknown element. You start with plain H2O and you start adding stuff. You can adjust water .

In the old days before modern chemistry this wasn't the case. So London ended up with Porter. Dublin saw Guniness change that to Stout. Other parts of the UK ended up with Bitter. You see the same thing in Germany . Whisky really isn't any different. Different local waters in different areas.

I see no reason why a modern plant can't be built that adjusts the local mains water to be anything you need. Think about it. How complicated are chemical processeses in other areas? If they couldn't adjust things like water or other basic inputs then you'd never be able to build a plant any place else in the world.

 

[UnFacconable]

Originally Posted by AThingForCashmere

In rare cases, when cashmere yarn contains a very small percentage of too-short fibers, washing can rinse out these fibers and reduce a shedding problem.

But in virtually all cases with cheap cashmere, short fibers make up a significant percentage of the yarn, and washing will only make a shedding problem worse not better.

Thanks for the opinion. I'll stick with tradition (which for me is rarely washing sweaters, and not when I first get them).

 

[RJman]

Originally Posted by Nicola

It's not like water is an unknown element. You start with plain H2O and you start adding stuff. You can adjust water .

In the old days before modern chemistry this wasn't the case. So London ended up with Porter. Dublin saw Guniness change that to Stout. Other parts of the UK ended up with Bitter. You see the same thing in Germany . Whisky really isn't any different. Different local waters in different areas.

I see no reason why a modern plant can't be built that adjusts the local mains water to be anything you need. Think about it. How complicated are chemical processeses in other areas? If they couldn't adjust things like water or other basic inputs then you'd never be able to build a plant any place else in the world.

Everything can be adjusted and done just so, but the call to do it is just not there. Brands can get away with cutting corners and keeping costs down. We are seeing that even the most prestigious brands might do so in order to keep margins low or because the knowhow just isn't there anymore. There is no Consumer Reports for high-end clothing and no one to hold makers to their word when they resort to puffery. As long as brands can resort to a one-dimensional arms race about the fineness of fibers or what have you there are no consumers educated enough or obsessive enough to see that the details, finishing and construction that one could take for granted in the past are there.

 

[barcol]

I've just noticed the original article is now online (includes minor additional details): Cashmere - The Sceptical Shopper