Difference between cashmere and wool fabric? How to wash a cashmere coat at home?

When you go to the store to shop for wool coats or cashmere coats, it’s hard to keep from feeling overwhelmed by the choices.Among the most luxurious materials in the textile industry, wool and cashmere have long been touted as the favored textile materials for suits, coats and other fine products, simply because they are difficult to come by and must be carefully sheered and woven from the hides of the softest wool- or cashmere-producing animals in the world.Wool and cashmere are not the same thing, and today we want to address the differences, and talk about how to clean a cashmere coat.

What Is Wool fabric?

Fabric made from the fleece of sheep, which can come from breeds as diverse as Lincoln, Corriedale and Kivieke, while the finest wool for fabric comes from breeds like merino sheep, that are highly prized for their incredibly fine, soft wool.Merino wool is made up of follicles containing voluminous, curly fibers that are extremely soft, and impart a springy feeling to the touch.Wool is highly heat compression retentive, which is why it remains so insulating, as a fabric.

What Is Cashmere fabric?

Cashmere is made from the undercoat hair of cashmere goats.In the winter months, these goats grown a soft, opulent undercoat that will be used to create the finest of all cashmere garments, and it is a material that warms beyond that of just regular sheep’s wool.Cashmere made from the undercoat hair of cashmere goats is made in much smaller quantities than sheep’s wool, and it is actually finer and softer.

Pretty different so far, right?In addition to its lower density, cashmere is much lighter than sheep’s wool, as well as softer, and more pliable, with higher curvature but also with greater elasticity, which allows it to snap back into shape and resist shrinkage and deformation, like wool.Just like wool-based products, cashmere based products will not require frequent cleaning, but whenever possible you should have cashmere items cleaned by a specialist.

Although cashmere is produced with slightly different qualities in various regions, global wool production is still dominated by sheep’s wool largely due to its versatility and wide availability. Comparing to wool, cashmere has better moisture absorption and can keep better color and color fastness. The cashmere fabric has higher resistance values, so it is not easy to discolour. Similarly, wool products are more likely to go hand in hand with static electricity due to their lower resistance values. But in the case of hairball, cashmere is generally more than wool. We can use one or two place scissors to remove the hairball, and a particular cashmere comb can be used to gently comb the pill, so it will not cause damage to wool fabric.

How to wash a cashmere coat:

For partial washing, you can apply neutral detergent to the stained part, add water a little, brush it gently with a soft bristle brush, and then wipe it off with a wet rag. For whole washing, you need to first remove the dust of the fabric, and then soak the clothes in cold water for ten minutes until it is soaked through, at which time you should then add the detergent and brush the clothes gently with a soft brush in one direction. Because the strength of the washing machine is not easy to control, so it is not recommended to use the machine wash.

Another natural fibre that shares so many of these luxurious properties with cashmere is alpaca wool and, although not as regularly used as sheep’s wool, other alternatives are becoming increasingly popular for those looking for variety in their winter garments.