It has become a public knowledge that there have been, in Japan, several recalls of cashmere products since beginning of the year, as the relevant products failed to satisfy the standard regulated by the Household Goods Quality Labeling Act. According to the press, the accumulated volume of recalls has exceeded an unprecedented number of 800,000 units.

While the quality labelling problems became highlighted this year, the problem was not formed overnight. There are complex factors and history unique to the cashmere industry.

Any company found to have been trading in mislabelled products will suffer huge damage, including loss of reputation. Such problem, however, could have been avoided by paying a due attention to, and by enhancing, the quality check system. For this, it is important to understand the background and to properly recognize the risk as well as to collect accurate information.

It is very timely to have this opportunity of exchanging opinions between the cashmere trade (manufacturing, distribution and marketing) and CCMI. We, CCMI, will present the background as far as we know in the hope that we will be able to exchange information and opinions.

2. About CCMI

CCMI (Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute) is an international organization of leading processors of luxury fibers. CCMI was founded in 1984, with a mission of maintaining the integrity of cashmere and camel hair products through education, information and industry cooperation, including the followings.

Ø Education for maintaining integrity of cashmere products.

Ø Provision of various supports and information to the cashmere trades in the fields of manufacturing, distribution and marketing.

Ø Arranging a Round Trial of testing laboratories and the listing of recommended laboratories.

Ø Encouraging exchange of opinions and information among testing laboratories, and support of the standardization of analysis results.

Ø Offering opinions, as the sole international cashmere organization, to the governments and international organizations.

CCMI is not a marketing or promotional organization.

For more information, please refer to the attached note and our website (www.cashmere.org)

3. Quality Labeling Problem

CCMI conducted testing on the samples purchased at the retail stores, and arranged independent analysis on the fiber content at testing laboratories. Subsequently, several cases of mislabelling were detected, and CCMI issued warnings to the relevant marketers. The companies who received the warnings from CCMI made their own tests, and after confirming themselves that the products were actually mislabelled, the recall was announced through mass media such as national papers.

Mislabelling of a cashmere product is an illegal act violating the below mentioned laws.

u The Article 3 of the Household Goods Quality Labeling Act

u The Article (3)1 of the Textile Goods Quality Labeling Code publicly notified by the Minister of Economy, International Trade and Industry under the aforementioned Law

u The Item 13 of Article 2(1) of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act

u The Article 4(1) of the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Mislabeling Prevention

Such problem can be avoided by paying due attention and by enhancing the quality check system. The ultimate objective of CCMI is not exposing improper labelling. The actions of CCMI this time was intended to maintain the confidence in the cashmere products, to retain fairness in the trade, and consequently to protect the consumers interest. Such mislabelling, if continued, will become a formidable threat to all the manufacturers, distributors and marketers in the cashmere trade, and it is an imminent issue to be tackled within all the sectors in the industry. CCMI is determined to devote further efforts to prevent the future problem, under the collaboration with other sectors of the trade.

4. The Background of the Latest Problems

The latest quality problems we attribute not to a single cause but to the following four main factors:

Ø imbalance in the supply and demand (SD gap),

Ø distortion in the price structure,

Ø the history of cashmere industry and its complicated supply chain, and

Ø proliferation of foreign fiber admixture.

（Figure-1）

4-1 Imbalance in the Supply and Demand

While the world demand for cashmere has been increasing for the last several years, the raw material production in the main producing country, China, is decreasing, and thus the supply/demand gap (SD Gap) is expanding.

Ø The Demand

For the past years, the demand for Chinese cashmere products has been increasing mainly due to the following factors:

² rapid increase of the export of Chinese cashmere products to USA and Europe due to the removal and/or relaxation of import quota after the entry of China into WTO;

² continuous strong economic performance in the USA and Europe;

² expansion of cashmere market to the new consumers including younger generations;

² increase of domestic consumption in China (now 8 – 9 million units) due to the rapid emergence of wealthy consumers.

Figure-2

（Source：Export statistics of China）

（NB）：The major part of the export to HK (Hong Kong) is not for the local consumption, but for the re-export to third countries.

Ø The Supply

On the other hand, the production of the raw material in the main producing country, China, is decreasing due to the following factors.

² Local government policy of prohibiting herding on the grassland and restriction on the number of goats in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The desertification of grassland in Inner Mongolia has created serious environmental problems including the emission of Asian Dust (Yellow Dust), which is affecting Japan as well. It is suggested that one of the causes of the desertification is the excessive grazing and consequent deterioration of grasslands, by the extensive pasturing of goats which eat up to the root of the grasses.

A traditional scenery of grazing

（Source：http://webnews.asahi.co.jp/）

The traditional scenery of grazing can no longer been seen in most of the Inner Mongolia.

