REGENERATED CASHMERE

Virgin cashmere has always been the exclusive yarn used for our knitwear collections. It is  the most noble natural yarn among all.

But the environmental protection has been taken more and more attention globally, and the concept of sustainable development also has influenced on our choices and reinforced our convictions. 

 

Capra Hircus Cashmere Goat

 

Cashmere goats produce a double fleece that consists of a coarse outer coat, called guard hair, and a fine, soft undercoat, commonly referred to as cashmere. The fluffy undercoat keeps the animal warm over the winter and then sheds in spring. As the fine fibers loosen they are able to be removed by hand combing - a process that is neither distressing or disruptive to the animal if done correctly and responsibly.

Unlike sheep, goats destroy the grasses they eat, pulling them up by the roots rather than grazing the tops. For this reason cashmere production has been criticized for having a detrimental impact on the environment. The high demand for cashmere has caused increased herd sizes, and has resulted in the desertification of over 70% of healthy pasture land in Mongolia, which results in increased local temperature and air pollution.

Regenerated cashmere is actually the recycling and reutilization of cashmere fibers, and which are divided into:

  • Pre-consumer, this includes the fiber wastes generated during the spinning process, and then recycles and remakes into yarns
  • Post-consumer, this is to recycle the finished clothes and reuse

For choices of traceability, proximity and quality, we opted for the pre-consumer. We’re able to repurpose existing materials, meaning there is reduced waste generated by the industry.

 

Regenerated cashmere yarn

 

Regenerated cashmere is not having the price lower than regular cashmere because recycle is not equal to cheap. On the contrary, regenerated cashmere is more difficult to handle during the spinning process comparing new virgin cashmere, which needs higher requirements on the spinning workmanship to reach the proper yield.

By transforming this waste into a new resource, we reduce the consumption of virgin raw material and, in turn, the consumption of natural resources.

The ratio of 60~70% recycled cashmere and 30~40% virgin cashmere is the most suitable for knitting. It balances softness and quality of the regenerated cashmere yarn newly spun.

Quality and sustainability combined into one yarn.