What Is the Difference Between Wool and Cashmere?

There are many types of wool. The "100% wool" label doesn't give much information about the touch characteristics of the product. All types of wool are great for winter clothing, but each has its properties, advantages, and characteristics. But two of them are the most popular: cashmere or regular wool.

The traditional wool that can be made from any sheep's wool, and cashmere, known for its soft and fine fabric. In fact, cashmere and wool are very similar in appearance but have different textures. The products look stunning and regal, given their importance to the cut of the garment.

What is the difference between wool and cashmere if both are derived from animals? There is a misconception that cashmere is high quality sheep's wool. The characteristics of natural fibers depend too much on what kind of animal the hair is harvested from. In this article, we will compare these two popular materials and answer the questions such as what is the difference between wool and cashmere and which is warmer - cashmere or wool.

Wool is a natural material. Made up of millions of hairs, it grows on the fur of many animals and has been used since time immemorial as a material for clothing and other textiles. It is a type of material whose base is of natural origin. Today, it can be found in various forms and compositions, with synthetic threads or in its natural state.

Since ancient times, wool has been used for warmth and heat preservation, and its production depended on the level of development of domestic animal husbandry. The domestication of animals and the development of man as a herdsman led to the fact that some breeds of animals were used by man primarily to obtain a valuable insulating material - wool. This is why it is more common to find such types of wool as sheep's wool, camel's wool, or alpaca wool. It all depends on the region where a person lives and the suitable conditions for raising livestock. Let's take a look at what are the most common types of wool.

Goat wool (cashmere, mohair)
Raising goats does not require special weather conditions, and their wool has made these pets one of the most sought-after. The difference in goat hair lies in the thickness and structure of the hair itself. Straight hairs do not pile or spin as easily, but due to the thickness of the hair itself, goat hair is characterized by a special fine weave.

The highest quality types of goat hair are considered to be Cashmere, Angora, and Orenburg wool. The secret of popularity lies in the special thickness. So in Orenburg wool, the thickness of one hair varies from 16 to 18 microns, in Kashmir wool the thickness reaches 20 microns, and Angora goats have the thickest wool - from 22 to 24 microns.

However, Angora goat wool yarn is very soft and silky and is therefore called mohair. Another specialty is goat down. This is a type of goat hair. Special combs are used to comb out the down by hand, although it is often just clipped. The down removed from the animal in such a gentle way is very soft and light, almost weightless and incomparable when touched. It is from such down that yarn is spun, but many people know it from their grandmother's Orenburg down shawls.

Cashmere is a well-known type of wool, which is based on the combed down of Kashmir goats. That is why cashmere products are characterized by such softness and fine weave.

Camel wool
As the name implies, camel wool is made from camel hair. The difference lies deep inside the hair. The hollow hair of camel wool has a special property - it perfectly reduces heat conduction. Camel down is considered one of the warmest, and its properties such as hygroscopicity, weight, and ability to ventilate perfectly make it very popular.

Sheep's wool
Due to the characteristics of sheep, this type of wool is characterized by its structure. Elastic, dense, and easily reshaped, it is one of the most common wools in the world. Sheep are easy to raise in almost any natural conditions. Another important feature of sheep's wool is its twist - due to this structure of hairs, the yarn is voluminous, but at the same time perfectly warm and wearable.

Special scales on each hair make felting sheep's wool possible. Wet or dry wool can be easily felted into a dense fabric and later made into shoes, hats, or even household items. The value of wool varies depending on its uses. And availability. That is why sheep's wool is the most widespread. It has become a real universal in the world of wool, possessing all the above properties, while having excellent durability and availability. Sheep are unpretentious to weather conditions, they are easy to breed almost anywhere in the world.

Types of sheep's wool
Sheep's wool is widely distributed due to its versatility. However, there are different types of sheep's wool:

Lambswool is wool that is sheared only from young lambs. Its distinguishing characteristic is its special softness.

Merino wool - the name itself includes the most important. Merino wool is a special breed of sheep whose wool is one of the warmest and softest. Due to the fine hair, this wool serves as a basis for the manufacture of more expensive things. It does not prickle, warms, and wears well, and due to the thickness of the yarn, it can be used to make the most exquisite woolen garments.

Shetland is a hard-wearing wool that is quite coarse to the touch. It is sheared from sheep reared on the Shetland Islands. Great for knitting warm sweaters.

Cheviot - Cheviot, is a breed of specialty sheep. The costliness of this type of wool is due to its durability. Cheviot wool is used to make the famous tweed, which has conquered the world.

In the method of extraction: wool is the product of shearing, and cashmere is the product of combing or plucking. Since shearing removes all layers of wool, while hand processing only removes the undercoat, the difference is obvious. Not to mention that many animals are sheared, but cashmere is obtained only from a special breed of mountain goats with the same name, and only in spring and only during the molt. Wool, in turn, is a fiber derived from the hair of animals - sheep, goats, camels, and others. During this period, plucking does not cause pain to the animal.

Cashmere is eight times warmer than ordinary wool. In addition, if the clothes are made of high quality 100% cashmere fabric, they will also be comparatively lighter in weight.

There is one more difference: wool thread is much thicker than cashmere thread, which is thin and twisted into a special kind of curls. Things made of cashmere are graceful, elegant, and delicate, but warm and light. It is much more airy and finer than even products made of the famous merino wool.

The very name "cashmere" originated from the geographical principle: it is in the Tibetan province of Kashmir that those very goats are found. Cashmere clothing has been known for the second millennium and has always been considered elite, a symbol of wealth and high position in society. It is very expensive because the production of products requires long labor and knowledge of technology.

There are more pluses - cashmere does not cause a negative reaction even in chronic allergy sufferers, and in general is considered especially healing for joints and spine.

The fibers of goat down are three times thinner than human hair, so you can get a maximum of 100 g of raw material from one goat. The thickness of cashmere raw material is from 13 to 21 microns. The main feature of this natural fiber is that it can be dyed without any loss of quality. Cashmere is expensive, but it is also surprisingly durable.

However, wool has a lot to do with such a beautiful material. It is definitely easier to care for, as it does not form lint as quickly. It is also more affordable because, as described above, it is much easier to produce.

When asking yourself the question, which one is better, cashmere or wool, think about what exactly you want to get from the purchase. After all, each material has its own advantages.

- If you need a warm scarf that will serve faithfully for more than one winter season, choose to yak down as the most wear-resistant material.

- If you are interested in an additional bonus in the form of therapeutic effect and positive impact on the skin and joints, camel hair is your choice. The best warming belts, scarves, mittens, sleeping bags, and clothing are made of camel. By the way, even astronauts wear clothes made of camel down.

- If your goal is stylish image and comfort and you prefer bright colors, choose cashmere. Cashmere is present in the "fall/winter" collections of the most famous couturiers, both in women's and men's collections.

So, what is the best choice for insulation, wool or cashmere? It all depends on your preferences and conditions of use.

If you are looking for a warmer material, cashmere will be a great choice. Cashmere is 8 times warmer than wool, but when cashmere goats are bred in other countries with different climates, the "cashmere" loses its great properties. However, if you prefer a more affordable and versatile option, then wool will be a good solution fabric as well.

It's also worth bearing in mind that wool is more resistant to wear and tear and is better suited for everyday wear. Cashmere, although more expensive, has a higher quality and unique properties. Thanks to them, cashmere products are becoming popular among fashion and comfort connoisseurs.