Our cashmere
We chose Todd & Duncan's cashmere for our All Day Sweater for several reasons - the most important one being that the yarn will last for years to come. Todd & Duncan excels at this.
It starts with the quality of the raw cashmere
T&D checks, double-checks and then triple-checks every batch of raw fibers while it is sorted and dehaired, then quality-checked for its micron count, and measured for length, whiteness, and impurities. When the fibers arrive at the mill they are inspected again because only fibers that meet and exceed its strict criteria at every stage of the process make it into the dye house.
Sourcing
The production of these yarns begins with nomadic herders in the hills of Inner Mongolia where the Capra Hircus Laniger goats are reared using traditional nomadic methods. Local legislation protects the goats and the livelihoods of herders while enforcing crop rotation to prevent overgrazing and desertification.
Production
Each batch is uniquely identifiable and traceable from fiber lot to cone to ensure the identification of any irregularities throughout every stage of production.
Water and dyeing
Todd & Duncan's mill is located on the banks of Loch Leven in Scotland. The Loch's natural purity and softness helps to open up the cashmere fibers that allows for rich and consistent colours, and the unique and renowned Todd & Duncan hand-feel. The fibers are gently dyed before they are spun to create superior colors in depth and shade. T&D's uses environmentally friendly dyes so the water used during this process can be cleaned and returned to Loch Leven. The effectiveness of these measures that Todd & Duncan takes throughout the dyeing process are refleceted the Loch's RSPB nature reserve's thriving wildlife.
Blending
Its melanges and solid colours are world-renowned for their depth and richness. The secret is its meticulous blending, during which its employees monitor every fiber, and manually adjust its proprietary machines to create the exact color and shades that have made Todd & Duncan so popular among discerning consumers and luxury maisons.
Carding
Every roller is covered with a custom specification of card wire to maintain the integrity of the cashmere fibers. This is a time-intensive step and designed to extract the very best from the cashmere fiber as well as its color, which results in an exceptionally high level of card slubbing.
Spinning, winding and twisting
Todd & Duncan says that it perfected the process in the 1950s. All of its yarns are spun on modern mules with long draws for a more evenly leveled yarn during the spinning stage. There are faster and more technically advanced alternatives, but only this slow process yields the exceptionally rounded and voluminous Todd & Duncan yarn we at acitura value for our cashmere garments.
Quality
All of Todd & Duncan’s cashmere is Grade A (14-16.5 microns and an average length of 36-40 mm) for which it selects only the finest white hairs from the goat’s underbelly. These hairs make softer yarns and when they’re dyed, there are no impurities - which is why Todd & Duncan also offers completely undyed wool in the most natural tones. The resulting 15.5 micron yarns are exceptionally soft, strong and durable.
This is why
You may now understand why we opted for Todd & Duncan's cashmere as the companies' values align by ensuring that products are made to standards that will ensure their longevity for generations to come.
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