Quality Cashmere Women’s Scarves
The look and feel of a luxurious, authentic, quality cashmere scarf is like a big warm hug from an old friend. If you’re considering purchasing your own cashmere scarf or maybe one for a special woman in your life, there are a few buying tips that will help you be sure you’re getting quality top-of-the-line cashmere.First, an important thing to understand regarding cashmere is that it is made from different grades of wool fibers. The fibers that make the best cashmere come from the Kashmiri goat. They’re removed from the belly and chin areas and are harvested once each year. Unless a garment is labeled “Made from the fibers of the Kashmiri goat,” there’s really no way to tell just how high grade the cashmere is – unless you feel it and then compare it to another grade cashmere scarf. The basic truth is, cashmere ain’t cheap and chances are, the more expensive the scarf, the higher the quality. If you’re in doubt, hold a $20 cashmere scarf to your face. Now put it down. Now pick up a $150 cashmere scarf. Sure, the first one felt soft, but the second one felt amazingly soft.
Another consideration when buying a cashmere scarf is to check the label and make sure it says, “100% Cashmere,” because quite often, especially if it’s a lower priced scarf, it isn’t pure cashmere but a blend of cashmere and a different type of wool. While you’re at it, when you check the label, see where the scarf was made. If it was Scotland or Italy, the scarf is hand knitted and high quality. Of course, the price will reflect that and it will be quite higher than an alternative origin of manufacture.
Some characteristics of cashmere scarves are the ply and gauge. Ply represents the number of strands twisted together and gauge is how tightly those strands are twisted. The higher the ply count, the thicker the scarf will feel. Also, a really great cashmere scarf will have a spring in the fabric; this spring is called a “loft.” To test if your potential scarf has loft, give it a little tug. If it springs back, it has loft and if not, chances are it won’t hold its shape for very long.
Lastly, cashmere scarves are available in many colors however, when buying a darker color, its possible that the manufacturer might used a lower grade wool because the higher grade cashmere is harder to dye and its less work to dye the lower grade wool. Lighter colors and darker colors may feel different, so check before you buy.
All women’s cashmere scarves feel soft, look fabulous and give a woman the warmth she needs however, there is no comparison to fine quality cashmere. So take a minute to make sure you’re getting the very best for yourself or for the women on your holiday list.
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