Cashmere and merino wool scarf - where it comes from and how to look after the scarf and the world. Dress of the day 830 by Angela Lansbury

 


The label, of the merino wool and cashmere scarf. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.


 Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.


Scarf in merino and cashmere. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.


I was in St Luke's charity shop in London looking for a brightly coloured scarf, and at the last minute decided to  try on this scarf with its subtle colours. In the end I bought this scarf because it felt soft and soothing. 

When I got home I looked at the label. It said Cashmere and merino wool. Cashmere! That sounds expensive, exclusive, exotic.

Cashmere is a different spelling of what English-speaking people call Kashmir. The technical term for changing the spelling is Anglicization.

Cashmere is not sheep wool but from a goat. To sum up a long article on Wikipedia, the goat moults in spring, loses the hair it needs to keep warm in winter. You can do machine sheering, or comb it by hand. The tougher hairs are used in brushes and the softer ones for clothing. The goats have been imported to the USA, UK and France in the past but today most of the product and finished articles come from Asia and China. 

From an environmental point of view, the bad news is that over-grazing by goats turns the land into desert. This has increased the local temperature by up to four degrees and caused pollution in the air as far away as the USA. 

By buying my scarf from St Luke's charity shop in London, which raises money for it hospices, I like to think that I am not just saving myself money, but also benefitting a local charity, which helps people in my age group. 

Although I am not providing employment to those in far off countries, by buying second hand I am reducing pollution. In reality I think the real difference to land management, worldwide pollution and global warming is made by the decision makers who organize business and legislation on a large scale. This has to happen over in the country of origin of the food we buy and clothes we wear.  Action must come from the big volume buyers who can either influence the suppliers or buy up the business over there and change it.

Meanwhile, I am happy to have bought a bargain and gained so much insight into the production of textiles and the impact on everybody worldwide.

Oates & Morgan and Roger Oates

To sum up the story of the production of the scarf, regarding the manufacturer's and designers' names, Roger Oates and his wife Morgan (surname) met at art school in London and founded a company way back in 1977. After at least one buy out, a new company formed with the Roger Oates name. 

My scarf says Made in Mongolia. The latest good news is the latest company with the Oates name is helping to stall and reverse climate change. 

Where To Find Oates & Morgan And Roger Oates

They sell clothing, carpets and woollen and other products to countries including the UK, USA, and Australia. You can find lots of scarves and other products at prices from about ten pounds to about a hundred pounds on Ebay, Etsy and Amazon. 

Cashmere And Dry Cleaning


My scarf is of pale colour, but the label says dry clean only. When the cost of dry cleaning increased, I stopped buying clothes which said dry clean. Or a part washed them in cold water.

My friend Lynda washed a cashmere scarf and it shrank. You are supposed to be able to restore a shrunken item by wetting it again, with cold water, and stretching it. She says the scarf also lost its vibrant colour.

Useful Websites On Cashmere



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