Cashmere is a type of animal hair that is derived from the Capra Hircus goat species. The goat is found around the Himalayan range and grows Cashmere as an undercoat to survive in one of the harshest conditions in the world. The wool is acquired and processed into the fabric. It can be processed to produce the world-famous Cashmere scarves, which caused a great furor in 18th century Europe. Cashmere scarves were an obsession of royalty, queens, noblewomen, and the affluent women of Europe, so much so that they owned a few hundred pieces of the same. Even now paintings of European queens and Empresses can be seen wearing Cashmere scarves or wraps. 

Unfortunately, in the early 1990’s, some traders started the sales of fake and mixed Cashmere scarves. These scarves were either made from sheep wool which was treated with softeners to make it Cashmere-like. Or else, Cashmere was mixed with nylon and silk, and passed through machines (Power Loom). This gave birth to false Cashmere, which were sold as Pure scarves. A mass confusion occurred in buyers, as now, there were differences in the grades of Cashmere. There were best grades of Cashmere, made from pure Cashmere and then there were other grades, based on the percentage of Cashmere used in them. Although there were sellers of pure Pashmina, customers lost trust in every seller.

The Luxury of a Cashmere scarf

Cashmere is one of the most luxurious fibres in the world. One single thread of Cashmere has a minute diameter of just 12 to 16 microns. Hence its popularity owes to its finesse. Besides this, Cashmere goats produce meagre amounts of hair with one goat giving off just 150 grams. As such, 3 to 4 goats have to be combed to get enough wool for a Cashmere scarf. 

Owing to such luxury and popularity of Cashmere scarves, many traders sell cheap fakes to gain the customer base of Cashmere. They smoothen sheep wool scarves artificially and sell them as pure Cashmere scarves. As such, many individuals fall prey to these dirty tricks. For this reason, we have assembled a number of tests that one can carry on a scarf if they suspect it to be made of something other than pure Cashmere. 

Luckily, some patrons of this luxury fibre have given a number of Cashmere tests, which can tell the purity of a Cashmere scarf, and differentiate it from the others. This has saved several admirers of the luxury animal hair from buying fake scarves and wraps. Thankfully, we owe a lot to these Cashmere test methods which helped us identify the original and pure Cashmere scarves. Or else, it was so easy to fall prey to the tactics of traders who sold fake Cashmere scarves like real ones

The Luxury of being Handmade

Cashmere scarves are handcrafted. This adds more to its opulence and magnificence. The raw Cashmere wool is acquired manually, by middlemen, who then hand this over to the craftsmen. Craftsmen clean the wool, and then spin it to reconstruct it to fine yarn. The fine yarn goes through a specialist procedure of getting converted to fabric, and this fabric is the Cashmere scarves or the legendary Pashmina shawls of Kashmir. This manual process from start to end makes Cashmere scarves timeless, grand the simply a product of an unparalleled art form

Cashmere is handmade from start to end. For this reason it is highly patronised by those who have a classic taste in art and craft. Also, being handmade is the real difference when it comes to identifying real Cashmere from fake ones. The most basic difference between most of the fake Cashmere pieces and real Cashmere scarves is the manual processes. Original Cashmere is handmade, while most fakes are made in machines (powerlooms as we now call them). Cashmere fibre is mixed with the strengthening nylons and silks and passed from machines to create shawls which are hybrid.

Cashmere Test Methods to check if a scarf is Cashmere

While once the process of getting a Cashmere scarf checked for purity was just reserved for professionals, now one can test these personally. Some of these tests are so easy that one can conduct them at home. 

Several tests by which a scarf can be tested for purity

The Label Cashmere Test

You are the luckiest customer of a Cashmere scarf if your newly shopped piece carries a GI label. A Geographical Indication (GI) is a stamp that testifies the purity of a Cashmere scarf. If your scarf has it, it means that the scarf is made from Ladakhi Cashmere, and processed manually by Kashmiri artisans. A GI Cashmere scarf is 100% pure and exceptionally soft. It is made from Pure Cashmere, and if you invest in this, you have hit the jackpot.

To pass the GI qualifying examination, the Cashmere has the following characteristics:

• The fine wool obtained from Ladakh has a diameter of just 16 microns (max).
• Spinning of this fine fibre is done by hand, on a wooden spinning wheel.
• Weaving of the Cashmere scarf is done on a traditional wooden handloom

The Burn Test

One of the unusual tests carried upon a scarf to check if it is Cashmere is the burn test. This is the most common of all tests conducted on Cashmere. In this test, simply cut a fringe of your scarf and burn it. If it gives off a pungent, natural fibre smell, there are high chances that it is Cashmere. This is because Cashmere is a natural fibre, and will give away a smell exactly like that of burnt hair. Also, the residue of this burnt piece will be matte and powdery. 

One has to be very careful while performing this test. Even Though the burn is pretty small, precautions need to be taken. Keeping flammable things away, keeping children away and after performing the test, discarding the things used are the basic precautions to take.

The Bobbling/Pilling Cashmere Test

Are you unhappy about your precious scarf falling prey to the tiny balls on its surface? These are called bobbles and these do make your scarf look withered and old. But do you know what the good news is? Your bobbled scarf is actually pure Cashmere!

