Cashmere conquers summer!
You thought cashmere was just for winter? CALIDA’s new MicroModal® cashmere blends prove that if used correctly, this multifunctional material can take you through summer, too. Cashmere wool is not just warming; it can be cooling, too.
March 11, 2019 • 7 min reading time
Stylish through the summer with cashmere: light elegance and timeless beauty on warm days.
Cashmere in summer? Absolutely! It’s the blend that makes all the difference. Combined with high-quality MicroModal®, the fabric provides a luxurious softness and delicate sheen and supplies the body with freshness and moisture. Cashmere is one of the world’s most valuable fibres from natural origins and offers enhanced comfort, day after day – even in summer. But what is it that makes cashmere such a great fit for the summer?
Cashmere wool comes from cashmere goats, which are usually found in Asia, specifically in the Himalayas between India, Pakistan and China. At the end of each winter, the cashmere goats are combed by hand (not shorn), with the finest, softest hairs coming from their undercoat. Cashmere is one of the most valuable and expensive natural materials of all, with each goat only producing around 150 g of wool each year. This scarcity and the laborious process of collecting the material ensure high prices, as does the fineness of the hairs (around one sixth of the width of a human hair).
The material properties of cashmere are outstanding, as cashmere goats have to withstand extreme weather conditions
We have summarised the natural properties of cashmere below:
Regulates body temperature
The fine yarn produced by cashmere goats has an excellent temperature-regulating effect. For summer cashmere, the fine yarn is plied more tightly and developed into smoother fibres, meaning it can be knitted or woven into incredibly thin fabrics. This is what gives the material its temperature-regulating effect. It not only keeps you cool and regulates body temperature, it also keeps you warm as soon as the temperature drops.
Breathable
This natural material is highly breathable and prevents air getting trapped. This prevents sweating and associated odours. Cashmere also repels dirt, so airing the material automatically ‘cleans’ it.
Extremely soft and fine
Cashmere is incredibly fine, with each hair measuring between 14 and 21 micrometres (1 micrometre = 1 thousandth of a millimetre), which is around a sixth of the width of a human hair.
Acts like a second skin
Tiny pockets of air between the hairs enable the material to retain heat extremely well. This means it keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer. Cashmere feels like a second skin.
Cashmere products don’t need to be washed as often as cotton items. Airing the item overnight in the fresh air is often enough. Cashmere products should be washed in the washing machine and not by hand; the wool wash programme on your washing machine is always better than hand-washing. Select a max. 30° cycle with low spin. We recommend laying out cashmere items to air dry. Never use chemical cleaning products or fabric softener with cashmere, and never tumble-dry it!
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