Under such circumstances, the local government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region adopted the policy of prohibiting herding on the grassland, and has widely banned the pasturing of goats on the grasslands, and obliged breeders to adopt shed-raising. It is also one of local government’s policies to promote agriculture by encouraging nomads to settle in one place. Consequently, some breeders are converting the livestock from goats to sheep or cow, which are more suitable for shed-raising.

The decrease of production is progressing not only in Inner Mongolia but also in other provinces. Chinese central government is increasingly concerned over the global environment issues, and it is considered that the trend of the decrease will continue.

² Change of occupation and the lack of successor of the goat breeders.

The drastic growth of economy has generated more employment opportunities, which is activating the change of occupation by the goat breeders. Children are having higher education under the “one child policy”, and tend to averse the succession of livestock farming.

Ø Imbalance in the Supply and Demand (SD Gap)

There is a view that SD Gap, such as Table-1, exists in China

Table-1 SD Gap of Cashmere in China Estimate by Golden Eagle Cashmere LLC））

	Export 1,000 units	Usage Ton	Raw cashmere Ton	Dehaired Ca Ton	Balance needed Ton
Export 100% cashmere	19,000	5,000 –5,500
Export dehaired Cashmere		3,000– 3,500
Domestic use of Cashmere sweaters	800 - 900	2,500 –2,800
Export blend cashmere products		600 – 800
China produce Raw cashmere			9,000 – 10,000	5,000–6,000
Import from Mongolia				1,500
Import from other countries				300
Total		11,100 -12600		6,800–7,800	4,300-4,800

(Source：Golden Eagle Cashmere LLC))

（NB）The above figures are estimated by Golden Eagle Cashmere LLC. They are not official statistics, and not the figures collected or composed by CCMI)

Ø Cost increase factors in China other than SD Gap

² The reduction of refund rate of Value Added Tax since January 2004（17%→13%）

² The appreciation of RMB against UD Dollar (9% in the past 2 years)

4-2 Distortion in the Price Structure

In spite of the aforementioned severely tight supply and demand situation, it does not seem that normal market mechanism is working, and it is considered that there is a distortion in the price structure.

Ø The Trend of Raw Material Price

The Figure-3 illustrates the long-term trend of the International Price of raw material (dehaired cashmere) since 1968. It hit the latest bottom in 2003, (about US$60 per kilo) and thereafter has been creeping up.

Reflecting the tight supply, the purchase price of greasy cashmere from the breeders in China is continuously rising, and it is reported that the export price of dehaired cashmere has now reached around US$100 per kilo. (a hike of 60 – 70%).

図-3　Schneider market price indicator（1970 ~）

Schneider Cashmere Market Indicators　Global trend since January 1970

━━ Chinese　━━ Mongolian　━━ Iranian

Ø The Import Prices to the Consuming Countries

On the other hand, the unit price of cashmere sweaters exported from China to USA has considerably decreased since 2004. (The quantity increased about 5 times during 2003 and 2006)

Table-4 Unit Import Price of Cashmere Sweaters from China to USA（USA Statistics））

The unit price of cashmere sweaters exported from China to Japan has risen by about 30% (The quantity decreased during the time)

Table-5　Unit Import Price of Cashmere Sweaters from China to Japan（Ministry of Finance）

It is pointed out that there are two influencing factors; the increasing buying power of mega retailers in the consuming countries, and the severe price competition among Chinese processors, the number of which has increased but turnover of individual processor has generally decreased.

Ø Retail Price of Cashmere Products

Accurate statistics on the retails prices of cashmere products does not exist, but the prices, in general, are stable at a low level in USA. Also in Japan hardly any significant change in the retail price has been observed. The price hike in the upstream has, for some reason, not been reflected in the retail price, and it is considered that some force, other than cost reduction efforts, are creating distortion in the price structure.

4-3 Cashmere Industry – Historical Background and Complexity in the Supply Chain

As aforementioned, there are historical background and complex situation behind the recent problem of foreign fiber admixture into cashmere products.

Initially, the problem of foreign fiber admixture and mislabelling were not associated with China. After the World War Ⅱuntil the 1980s, the cashmere industry enjoyed a growth in Europe and USA, where mislabelling was widespread, and CCMI was founded under such situation (1984).

