The fine, soft down that grows beneath the coarse outer hair of certain goats, and the yarn, knitwear and cloth made from it.
Cashmere is the fine down beneath the coarser outer hair of certain goats. The name also applies to yarn and finished textiles made from that fibre, so a reference to cashmere may describe a raw material or a finished product. Fibre quality involves more than softness alone. Johnstons of Elgin describes grading cashmere by fineness and length and selecting long, lofty fibres for its products. For a newcomer, the useful distinction is between fibre identity and fabric construction. Cashmere identifies the material, while a term such as knitwear describes how a product is constructed.
In job listings
Sales and knitwear roles may ask for this kind of product knowledge in general terms. An advisor is likely to be asked about softness, pilling and care, and a product developer about the quality and sourcing of the yarn. Search local jobs for “fabric”.
