CCTV exposed: The "100% cashmere" in the live broadcast room actually does not contain a single strand of cashmere! Expert interpretation →

Cashmere sweaters are very popular among consumers for their excellent warmth retention and comfort. But a few days ago, CCTV News revealed that a 100% cashmere sweater sold at a 10% discount in a live broadcast room on the Internet actually did not contain any cashmere!

Swipe up and down to see more. Image source: CCTV News screenshot

What is going on here? How can you ensure that you buy real cashmere? Let’s talk about it in detail today.

What is cashmere?

Cashmere refers to the fluff close to the skin that people comb off from goats bit by bit. It grows on the outer epidermis of goats and is a thin layer of fine and dense fluff at the root of the goat's coarse hair. It is fine, soft, light and has good warmth retention properties.

So what kind of product can be considered 100% cashmere?

According to the national standard GB/T 29862-2013 "Identification of Fiber Content of Textiles", only products with a cashmere content of 95% or more and suspected wool content ≤5% can be labeled as "100% cashmere", "pure cashmere" or "all cashmere".

However, in addition to fake 100% cashmere products that use chemical fibers to imitate cashmere, some merchants also use the banner of "cashmere" to confuse people. In fact, sheep mainly produce wool, not cashmere. Merchants call the finer wool on sheep "cashmere" and then use the banner of "100% cashmere" to confuse people, which is completely illegal.

At this time, many people may wonder: Is there a big difference between cashmere and this fine wool?

First of all, the answer is: of course! The feel and performance of fine wool are far inferior to cashmere.

Why is wool far inferior to cashmere?

Let’s first take a look at what cashmere looks like under a microscope.

It can be seen that there are scales on the surface of cashmere fiber, and the villi are surrounded by ring-shaped scales; the edges of the scales are slender and clear, close to the hair shaft, and have a small inclination angle with the hair shaft; the surface of the scales is flat and smooth; the exposed part of the scales is large, so the scale density is low.

Scale structure and scale thickness on the surface of cashmere fiber (0.38 μm) Image source: GB/T 14593-2008, Quantitative analysis method of cashmere, sheep wool and their mixed fibers, scanning electron microscopy [S].

The wool fiber also has scales on its surface, which have the characteristics of thorn teeth and spread from the root to the tip of the hair shaft. Compared with cashmere, there are multiple scales within one circumference, and the density of scales is higher, but the surface of the scales is rough and not smooth, with obvious striations; the edge lines of the scales are thick and unclear.

Scale structure and scale thickness on wool fiber surface (0.73 μm) Image source: GB/T 14593-2008, Quantitative analysis method for cashmere, sheep wool and their mixed fibers, scanning electron microscopy [S]

It is precisely because of the difference in microstructure that it brings completely different characteristics in use: when wool fabric comes into contact with water and is rubbed or stirred, these scales will interlock and entangle with each other, causing irreversible shrinkage between the fibers and the "shrinkage" phenomenon, while this will not happen with cashmere.

The surface morphology of other animal fibers is as follows. These surface features become an important basis for distinguishing cashmere from other animal fibers.

The surface structures of other animal fibers (wool) are as follows from top to bottom: 1. Camel wool 2. Yak wool 3. Alpaca wool 4. Mohair 5. Rabbit wool

Image source: GB/T 14593-2008, Quantitative analysis of cashmere, sheep wool and their mixed fibers - Scanning electron microscopy method[S].

Cashmere sweater is very thin

But it's really warm.

First, the surface of cashmere fiber is covered with many tiny scales, which help to lock air in . Since the thermal conductivity of air is very low, cashmere fabric can effectively reduce the loss of body heat and provide better warmth.

Second, the diameter of cashmere fibers is usually between 14 and 19 microns, which is about 20% of the diameter of a human hair. These ultra-fine fibers can be closely arranged together during the weaving process to form a dense structure that effectively blocks the entry of cold air.

Third, cashmere fibers have natural curls, which allow the fibers to entangle with each other, increasing the space inside the fabric, fixing more still air and forming a good insulation layer. This feature allows the wearer to stay warm while being breathable and not feeling stuffy.

Furthermore, cashmere has outstanding hygroscopic properties and can absorb and release moisture to a certain extent, which can help regulate the wearer's body temperature and keep the wearer relatively dry and warm even after sweating during activities.

