Cashgora? What on earth?

Cashgora?  What on earth is that?

There have been many innovations in fibre production in recent decades.  There have been new material invented like spandex.  Also, there has been new commercial production of animal-protein fibres like cashgora.  

Cashgora is a goat that is a cross between a cashmere goat and an angora goat.  What really makes this unusual is that cashgora goats really aren't an established goat variety and are created by breeders crossing the two goat varieties.  What makes these goats so rare is that not all cashgora goats that are bred are able to create commercial-grade cashgora.  Instead, each goat has to be evaluated for its hair, which makes this not very practical for most breeders.  Hence, cashgora is relatively rare.  

The texture of cashgora is somewhere between angora, as it is kinda fluffy, cashmere as it does have very soft fibres in it and depending on how it is milled, it can also have rather stiff hairs mixed in.  The texture will depend on the processing of the fibres and the individual quality of the fibres that the goats are able to produce.

Cashgora is used like wool and cashmere would be.  Above is pictured a Michael Kors cashgora cape and dress--looks like wool or cashmere but it is something else entirely!  It has a great look, is durable and considered a luxury natural fibre.

Picture from bergdorfgoodman.com