From Himalayas to Milan: The Journey of a Sweater: What You Need to...

Where Does Cashmere Begin?

If you stop and think about the sweater on your shoulders, there’s a story stitched deep in every fiber, a journey that starts high up, where the air is sharp and lively. The very first step in the cashmere supply chain begins with goats in the Himalayas, roaming land that most of us would only see in a dream or a documentary. Herders comb through the soft undercoats in spring when the animals naturally shed, gathering the downy tufts by hand. This process is neither quick nor easy, but it is gentle—an old method passed from parent to child, and believed in by those who know this land better than maps ever could. The resulting cashmere fibers, impossibly fine yet surprisingly durable, have a quiet strength to them, a bit like your favorite relative who always just knows what to do.

Transformation in Italian Mills

Once those clouds of raw cashmere reach Italy, things take a different pace. Here in the Monticelli atelier, we see the cashmere supply chain transform; the fibers are washed, carded, and spun, all under the eye of artisans who know the quirks of every batch. In Biella or near Florence, spinning and dyeing still feel a little like an old recipe scribbled down in the family kitchen. The off-white zip cardigan you might pull from your closet? Its subtle look and gentle warmth come straight from these Italian workshops, built around slow methods, not shortcuts. For those curious, you can find these pieces here: Oprah Daily Women’s Cashmere Zip Cardigan.

Honesty in the Slow Lane: Made-to-Order

Let’s pause on the idea of made-to-order. Monticelli’s approach is personal. Nothing gets knitted before someone asks. There’s no warehouse, no silent racks of sweaters waiting for a home. Every piece has a bit more waiting in its DNA, and that’s good stuff: it keeps waste down, gives artisans breathing space, and means your knit is genuinely special. This is the opposite of fast fashion, the garment you receive comes with its own little slice of intention, shaped by hands that respect the fiber and the shape it will become. You really feel this in the heft of a wrap or the way a crew neck fits. The difference is subtle but real, a quiet sort of luxury you don’t have to shout about. You can see some of our favorite sweaters in the Blush Cashmere Crew Neck Sweaters collection.

Keeping What’s Special in Cashmere

The reason we can wear these Italian knits year after year, and sometimes pass them down, comes down to techniques that protect the fiber’s character. No rough finishing, no harsh chemicals. The wraps and cardigans stay soft and lightweight because the artisans let them, not because of marketing. There’s something honest about that. We see lots of brands talk about sustainability, but fewer truly mean it, you can usually tell by how the clothes feel. A piece like our oversized wrap, shown above and found here: Women’s Oversized Pure Cashmere Wrap, is the kind of item that you notice lasts much longer than whatever’s trending at the moment.

Choosing the Right Cashmere (It’s Not Always Obvious)

Trying to navigate the cashmere world is a bit like picking honey at a farmer’s market. Everything looks nice, but which jar actually comes from flowers up the hill? The real test is touch, a good piece is smooth but not slippery and has no shine. It’s dense, yet it feels like it breathes. We think understanding the cashmere supply chain helps you spot the real thing: if a brand is talking about local spinning or showing you photos from their workshop, it’s a promising sign. We care about the specifics, not the slogans. Investing in a sweater you’ll want to wear again next fall, and probably lend to someone you care about, is worth a little extra attention. And there’s real charm in owning something that’s not rushed—something with stories in its seams.

Other Blog Posts You Might Like

If this topic resonated with you, here are a few more stories we think you’ll enjoy:

• Why the best cashmere is made to order
• Camel cashmere timeless warmth with italian soul
• Does cashmere breathe in warm weather