Cashmere is a luxury fiber—softer, finer, and stronger than sheep's wool—that is the undercoat of a goat. Cashmere is harvested by either shearing or combing the undercoat layer and leaving the outer layer of guard hair. Cashmere can be found on many goats, but goats classified as cashmere goats have been selectively bred to meet standards for fiber quality and conformation. The American cashmere goat industry is relatively new, underway only since the 1980s when breeders began selectively breeding Australian fiber and Spanish meat goats for fiber production. Given their origins, cashmere goats are hardy and easy to care for. As browsers, they do best on hay supplemented with minerals, and their cashmere fiber keeps them warm in winter.

 

We learned about cashmere goats through the Cashmere Goat Association (CGA), a breed organization dedicated to improving the breed through educational workshops, live goat shows, and fiber shows. Their website provides information about the cashmere goats and the cashmere industry.