Cashmere is a natural fibre, and hence will necessarily bobble with time. If it were a polyester, nylon, or silk mix, it would never bobble. Hence, only a pure piece will form bobbles on the surface. And luckily there are a number of ways to remove them. Shaving the fabric with a clean razor, lint removal machines, manual picking (if there are less bobbles) and more are some simple techniques to remove the wooly mesh that Cashmere gathers over its surface.

The Weave Test

The most beautiful thing about a Cashmere scarf is that it is handmade. It is the hard work and meticulous efforts of an artisan that produce these beauties, that is cherished by all. Manual work is never perfect like a machine and carries some irregularities. This is the same for pure Cashmere scarves, whose weave is always irregular when noticed against a direct light source. If you own a scarf and believe it to be fake, hold it against the sun and check the weave. If it is irregular, there are high chances of it being Cashmere. 

The Touch Test

The touch of Cashmere is completely luxurious. Even though this test has lost its significance owing to the introduction of machine softeners, there still are patrons and experienced ones who recognized Cashmere from its touch. If you have a Cashmere seller or artisans around you, you can get your Cashmere tested by him. 

It is believed that in ancient Kashmir there were artisans who could recognize Cashmere by its taste, simply by placing a fibre on the tip of their tongue!

The touch your Cashmere test should be the least chosen method for checking the purity of a Cashmere scarf. Owing to the sales of fabric softeners, even the roughest surfaces can be smoothened in an instant. Sheep wool scarves were amongst the first ones which were treated with fabric softeners and claimed to be pure Cashmere scarves. Hence the touch test can be done only by the makers of a Cashmere scarf. It is not possible for a common man to identify Cashmere with a simple touch.

The Microscope Test

The authentic of them all is the microscope test. Simply take your scarf to a lab, and get it tested for the micron count. If the micron count is 12 to 16, it is 100% Cashmere. If the fibre count happens to be more than 16 it might be low-quality Cashmere. But if the micron count is more than 20, there are high chances for it to be made from sheep wool. The scarf will definitely be warm, and more durable than a Cashmere scarf, but never will it be the luxurious and graceful Cashmere that the art admirers around the world are devoted to. 

The microscope test should actually be the first test to go for, especially if one finds a lab nearby. This is because it is the most authentic test and gives the most true results. Specialists in labs check the fibre, its basic composition and diameter, and give the most authentic results about the purity of Cashmere fibre.

The Price Test

A Cashmere scarf is handmade from start to end. From manually procuring it from the goat to processing, spinning, weaving, embroidering, dyeing, and anything related to completing it, a Cashmere scarf is handmade. For this reason, these are expensive. A scarf might even cost you thousands of dollars if it is profusely embroidered or patterned in an expensive fashion. Hence, if your scarf is too cheap, know that it is fake, or made from sheep wool. Cashmere scarves cannot cost you around $30. Even if they do, they might be made from the lowest quality Cashmere. Pure Cashmere scarves, if solid, with no embellishment, will cost you at least $80 or more. Hence, beware of sellers selling you cheap ones and claiming them to be Cashmere. 

Now you know how to test if a scarf is Cashmere or not. Be smart when you shop for Cashmere, as it is a lifetime investment. Ask the seller for a certificate of authentication when you shop for Cashmere scarves. If he is not able to produce the same, do not buy it. Look for authentic sellers, and always invest in a pure scarf, made from the finest threads of luxury Cashmere.

Also read: Why are Cashmere Scarves expensive?

Buying a New Cashmere Scarf

Now you know how to test if a scarf is Cashmere or not. But what about buying a new Cashmere scarf? Now that you know all Cashmere selling in the markets is not pure, how do you go about shopping for a new one? Here are some useful tips to follow when shopping for a brand-new Cashmere scarf:

1. Ask the seller of your Cashmere for a certificate of authenticity. If he is able to produce the same, he is an authentic seller selling Pure Cashmere, If not, he might be selling machine-made Cashmere. 
2. Always check with the other customers of the seller whether you're shopping online or in a retail store. Check the internet about what the customers have to say about the products and then go proceed with the purchase. 
3. A GI Cashmere scarf is without a doubt authentic. Hence, if you are looking for a simple, plain Cashmere and designs don’t matter much to you, pick a GI Cashmere scarf. There is no question of duplicity when it comes to GI scarves.

Cashmere scarves are a one-time investment. Hence their purchase has to be careful. A pure Cashmere scarf will be your companion for over 20 or 25 years. But a fake piece will wither in a few years only, which defeats the purpose of investing in Cashmere. 

The Glorious Kashmiri Tradition

The beauty of ancient Kashmir is known to all. Apart from its scenic beauty, it was its people and culture that made it even more beautiful. One of these beautiful traditions was that mothers used to give their newlywed daughters their own Cashmere shawls which would be over 20 years old as a good omen. The daughters would carry it to their new homes as a symbol of auspiciousness and good fortune. To the surprise of many, these shawls would look gracefully antique and carry a heritage look that would surprise the onlookers.