Cashmere (English name) or cachemire (French name), is the fine, fluffy, soft undercoat produced by selected breeds of goats. Its name comes from Kashmir, a historical region currently divided between India, Pakistan and China. To collect it, the coat is manually combed during the moulting season, which occurs in spring. Production averages between 100 and 200 grams of fine hair for each adult animal.

Cashmere is by definition a wavy and opaque fibre, with a diameter between 14 and 18 microns (much finer than Merino wool, the most valuable sheep's wool, 24 microns), with an insulating power 10 times that of wool.

The regenerated cashmere wool yarn is produced through a mechanical process developed in Prato centuries ago. Its composition is 95% regenerated cashmere and 5% regenerated wool.

The cashmere used to be regenerated can have two origins: it can come from old garments or from industrial surpluses.

In both cases, the old jerseys and scraps are sorted by colour and then reduced to a fibre state through a carding process.

Spinning and coloring: The material obtained is then spun again, obtaining a product already colored that drastically reduces water consumption. In some cases it can be re-dyed to obtain more vivid colors.


Altramoda has selected for women and men, many knitwear items made in Italy with new cashmere or with regenerated cashmere: sweaters, cardigans, hats, scarves, leg warmers, socks, ponchos.