Cashmere - The Sceptical Shopper

AThingForCashmere · Dec 4, 2009

Originally Posted by aj_del

Could you elaborate a little as to your opinion of Cucinelli as it seems to be the gold standard on SF

The last several Cucinellis I've seen or owned in recent years have been excellent, but in the Italian style: a very soft hand, slightly looser knit than Scottish cashmere, and excellent quality fiber (i.e. no shedding or pilling problems). The sweaters don't last a lifetime like traditional Scottish cashmeres, but you can easily get 5-10 years out of them without signs of wear.

A few Italian houses (Borrelli, Biagiotti etc) produce cashmere sweaters on an occasional basis, and when they do the sweaters are also top-notch.

Trompe le Monde · Dec 4, 2009

next time im shopping for clothing ill inquire where the water used for material processing was sourced

furo · Dec 4, 2009

Originally Posted by Trompe le Monde

next time im shopping for clothing ill inquire where the water used for material processing was sourced

The SAs will love that one

Mountains · Dec 4, 2009

Originally Posted by Trompe le Monde

next time im shopping for clothing ill inquire where the water used for material processing was sourced

AThingForCashmere · Dec 4, 2009

Originally Posted by Trompe le Monde

next time im shopping for clothing ill inquire where the water used for material processing was sourced

It makes a difference, which undoubtedly would be lost on you.

CunningSmeagol · Dec 4, 2009

Originally Posted by AThingForCashmere

It makes a difference, which undoubtedly would be lost on you.

Nicola · Dec 4, 2009

I wonder what the brew masters in the US that manage to make the same crap in plants across the world think of being told water can't be adjusted.

andreyb2 · Dec 4, 2009

Originally Posted by AThingForCashmere

That's a question I wish someone could credibly answer. We're down to a handful of Scottish companies who're still in business, and nearly all of them have moved to Chinese yarns. The current story is that Johnston's of Elgin is the last fully vertical mill in Scotland, meaning they process from raw fiber all the way to finished garments, but the last several Johnstons sweaters I've seen have been clearly thinner and inferior to their former product.

I vaguely remember that in one thread RJ mentioned several Scottish brands that still feature densely woven cashmere. Only William Lockie name stuck in my head, though.

Andrey

Shirtmaven · Dec 4, 2009

the quality of the water is an issue in finishing.
I was told that cotton shirting fabric was sent from manchester to scotland for finishing. the quality of the water changed once oilwas drilled in the north sea. Now don't ask me how the quality of the water was changed, but i was told it did effect the finished product.

apropos · Dec 4, 2009

Originally Posted by Shirtmaven

the quality of the water is an issue in finishing. I was told that cotton shirting fabric was sent from manchester to scotland for finishing. the quality of the water changed once oilwas drilled in the north sea. Now don't ask me how the quality of the water was changed, but i was told it did effect the finished product.
So... Fresh Scottish groundwater was changed for the worse when oil was drilled hundreds of miles offshore in the middle of the North Sea. Um.

Nicola · Dec 4, 2009

So all the whisky distillers closed?

Kaplan · Dec 4, 2009

Just got a newsletter from Sunspel with a link to cashmere scarves like this with the following description:

'An exceptional quality, luxurious scarf made from the finest 100% Mongolian cashmere for warmth and soft lightweight feel. This is cashmere made by selecting only the finest fibres from the under-fleece of goats from Inner Mongolia. It is woven and finished in Scotland, where the surface is brushed with natural vegetable teasels to create its unique luxurious look.'

With this description do you think it's still spun in China or could it be 'the good stuff'?

I. Gentantithesis · Dec 4, 2009

Most Scottish cashmere processing takes place in the Scottish lowland Borders area and uses water from the river Teviot in southeast Scotland. Johnstsons of Elgin to the north in Speyside is an exception.

Scotch distilleries are not to be found in the Borders area where the major cashmere processor Todd & Duncan www.todd-duncan.com is located, many distilleries are in Speyside.

Distilleries' products are affected by the nature of their water source, as is cashmere processing, but cashmere usually lacks a discernable peaty taste.

We're not talking treated municipal water systems, it's tributary or river water.

ysc · Dec 4, 2009

Originally Posted by Nicola

So all the whisky distillers closed?
A lot of the whisky distillers just use mains water anyway, including some pretty big names, despite what they say. Or they transport it at cask strength to be bottled where it is watered down using mains water, so it comes to the same. Which is not to say some of that whisky is not better than others, and obviously it can have drastically different flavours, but that is down to the manufacturing and maturing process, not the local environment. It is mostly marketing nonsense, I don't know enough about cashmere manufacture to say if its the same, however I can't help but wonder if it might not be.

chorse123 · Dec 4, 2009

I am a big doubter about cheap cashmere, having been disappointing in the longevity of a couple cheaper sweaters. The interesting thing, though, is that my wife has a few cheap cashmere sweaters, especially one from Express that she got as a gift, that have held up as well as anything I own that retailed at the top end.

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