Italian Cashmere – Pure Luxe

Inspired by the legends of the game -- confident and composed, full of finesse and class -- TENLEGEND® fashion brings the same qualities to you and your wardrobe. Our mission is to deliver only the most elegant apparel to gentlemen in love with the beautiful game. Our inspiration comes from the historical number 10’s and the desire to be legendary. 

To meet such high expectations, we needed to set our quality standards in stone, especially when it comes to choosing the very best materials. No shortcuts. We’ve chosen only the very finest materials from the most reputable suppliers in the fashion industry, and our upcoming Cashmere Collection is no exception. 

Cariaggi

Most agree that cashmere is one of the world’s most luxurious materials, but not all cashmere is created equal. There are some major, and subtle, differences between a high quality long staple, finely spun cashmere, and that made with substandard sources and processes. Differences are seen and felt in the retention of color and shape, the softness, warmth, piling and longevity of the piece. 

Our decision to use Cariaggi as our exclusive cashmere supplier was due to our commitment to extreme quality standards. With almost 60 years of experience and three generations of successful product research and innovation, Cariaggi is known as having the highest quality spinning in the world. The pristine quality of Cariaggi's yarns starts with a careful selection of the best fibers of Capra Hircus Laniger from Inner Mongolia. 

Cashmere goats adapted to this harsh climate by developing a double fleece: an outer guard layer that protects the undercoat from water, and an undercoat made of ultra-fine hairs with strong insulating properties. The extreme temperature fluctuations here between night and day cause the goats to develop this undercoat, a “duvet,” made of fibers with exceptional thermoregulatory qualities, that protect both from the lowest and the highest temperatures. 

Finest cashmere

Quality cashmere is not only the finest, softest and warmest yarn, but it is also a very durable product, which can easily last 10 years and over 200 wears when taken care of properly. Cashmere, when authentic and of high quality, is also extremely expensive due to the difficult production process and its scarcity. On average a cashmere goat generates only 150 grams of fibers per year. In total only 6000 tons of cashmere are produced per year, a very small fraction compared to 1.3 million tons of normal wool produced.

The best yarns, from companies like Cariaggi, with the whitest, longest and finest fibers can cost over 200€ per kg (2.2 lb.), with one pullover requiring an average weight of 300 grams (0.67 lb.) of material.  Once you add in the cost for knitting and finishing, packaging and logistics, it becomes clear that anyone selling knit products at very low prices took some shortcuts that can’t be compensated by volume.

The fibers are carefully selected and reach an average length of 40 mm and a delicate diameter of 15.5 microns (or .016 mm). The next stage is for the fibers to be dyed and spun into yarns, which are widely used in the garment industry, either knitted into jumpers and similar products, or woven into fabrics for premium suits or accessories. Cariaggi produces both carded and combed cashmere yarn.

Combed yarns are a surprisingly fine, light yarn for a true second skin effect. Colors for combed yarn are created using the best cashmere fibers, selected in specific areas of Inner Mongolia. Every combed yarn color requires fibers of the same length to be mixed and then worked to obtain a yarn with an extraordinary solid, bright chromatic effect. 

Carded yarns produce an extraordinarily soft yarn, voluminous and light at the same time, it has a unique enveloping effect. The fibers of carded yarn are dyed then mixed together, ensuring a particularly bright multi-colored effect. Colors for carded yarn are created using the best cashmere fibers, again selected in specific areas of Inner Mongolia. Cariaggi renews its color palette every season with modern, fashionable nuances that highlight the extreme lightness and impalpability of these precious fibers, ensuring an absolutely unique yarn. 

It’s widely known that the most respected companies for cashmere yarn processing are located in Italy and Scotland. However, in recent years the market has been diluted with the emergence of lower cost and often much lower quality producers from low cost countries. As always, the devil is in the details, and our desire to be conscientious to the workforce and the environment are also important factors we took into consideration when selecting Cariaggi as our exclusive cashmere supplier. 

Investing in cashmere products elevates the longevity and luxuriousness of your wardrobe, giving it a truly classic style. These garments will keep their quality and shape longer than wool knitwear, therefore earning back your initial investment over the years, and giving you a lower cost per wear.

There’s really only one problem with cashmere... It is purely addictive, just like leather and silk. Once you invest in cashmere pieces, it can be difficult to go back to normal wool. One bit of advice is to not be drawn into the big chains just because of on-hand availability and low cost. If you are a conscientious fellow, once you realize the difference between what you are actually buying, and a piece you own that you know is of high quality, it becomes clear that the difference in cost is most definitely relative to the quality of the item. Elevate your style with TENLEGEND Cashmere el Classico. 

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