Monday, December 8, 2008

A Black Cashmere Sweater Makes for a Nice Gift

By Travis Killian

A black cashmere sweater is a wonderful gift to give anyone. Like a fine crystal, a cashmere sweater is always appreciated and can be given with pride and confidence that the gift will be greatly appreciated. It makes for both a gift that can be given when you are doubtful about what gift to give and when you want something special to give someone to cherish forever.

Anyone who has had the chance to wear a cashmere sweater will remember the exquisitely luxurious feel of the fabric against the skin. A black cashmere sweater stands out even more, not only for its luxury but also for the high level of sophistication it suggests. After all, practically everyone knows the value of a cashmere sweater.

The value of black cashmere sweaters is not only limited to the price tag, even though the price shows that this clothing article is exclusive. The value is also in the work involved in creating fine cashmere. The workers go to the Himalayan mountains to extract the fur from the goats, then they weave this fine fur into a perfect, smooth and warm piece of clothing known as cashmere.

The cashmere sweaters that first became popular originated from wool that came from goats in the violence-torn province of Kashmir. Today, however, most of the supply comes from China. What makes them rare is the unique confluence of diet, terrain, and climatic conditions in the steppes that induced these goats to evolve into producers of the finest cashmere fibers.

To get the fine cashmere in your sweater, the hair from the underbelly of these mountain goats is taken when they shed in the springtime. From each goat, you can only get about 150 grams of hair. This hair is finer than the softest sheep wool. The fibers are shorter, which makes it harder to weave into a fabric. These qualities make cashmere expensive, but appreciated.

The outstanding qualities of the cashmere sweater fabric plus its relative rarity have combined to make the black cashmere sweater a true thing of value. The rich and famous know that. It is said that the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte was so smitten with a liking for cashmere fabrics that she prevailed upon the Emperor to obtain for her no less than seventeen cashmere shawls.

When you give your gift of a black cashmere sweater, it may help for you to furnish a brief historical note about the origins of the cashmere sweater. The historical perspective may engender more appreciation from your recipient.

But when they wear your gift, they cannot help but notice the way the sweater sets off the colors of the clothes they wear with it. The blacks will reach the full fruition of their elegance and the other colors will burst into more vivid clarity when they hang in contrast to the lush exquisiteness of the black cashmere sweater. - 16651

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