What Is Grade A Cashmere? Why Lona Scott Uses Only the Best
Why Your Cashmere Might Not Actually Be Cashmere
That £30 cashmere jumper? It's probably 30% yak hair, or blended with fibres graded C - the stuff left over after the good cashmere has been sorted out. The cashmere industry has a grading system most brands would rather you didn't know about. Let's fix that.
What "Grade A" Actually Means (And Why Most Brands Don't Use It)
Cashmere comes from the soft undercoat of cashmere goats, combed out once a year during spring moulting. But not all cashmere fibres are equal. The industry grades them A, B, or C based on two measurements:
Fibre diameter: Grade A cashmere measures 14-16 microns (a micron is one-millionth of a metre). For context, human hair is about 75 microns. The finer the fibre, the softer it feels and the better it regulates temperature.
Staple length: Grade A fibres are at least 34-36mm long. Longer fibres mean less pilling, better durability, and that characteristic cashmere drape. Shorter fibres (Grade B and C) create a fuzzy, less stable fabric that bobbles within weeks.
Grade B cashmere runs 19-30 microns - coarser, shorter, cheaper. Grade C is essentially the leftover bits: damaged fibres, second combings, anything under 30mm. It's still technically cashmere, which is why brands can legally label a blend as "cashmere" even when it's mostly filler.
How Do You Know What Grade You're Buying?
You often don't, unless the brand explicitly states it. In the UK, a garment only needs to be 85% cashmere to be labelled "pure cashmere" - and there's no legal requirement to disclose the grade. Which means that £35 "cashmere" scarf could legally be 85% Grade C fibres blended with viscose.
At Lona Scott, we use exclusively Grade A, 2-ply cashmere. The "2-ply" bit matters too: two fine strands twisted together create a stronger, longer-lasting fabric than a single thick strand. It's why our cashmere scarves feel substantial without being heavy, and why they'll still look sharp in five years.
Why Traditional Craftsmanship Still Matters
The mills that weave our cashmere have been at it since the 1830s. These aren't heritage operations kept alive for tourism; they're working mills with the kind of institutional knowledge you can't replicate. The weavers know how to handle Grade A fibres without damaging them, how to set the tension on a loom for maximum softness, which dye lots will fade and which won't.
Our cashmere is made by people who've been doing this for generations, using methods that produce a tighter, more consistent weave than mass manufacturing. You can feel the difference the first time you wrap one of our cashmere wraps around your shoulders.
What About Lambswool?
Not everyone needs cashmere. If you want something warm, durable, and genuinely premium for under £30, lambswool is brilliant - and often overlooked.
Lambswool comes from a sheep's first shearing, usually around seven months old. It's the softest, finest wool that animal will ever produce, with naturally tapered fibres that create a smoother fabric than adult sheep's wool. Our lambswool scarves are woven from this first-shearing fleece, which is why they're softer than most "wool" scarves you'll find elsewhere.
The practical difference: lambswool is more resilient (better for everyday wear, won't show every snag), while cashmere is lighter and warmer for its weight. Both are excellent. It depends what you need.
Where to Start
If you're new to proper cashmere, the Pure Cashmere Plain Scarf (£55) is the place to begin - it's lightweight enough for year-round wear and comes in 30+ colours. Already a convert? Browse our full collection for jumpers, capes, and accessories, all made from the same Grade A, 2-ply cashmere - from jumpers and cardigans to blankets and dressing gowns.