When purchasing fall and winter clothes, it’s hard to choose ones from wool or cashmere. One is friendly at prices and the other one is glorious and luxurious. In this blog, we, Aung Crown, a reliable custom manufacturer of hats and apparel since 1998, will deeply introduce the origin, warmth, price, and cost-effectiveness of both fabrics – wool and cashmere to help make the best choice when purchasing fall and winter clothes.

Why Cashmere is Renamed as Soft Gold?

At prices, the conclusion is very obvious that cashmere is more expensive than wool. At the same quality, cashmere is 5 to 10 times expensive than wool. If cashmere is top-level, then the price will be much more expensive. The reason is the rarity of cashmere. The global production of wool is over 1 million tons, and cashmere is only about 20 thousand tons, occupying 0.2% of the whole animal fibers. Such a rarity with reputable comfort makes cashmere get the great reputation of fiber diamond and soft gold.

The Five Differences Between Wool and Cashmere

To understand such a big difference in prices, we need to know both fabrics originally.

Properties	Wool	Cashmere
Origin	Sheep hair	Goats ( hair in the villous layer only)
Sampling Methods	Mechanical shearling	Spring Combing (man-made combing or half man-made combing and half mechanical combing)
Fiber Fineness	Relatively coarse(19-40/μm)	Extremely fine(14-16/μm)
Touching	Textured. Premium wool is soft, but might be itch	Extremely soft, smooth, close-fit without itching
Weight	Relatively heavy	Extreme lightweight, wearing without burden
Production	Very high (each sheep can produce ten of kilogram wool)	Very low (about several dozens of grams cashmere from each goat)

The theory of keeping warmth: Cashmere is mid-air-structure, which can lock more static air to form a super insulated layer. Therefore, cashmere is extremely lightweight and super in keeping warmth.

The theory of keeping warmth: Cashmere is a mid-air structure, which can lock more static air to form a super-insulated layer. Therefore, cashmere is extremely lightweight and super in keeping warmth.

The touching difference: The surface of wool is cuticle scales, which might directly cause itching. The scales of cashmere are rounder and smoother. The fiber is also finer, so cashmere is super skin-friendly which is perfect for people who are with skin sensitivities.

Wool vs Cashmere: Which is Worthier for Investing?

The cost-effectiveness doesn’t mean cheap prices, but the comparison of value between the performance and the price. Wool and cashmere have their unique advantages for consumers with different requirements.

Wool: It’s an price-friendly, durable, easy-to-care-for, and warm fabric, wool meets most winter scenes. Therefore, wool is ideal for daily commutes and frequent wear, that is suitable for consumers who prioritize practicality, have limited budgets, require a variety of styles for rotation, and are less particular about garment care. Please note that Merino wool is the most updated choice among all wools with the best cost-effectiveness, which has a longer fiber and better touch than common wool.

Cashmere: A super soft, premium fabric, so, cashmere provides unparalleled warmth, is super lightweight, and offers extreme skin-friendly comfort. A quality cashmere shirt blends tastes and style, which is the most primary piece in the closet. Therefore, cashmere is suitable for investing consumers who pursue extreme comfort and quality, with full budgets, and know how to take care of garments. Although the unit price is expensive, under proper maintenance, a quality cashmere shirt can last for many years without going out of fashion. So, the price for each item is very low, and the extremely cozy wearing experience is hard to value in money.

How to Avoid Real or Fake Wool & Cashmere?

The market is a mixed bag, so we know to master points below that can save money.

1. Price: Usually, prices of 100% cashmere shirts are lower than $115 per one, then please pay attention to that, it might be blended with other fabrics or fake cashmere.
2. Garment Labels: This is an important part to tell whether wool or cashmere shirts are genius or fake. In general, 100% Cashmere or 100% wool label means the outfit is crafted from only cashmere or wool. If the label with 70% wool and 30% cashmere, then the outfit is blended.
3. Burning Clothes Fiber: Please be careful when using this method. Softly pluck a few fibers and burn them. When burning, cashmere emits a protein-like odor, like burning hair, leaving behind black, brittle ash that crumbles easily when squeezed.

If you pursue extreme wearing experience with long-term value, then choosing wool is the best reward for yourself, and it’s also a long-term investment. If you pursue daily practice and super cost-effectiveness, then it’s recommended to choose wool or Merino wool because they can meet your budget, demand for warmth, and most fashion styling. No matter whether you are choosing which one wool or cashmere, quality is always in the first place. One cashmere shirt with fancy craftsmanship is better than one with poor craftsmanship. Hoping this can help you in your next shopping.