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by Joseph M (writer), December 29, 2006

At first, I was happy. As I prepare to go on a vacation to a place with a much cooler climate, New Mexico, it was the perfect gift that even saved me a trip out to fight the post Christmas re-gifting frenzy.

It's softness, it's warmth. The classically stylish way it conforms around upper body curves looks great and finally I had a cashmere sweater to call my own.

But something was fishy. My mom and dad have never got me an article of clothing that was perfect. It's usually a size off ("just lose weight" or "comes with some room to grow into"), came from an outlet store complete with a green slash across the tag or otherwise found on some clearance rack from somewhere. Surely it was too good to be true.

It was too good and don't call me Shirley.

After looking at the label that reads: KIRKLAND I determined the folks were as amazed as I was to learn cashmere sweaters are sold at Costco (made in Thailand)- they just had to get one for me!

So then, by chance I came across an article (or two) that discusses the truth behind cheap Chinese cashmere clothing. Turns out Costco has been selling these sweaters for years across the country. Millions, in fact Costco alone sells 20% of the cashmere market's sweaters.

As background these cashmere sweaters come from Chinese goats, not sheep. It takes at least two sheep to produce a sweater, which is also a better quality cashmere.

This site offers other differences between sheep and goats:
http://www.sheep101.info/sheepandgoats.html

Since the 1870's, when cashmere was processed by Scottish
mill owner Joseph Dawson it has been considered a luxury item. A hundred years later China's exporting boomed and now they produce the equivalent of 3 articles of clothing for each person on earth annually. China now exports 70% of the world's cashmere.

The sheep and goat have eaten everything on the ground in China and now are starving, weak and are less able to produce the same quality as your mom's cashmere. The strain on the agricultural environment to keep the mass produced animals alive is felt across the board in China, including expanding desert land, which in turn causes heavy dust pollution in the skies worldwide. Yet the prices for cashmere remain low enough to keep the demand far to high.

My parents just saw a cheap cashmere sweater with pretty good quality and bought it for me. The only consequence they notice is that it will keep me warm. As the recipient of their well intentioned gift, I'm not so sure I wouldn't rather stay cold.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003498352_cashmere282.html

Read more articles on: environment , china

Joseph M is a writer for BrooWaha. For more information, visit the author's website.