For the last couple of years, we have used a responsible yarn called Eco Cashmere in our autumn winter collections. By using this yarn, we were able to start making 100% cashmere garments without compromising our commitment to care for people and the planet.
Eco Cashmere is completely recycled, providing the comfort, luxury and biodegradability of virgin cashmere without the harm associated with the conventional production process. Our yarn is made without blending in virgin fibres, unlike other current cashmere yarns on the market, and is made from 50% pre-consumer and 50% post-consumer waste. Pre-consumer waste is produced during the manufacturing process in small amounts, such as fibres dropped to the factory floor, excess materials or disused samples. Post-consumer waste refers to when customers have stopped wearing their cashmere products and have donated them to recycling organisations. This waste is sorted and cleaned before being spun into new yarns, starting a second life for the fibres.
Our Eco Cashmere yarn is produced in a high-quality facility based in the Prato region of Italy, by our supplier that is GRS, GOTS and RWS certified. They spin and dye the yarns before they are knitted into garments in either Romania or the UK in a low-waste process. This process does not compromise the quality or longevity of our products that we are so proud of here at House of Baukjen.
By using both pre-consumer and post-consumer waste materials, we are helping to decrease the amount of waste produced by the cashmere industry and increasing circularity within our own supply chain. Additionally, Eco Cashmere is a mono-material, meaning it is made from 100% cashmere and can be recycled more easily at the end of its life. We know that moving towards a circular fashion industry is important for ensuring a greener future for all of us and using Eco Cashmere is just one of the ways that we are doing this.
Cashmere has always been a desirable material as it’s so comfortable to wear and has been used to produce luxury apparel and homeware for hundreds of years. However, the demand for cashmere has grown with the introduction of fast fashion, resulting in cruel and unethical treatment of both the cashmere goats and herders.
From an environmental perspective, the raising of cashmere goats contributes to global warming through the release of GHG emissions (greenhouse gases). As the rate of production has increased, nomadic herders have been forced to overpopulate their land, resulting in overgrazing and a loss of biodiversity in 65% of Mongolian grasslands.
At Baukjen, we don’t want to contribute to the demand for virgin cashmere and that’s where Eco Cashmere comes in. By using recycled fibres, we can make garments that are softer, lighter and more insulating than those made of sheep’s wool while avoiding some of the resource consumption and emissions associated with virgin cashmere.
Our Eco Cashmere is used to produce cosy, high-quality knitwear, such as jumpers, cardigans and socks – browse our knitwear collection here. Cashmere garments are easy to care for and don’t need to be washed regularly (read more about that here), which is great news for the environmental impact of your wardrobe.