Comparison of the length and fineness of animal hair fibers Data source: References [4-7]

Cashmere is not 100 yuan per piece

A cashmere sweater usually weighs about 200 to 400 grams. Although it is thin, the production process of cashmere sweaters is very complicated. From the initial goat breeding and cashmere extraction, each step requires delicate operation and high professional knowledge. The main processes include cashmere making, spinning, and weaving garments, which are generally completed by different companies upstream and downstream of the industrial chain. Each process includes multiple process steps before the final product is produced.

Figure 5 Schematic diagram of cashmere sweater production process

In addition, the overall output of cashmere is very low and it is difficult to collect. It is a precious textile raw material, commonly known as "soft gold".

In recent years, the price of cashmere has been on an overall upward trend, with the recent selling price being around 750 to 900 yuan per kilogram. The price of high-quality cashmere will be even higher, not including costs from spinning and garment processing, product marketing, and taxes, so cashmere sweaters are generally sold at a higher price.

To judge whether a cashmere is of good quality, you can look at these four standards:

1

Average diameter

The thickness of cashmere fiber directly affects its softness and comfort. The finer the cashmere fiber, the softer it feels and the better its warmth retention.

2

Hand pulling length

It refers to the length that can be achieved by manually stretching a certain amount of cashmere, and it reflects the length characteristics of the cashmere fiber. Longer fibers can make the fabric more durable and less prone to pilling.

Figure 6 Provisions on cashmere grade technology in the national standard GB18267-2013 Cashmere Source: GB18267-2013, Cashmere[S].

3

Cleaning rate

It indicates the weight loss ratio of cashmere after washing, and is used to measure the degreasing and decontamination ability of cashmere during washing, as well as whether it will shrink. A high cleaning rate means that more impurities and grease are washed away, but it is also necessary to avoid excessive washing that may damage the cashmere.

4

Net down rate

It refers to the proportion of pure cashmere without impurities after removing impurities, dandruff and other non-cashmere substances from the original cashmere. The higher the net cashmere rate, the higher the purity of the cashmere and the better the quality.

Figure 7 The provisions on the classification of clean cashmere rate in the national standard GB18267-2013 "Cashmere"

Source: GB18267-2013, Cashmere[S].

How to choose a cashmere sweater?

Finally, let’s talk about how to choose cashmere sweaters.

First, check the clothing label ; real cashmere products should say "100% cashmere" or a specific percentage.

Then, run your hands over the fabric to feel its softness and smoothness . High-quality cashmere feels soft, fine, and warm; if it feels rough or scratchy, it probably contains more non-cashmere fibers.

Secondly, you can carefully observe the knitting process of the cashmere sweater . A good cashmere sweater is woven tightly and evenly, without loose threads or obvious defects. Give priority to well-known brands or merchants with a good reputation. Cashmere sweaters produced by regular merchants are more secure in terms of raw material procurement, production process and after-sales service.

The fake "cashmere sweaters" that cost hundreds of yuan each online are mostly made of acrylic or acrylic blended yarn. You can identify them yourself through a simple burning method: acrylic will emit a pungent smell when burning, and the residue will be in the form of hard round balls; the smell of burning cashmere is the same as the smell of burning hair, and the ashes will be in the form of fine powder when lightly twisted with your hands.

References

[1] GB/T 29862-2013, Textiles - Labelling of fibre content[S].

[2] GB/T 14593-2008, Quantitative analysis of cashmere, sheep wool and their mixed fibres - Scanning electron microscopy method[S].

[3] GB18267—2013, Cashmere[S].

[4] Liu Sen. Introduction to Textile Dyeing (Second Edition)[M]. China Textile Press, 2008.

[5] Zhang Min, Zheng Wenxin, Wang Le, et al. Study on the difference of wool quality of alpacas with different wool colors[J]. Journal of Animal Ecology, 2021, 42 (07): 19-23.

[6] Li Weihong, Gao Yaqin, Wang Hongbo, et al. Research status and application prospects of alpacas [J]. Herbivorous Livestock, 2007, (01): 10-11. DOI:10.16863/j.cnki.1003-6377.2007.01.003.

[7] Qin Buxiang. Spinning of cashmere, alpaca and soybean protein composite fiber colored yarn[J]. Wool Textile Technology, 2007(07):32-35.DOI:10.3969/j.issn.1003-1456.2007.07.008.

Planning and production

Author: Song Lidan, Senior Engineer, China Textile Construction Planning Institute

Review丨Zhang Jie, Chief Engineer of China Textile Construction Planning Institute

Planning丨Dong Nana

Editor: Dong Nana Ding Zong

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin

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