Cashmere Processing and Manufacturing
topic
Processing challenges: delicate fibres prone to breakage (requiring gentle carding with finer wire settings), low cohesion in spinning (necessitating lower twist or blending with 10-30% wool for stability), pilling tendency (fine fibres easily form pills under abrasion—3-4 Martindale rating vs. 4-5 for wool), and shrinkage/felting (similar to wool requiring anti-felting treatments for machine washability). Manufacturing: predominantly ring spun yarns (5-28 Nm, 2-4 ply for knitwear), flat knitting (12-18 gauge for sweaters), and woven fabrics (coating weight for luxury overcoats). Processing yield: 10-15% fibre loss during carding-spinning vs. 5-8% for wool.
Role
Cashmere's delicacy requires specialized processing equipment and expertise, with fibre breakage and pilling being major quality challenges—anti-pilling treatments (enzymatic, resin) improve durability but can affect softness, while blending with fine wool (10-20%) enhances processability and reduces cost with minimal handle compromise.