Cashmere is an extremely soft, warm, and luxurious type of wool that comes from cashmere goats. These goats grow a special undercoat of incredibly fine hair to protect themselves from harsh mountain winters in places like Mongolia and Kashmir. Each spring, farmers carefully comb out this soft undercoat, collecting only a few ounces from each goat.

What makes cashmere special is that each fiber is much finer than regular sheep's wool, about one-sixth the thickness of a human hair. This fineness creates a fabric that feels smooth and silky against your skin instead of scratchy or itchy. Cashmere also traps warmth exceptionally well despite being lightweight, so a thin cashmere sweater can keep you as warm as a thick wool one.

Because each goat produces so little usable cashmere each year, and because the fibers require careful processing, cashmere clothing costs significantly more than regular wool. A cashmere scarf or sweater represents quality and comfort, along with the time and effort of raising goats in remote mountains, hand-combing their coats, and spinning delicate fibers into yarn. When people save up for a cashmere sweater, they're investing in something that should last for years if properly cared for.