“Cashmere” is a regulated fibre description, not a synonym for a soft sweater. For apparel sold in the United States, the Wool Products Labeling Act sets criteria for when fibre from a cashmere goat may be identified as cashmere. The distinction matters to a buyer comparing yarn specifications, supplier certificates and the composition printed on a finished garment.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) explains the rules in its cashmere business guide. The governing Wool Products Labeling Act contains the core fibre criteria. Neither a high selling price nor a supplier’s use of the word “premium” establishes that the material meets those criteria.
What makes a fibre legally describable as cashmere?
Under the U.S. statute, cashmere must be fine, dehaired undercoat fibre from a cashmere goat. The average fibre diameter must not exceed 19 microns. In addition, no more than 3% by weight of the cashmere fibres may have average diameters exceeding 30 microns. The rule also provides a coefficient-of-variation condition for average fibre diameter.
These are technical thresholds, not a requirement that every individual fibre be identical. They should be read in the context of the statute and the applicable testing method. Fibre that comes from a cashmere goat but does not satisfy the definition cannot automatically be marketed as cashmere; the FTC explains that it should instead be identified as wool.
Why a supplier’s yarn description is not enough
Cashmere moves through sorting, dehairing, spinning, knitting or weaving, dyeing and finishing. A buyer may receive a yarn invoice describing “cashmere” and later see a garment label claiming “100% cashmere.” Those documents are related, but they do not answer precisely the same question. The invoice records what was purchased; the label makes a representation about the finished product.
For a high-value knitwear programme, the buyer should agree in advance on the fibre specification, sampling plan, testing method and documentary chain from incoming yarn to finished units. Where there is uncertainty, competent laboratory analysis and traceable lot records are stronger evidence than visual inspection or hand feel. The site’s apparel lot traceability guide explains why material identity needs to survive splits and merges during production.
Blend labels need percentages, not vague adjectives
When a garment contains both cashmere and another fibre, a phrase such as “cashmere blend” does not replace the required fibre-content disclosure. The FTC gives the example of a product made with 80% wool and 20% cashmere: the label must disclose the actual percentages rather than leaving the consumer to infer the blend.
Claims on a sleeve tag, hangtag, product page or advertising material must also be assessed against the complete fibre label. The FTC warns that a prominent claim such as “fine cashmere garment” can mislead if it implies a composition different from the required label. Some hangtags may highlight a fibre without listing the entire composition, but the conditions for that treatment must be satisfied, including directing the consumer to the full label where applicable.
What about a “100% cashmere” claim?
A 100% claim should be treated as a high-evidence claim. The FTC notes that there is no tolerance for a 100% fibre claim where another fibre has intentionally been added. The general discussion of unavoidable manufacturing variation is not a licence to use “100%” as marketing shorthand for a deliberate blend.
A practical buyer should reconcile three records: the approved bill of materials, the incoming yarn or fabric evidence, and the finished garment’s label. If the bill of materials contains an elastane component, a separate lining or another material, the team must establish which components are included in the relevant fibre disclosure and whether any exclusion applies. Guessing from the product name is not an adequate method.
Cashmere quality and cashmere identity are different questions
A material can satisfy the legal fibre definition and still differ significantly in length distribution, handle, pilling behaviour, colour consistency or durability. Conversely, a soft fabric may not contain any cashmere at all. Product development should therefore separate identity testing from performance testing.
For example, a knitwear brief can specify cashmere content and separately define dimensional stability after care, appearance retention and pilling acceptance criteria. The distinction parallels WEFTSIGNAL’s guide to fabric shrinkage testing: the test method and acceptance basis must be specified, rather than inferred from a descriptive adjective.
A pre-production evidence checklist
- Record the exact fibre composition claimed in the purchase order and approved bill of materials.
- Identify the yarn or fabric lots and the supplier documents supporting their composition.
- Agree on suitable laboratory identification and measurement procedures when verification is needed.
- Compare sewn-in labels, hangtags, e-commerce descriptions and packaging claims for consistency.
- Check country-of-origin, responsible-business identity and care instructions under the applicable labelling rules.
- Retain the approved artwork and evidence when the product specification or material supplier changes.
These controls do not guarantee a particular quality grade. They make the material claim reviewable when the buyer, laboratory and factory are not in the same location.
The purchasing decision
Cashmere procurement should begin with a measurable fibre specification and end with a label that describes the actual garment. Buyers who verify identity, composition and performance as separate questions are less likely to discover after shipment that the product description and the product itself tell different stories.
Primary sources and editorial scope
- FTC: Cachet of Cashmere (business guidance; accessed 18 October 2026).
- FTC: Wool Products Labeling Act (statutory fibre definition; accessed 18 October 2026).
- FTC: Textile and Wool Labeling Guide (related labelling obligations; accessed 18 October 2026).
Editorial note: This is an industry explainer of general U.S. requirements, not an assessment of a particular garment. Applicable rules and technical test standards should be checked for each product.
