Yesterday I was talking about Scottish tartan scarves. I do own and love a Burberry one, which, as I found out, doesn’t belong to any real clan (even if it should!).
Anyway, it got me thinking. Many Scottish tartan scarves, Burberry included, proudly say 100% cashmere.
On our road trip through Scotland we saw millions of sheep. But here’s the thing: cashmere isn’t made from sheep’s wool! It comes from the soft undercoat of goats that live in the cold, mountainous regions of Central Asia, especially Mongolia and China.
So why is every Scottish souvenir shop overflowing with cashmere scarves? Because Scotland doesn’t grow the fiber, it perfects it. For over a century, Scottish mills have been famous for spinning, dyeing, and knitting imported cashmere into luxurious products.
Think of it like Swiss chocolate: We don’t grow cocoa beans either, but we turn them into something exceptional.
There have been small efforts to raise cashmere goats in Scotland, but the scale is tiny compared to demand. Still, I’d be quite tempted to own an “authentic” Scottish cashmere scarf, now that I know what that really means.
Back to the sheep. If they’re not providing wool for scarves, why are there so many of them? They’re cute, sure, but there must be more to it than a friendly baaaah. Interestingly, I hardly saw lamb or mutton dishes on Scottish menus, mostly beef, pork, salmon, and of course potatoes.
Turns out, most Scottish sheep are raised for export, mainly to France, Germany, and the Benelux countries. To me, that seems economically tricky, especially with all the extra costs and border friction after Brexit… but who am I to judge?
So next time you wrap up in a Scottish cashmere scarf, just remember - it might have started life on a goat halfway around the world.
Did you ever buy a “local” product abroad only to discover it wasn’t all that local after all?
Wow! I never released the journey of a scottish cashmere scarf. It got me thinking about how many items I've purchased in my travels I assumed where locally produced and it may have required a trip around the world for me to purchase it. A true example of how the world is flat when it comes to many products we buy.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that cashmere comes from goats. I loved the pictures of the sheep.
ReplyDeleteWoah!!! I had no idea about that. I love a Scottish tartan, and I love that these cashmere ones are all natural, but who would have thought it would require something from a whole other continent! I'd be curious to learn the history of Scottish tartans and the various materials they've been made from across history with and without imports.
ReplyDeleteSo interesting about the cashmere - my friend Nan raises Angora goats in Oregon (and yes, Angora also comes from rabbits!)
ReplyDeleteThe abundance of sheep is tied to the Highland removals (~1750-1850) when the land was 'cleared' of people, whose ancestors had tended the marginal land for centuries, to make way for sheep. This was more lucrative for the landowners - but devastating for the people.
English law also forbade wearing tartan or play their music for a time.... (sound like what happened to our indigenous tribes in the USA?)
I do read a lot of lables - and shop farmers and craft markets for local goods.
You got me thinking.Imagine the kind of money refining demands.Great post
ReplyDeleteI love the idea that tartan scarves are 100% cashmere and that they are made with goats. I don't think I have ever owned something made from cashmere but maybe one day I will. It seems like safer fabric to wear than clothes made of recycled plastic.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, Tamara. So I hunted up the guys tartan scarf. It says a product of Scotland and lambs wool. If it was cashmere, I would take it.
ReplyDeleteI love the tartan plaids but never new the history of the sheep and cashmere! Very interesting for sure.
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