The
Real Wool: what it is and when to wear it
Great, you've just opened up all your Christmas boxes and
found that your thoughtful family mortgaged the house to buy
you a pashmina wrap. Fabulous, right? Well, here's a software
update for you: It turns out that the much-touted fabric pashmina,
which is supposed to be the very special underbelly hair of
our four-legged friend the Kashmir goat, is simply cashmere.
That's right, the name pashmina is simply a marketing tool.
You lose.
At least that's what textile expert Karl Spilhaus, president
of Boston's Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute,
told Newsweek magazine. And Spilhaus isn't
the only expert to weigh in against the gilded strands:
Kenneth D. Langley, a professor of textile sciences at Dartmouth,
told both Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal
that after putting pashmina under the microscope, he found
that it really isn't anything special--the fibers are indistinguishable
from and no finer than those of ordinary cashmere. And--gulp--several
items claiming to be made of pashmina are actually cashmere/silk
blends, which have a silkier feel but cost less to manufacture.
That doesn't mean these so-called pashmina garments are
shoddy goods; just don't go thinking you're cloaking yourself
in something rarer and more exquisite than plain old cashmere.
Still, the whole controversy makes you wonder about what
you put on your back. Even beyond the pashmina question,
what is the difference between all that sweater stuff?
The quality of cashmere items varies as much as the prices
and styles. The Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute
polices the marketplace in the United States, but tales
like the recent New Yorker account of traders passing
off cashmere with added dirt (for weight), along with the
flow of low-grade cashmere in shops, highlight the importance
of detective work on the part of consumers.
When shopping for cashmere, read the fine print. Even if
the hang tag screams "cashmere," inspect the inside label,
which is required to state the percentages of fibers used.
Don't buy anything with less than 20 percent cashmere if
you're seeking high quality. Look for two- or three-ply
cashmere, which is sturdier than single-ply. Cashmere goods
made in China aren't inferior to those made in Italy, though
they may be less expensive due to lower labor costs. The
geographical origin of the fiber isn't necessarily important,
either. That is, a species of goat produces virtually the
same fiber whether it resides 12,000 feet up in the Himalayas
or in a prairie on a Montana ranch.
After dissecting the tag, inspect the garment carefully.
Cashmere should have a nice luster and be soft and springy
(i.e., it bounces back after being scrunched up), with tight
seams. If you see pilling, put it back.
Of course, not everyone is scrambling for cashmere this
winter. For many, trusty wool is still where it's at. So
how do you tell your Merino from your Shetland? Peter Bishop,
head merchandiser for menswear at Pendleton Woolen Mills
here in Portland, helped us devise this cheat sheet (above)
to save you from being fleeced at the mall.
Voila! You now know what you're bundled in.
Next week we'll chat about making your own stuff.
SHETLAND--Traditionally shorn from sheep in the
Shetland Isles, Shetland now also comes from sheep in other
parts of the world. This hearty wool is the one you want
to wear at the ice-skating rink or sledding with the kids.
Think cable-knit fisherman sweaters and heavy coats.
LAMBSWOOL--This one comes from the first shearing
of a sheep, usually by the time it reaches seven months
of age. It's nice, very nice--non-itchy and perfect with
just a T-shirt.
MERINO--Merino comes from Merino sheep, which are
now present in large numbers in Australia, South Africa
and South America. Merino sheep produce a very fine grade
of wool that can be spun into a finer yarn that results
in a cleaner, more refined finish. Pick merino when it comes
to dresses and other thin wool garments. This is the stuff
you'd wear to work.
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Willamette Week | originally
published January 12,
1999
|
