Upcycling cashmere
Cashmere, an extremely precious natural material
Cashmere is an animal fibre that comes from the wool of the goat of Kashmir (an ancient province located between India, China and Tibet). It is an extremely precious material since the manufacture of a single jumper requires the down of five goats!
At the end of winter, Kashmir goats moult naturally. They are then combed to recover the wool, which is then cleaned to separate the down from the hard hair and impurities. The fibres are then ready for spinning, weaving and dyeing. Note that the finest qualities of down will be found on the noble parts of the goat, from the neck down to the navel. The dyeing process, directly on the down, on the yarn or later, on the jumper, will also determine the final quality of the cashmere.
Today, the main cashmere production locations are in China and in Mongolia. Between them, these two countries produce three quarters of the world's wool. Cashmere from China and Mongolia is of better quality because the goats are reared in an ideal climatic environment close to their country of origin. Every year, around 20,000 tonnes of cashmere are produced worldwide.
The use of cashmere in the textile industry
Cashmere first appeared in fashion in the form of shawls. Even then, shawls and scarves from India were world-renowned. They still are today.
Some brands now use cashmere on sweaters, dresses, waistcoats...the whole wardrobe goes through it.
The jumper naturally sits at number one and becomes a basic in women's wardrobes. Soft as a lamb, it can be worn close to the body or XXL style, with jeans, a little skirt... It's chic and easy to adopt.
Often considered a luxury piece, it is becoming democratised with the arrival of new labels offering very affordable prices.
All you have to do is choose the type of quality you're looking for and, if need be, pay the price.
Inspirations for your cashmere upcycling projects
As you probably know, cashmere requires very special care. For safety's sake, it's actually recommended that you take your cashmere clothes to the dry cleaners.
If by some misfortune you've totally screwed up your cashmere by putting it through the washing machine, mourn the loss because there will be no way to get it back. However, you can upcycle it.
With the help of one of our Tillistes, a shrunken jumper will become a pretty winter bonnet!With the extra material, you can even make a soft headband. And if you have enough material, you can opt to create a beautiful scarf!
If it's holes that are preventing you from wearing your cashmere, we invite you in the first instance to read our article on repairing moth holes in jumpers! It will certainly be a great help. You can then contact us so we can take a look at your cashmere in the hope of sewing it back together.
And as we at Tilli love bare backs, don't hesitate to trust us with your cashmere jumper or dress so we can open up the back. Guaranteed glamorous effect!
Whatever your request, don't hesitate to contact us. We're on hand to help you upcycle, alter or personalise your cashmere garments, but that's not all!
Contact us now on our website or directly via the Tilli app!
We'll be delighted to accompany you on the great adventure of responsible dressmaking.
No time to start sewing?
your homewho can advise and help you recycle and personalise your dressing roomcarries out transformations in its workshopet livre le vêtement après transformations chez vous
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