April 7, 2021 |
Cashmere, as far as I know, is the fastest mode of transport. A hug from a cashmere jumper can transport its wearer instantly to the same ethereal clouds in the Sistine chapel.
Cashmere is relatively sustainable as its made of a natural fibre that can decompose, unlike polyester or viscose, which are two environmentally harmful synthetic fabrics.
The process in which cashmere is made however, is not always so heavenly and can have some pretty significant ethical and environmental implications. Reports of animal cruelty and large amounts of pollution emitted by mass livestock farming can be enough to dampen environmentally-conscious consumers’ lust for the material.
In 2016 PETA exposed the extreme cruelty and violent killings of cashmere goats in China and Mongolia, the two largest exporters of cashmere in the world, who collectively supply 90 per cent of the world’s cashmere. And in 2009 the Worldwatch Institute, a Washington D.C. environmental think-tank, found that livestock farming accounts for 51 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in the world making it one of the most environmentally harmful industries.
However, this isn’t our final goodbye to cashmere. Fabric recycling technology and the start of a movement of brands purchasing their cashmere from sustainably farmed goats have ensured that we have guilt-free alternatives.
Single source cashmere is often commended because of its traceability and the insurance it gives brands of a high-quality cashmere and ethical farming practices in partnership with their farmer. Purchasing blended cashmere from several farmers can reduce the quality and assurance of ethical farming practices in the chain of supply. Blending is common practice for brands offering cheap cashmere as little care is given to the material’s origin with importance, instead, being placed on its low price supplied by mass producers who commonly overbreed their goats and keep them in unkempt cramped enclosures.
The small luxury brand Cuyuna champions its use of single-origin cashmere and the assurance that it gives them that the 200 free-range goats that supply them are humanely kept and the quality of their cashmere is consistently high.
Additionally to ethical farming practices, the size of the free-range herds is incredibly important for the survival of the environment. In recent years it’s been reported in Mongolia that the increase in demand for cashmere has led to a rise in goat breeding to the point where farmers have accumulated 1000-goat trips. This is causing overgrazing, erosion, and the acidification of the soil which leads to vegetation being replaced by poisonous species.
Some brands such as Pangaia, avoid purchasing virgin cashmere altogether to reduce their demand for Mongolian cashmere which is causing such a significant threat to the natural environment human and wildlife populations. Pangaia produces beautifully simple recycled cashmere loungewear, hats and scarves in a range of colours and sizes, for both men and women.
Recycled cashmere is made by sourcing worn garments or factory scraps which are then divided according to colour. The cashmere is then shredded into fine fibers which are washed and dyed to preference. The fibers are then passed through a machine that spins them into strands, which can be used to make new pieces of clothing.
The sustainable cashmere market is very exciting with new technologies becoming increasingly available to brands all the time. Additionally to the single-source and recycled cashmere mentioned, soy bean cashmere has been developed which is made from the pulp by-product of tofu production.
Photography courtesy of Pangaia.
