Not all Cashmere is the same. There are few methods that can be used to determine the quality of cashmere
Cashmere Quality Grades
Usually, the fineness and length of Cashmere hair become the determining factor to check cashmere sweater quality.
There are three grades of cashmere:
- Grade C Cashmere
This is the cashmere of lowest quality. In this type of product, the cashmere fiber is thick with around 30microns diameter and they are the cheapest of all. - Grade B Cashmere
The diameter of Grade B cashmere fiber is around 19 microns. - Grade A Cashmere
The Grade A cashmere fiber is thinnest and longest of all with less than 14 microns diameter while the length of Grade A Cashmere fiber is around 36mm.
Grade A Cashmere products are the most durable ones.
How to check cashmere quality?
The easiest and quickest way of checking cashmere quality is to touch the cashmere. Upon touching, you will get the smooth and pleasant sensation if it is Grade A Cashmere.
The softness goes on reducing with less grade cashmere because the length gets shorter and diameter goes on increasing with low cashmere grade.
Alternatively, you can stretch the cashmere slowly and see if it returns back to the original shape.
If it returns back to the original shape immediately even after pulling it for some time, it is of high quality.