On the other hand, in China, where 60-70% of world cashmere raw material is produced, there was a dramatic change since late 1980s. Cashmere had been a National Control Item under the strict control of the government, and was handled only by few public organizations such as China Animal Byproducts Export Corporation. However, Chinese Central Government changed its policy, and the cashmere trade became open to free trade. As the consequence, a huge confusion called “Cashmere War” broke out in the late 1980s, and the raw material price recorded the historical peak. After the liberalization of the trade, numerous individuals and companies, including those who had had no relationship whatsoever with cashmere, rushed into the cashmere producing regions and played a keen competition in the purchase of the cashmere raw material. “People’s Daily” (a leading Chinese News Paper) of the time expressed the situation as “Million of troops are invading Inner Mongolia”. (“People’s Daily 20^th May 1988)

On the other hand an uncountable number of small dehairing plants emerged in various regions. In particular, a massive cluster of small dehairing plant was formed in Qinghe County, He Bei Province. People’s Daily of 30 May 1988 reports:

【Some small factories are processing cashmere with poor facilities with abandoned cotton machines and out-of-date technologies. According to our research, Qinghe County of He Bei Province is not a cashmere producing region, but in some villages and communities there, almost all the farmers are equipped with carding machines and are processing cashmere. An uncountable number of small factories have emerged like bamboo shoots after the rain (NB Chinese expression for countless), and a colossal quantity of cashmere is being wasted: the fibers are destroyed; values are lost in pathetic production yields.】

Several years later, “Cashmere War” ceased, and the technologies of small factories have generally improved. However, the number of small factories has further increased, and now, Qinghe County of He Bei Province is the largest production base and stock point of cashmere in China. The emergence of numerous small factories after the “Cashmere War” created a situation, where the traceability is difficult. This remains the same until today.

The liberalization of the trade opened the easy access to the raw material, and triggered a drastic change in the supply chain:

² emergence of numerous knitting factories;

² the dehairers, who accumulated capital, investing in spinning to build vertical operations;

² emergence of numerous subcontract factories, and active use of subcontract system by large factories; and

² emergence of numerous brokers and factory-less operators.

Thus, a highly complex network throughout the industry has been formulated, and grew further under the central government’s economy liberalization policy.

The complexity of the supply chain structure, which enshrouds the history of production, is one of the factors contributing to the admixture of foreign fibers. When starting business with a new supplier, it is important to have accurate knowledge on where the supplier is positioned in the Supply Chain.

4-4 The Proliferation of Foreign Fibers

4-4-1 The history of admixture of foreign materials and fibers

It is useful to know the history of admixture of foreign material and fibers into cashmere products.

Ø 1980s：Admixture of foreign material into the raw material

During the “Cashmere War” in the late 1980s, admixture of foreign material by the breeders widely prevailed. “People’s Daily” of 11^th July 1988 reports:

【Nowadays, admixture of foreign material into cashmere is an open secret in Inner Mongolia, and in extreme cases, the admixture is a formal part of “production process”. When we made a research on 70 breeders families, they shamelessly admitted that they had blended foreign material into their cashmere, and were very knowledgeable on the technique】

【The technique is diabolical. The foreign material admixed were sand and dust before, but are now iron powder, lead powder, glass powder, machine grease, talc etc】

(NB) These kind of primitive types of admixture can no longer be seen these days, as the government control has been tightened and the buyers have learned from their experiences.

Ø Since 1990s - Increasing admixture of foreign fibers at the dehairing process

The cashmere industry experienced a further radical change under the Economic Reform in China in 1990s. While Chinese textile industry overall remarkably evolved, Chinese cashmere industry, in particular, showed phenomenal development, favored by the domestic raw material supply, with expanded scale and accumulated capital. A number of new players entered the industry and the supply chain became further complex.

Admixtures of various foreign fibers were attempted during the period. The variety of foreign fiber changed time to time. When testing laboratory became capable to identify one foreign fiber, another new type of foreign fiber was devised.

² Early stage foreign fibers.

As the conventional blending material, such as merino wool, became easily detected by testing laboratories, fibers of other animal, such as Angora rabbit or camel, were used. However, these fibers, as they were, were also identified by microscope, became less utilized.

² Modification of fiber surface.

Morphological feature of a fiber is the decisive factor in the determination of the species of animal, but some attempts were made to modify the surface of fibers. The technique originally intended for anti-shrinking (such as Kroy treatment) or softening, were also applied for the modification of surface character.

Wool fiber treated in Kroy Wool and Cashmere covered with softening agent

(Source: Toyoboshi Kogyo）　　　　　　 (Source：DWI）

Ø Admixture of Yak

It is reported that admixture of Yak became widespread in 1990s

Yak is a bovine animal inhabiting the regions of the northern highland of the Asian continent, such as Tibet or Qing Hai in China. Domestic Yak are used mainly for transportation, food and milk. Its fibers are sometimes as fine as 17 micron, and are not easily distinguished from cashmere. Yak fiber is used for blankets and knitwear, but it is said that a considerable quantity is blended into

（出所www.ansi.okstate.edu/） Cashmere, although there is only limited evidence on this.

Cashmere & Yak covered with softener Cashmere & Yak

（Source：DWI）（Source：DWI）

Ø Admixture of fibers of Non-cashmere goats

In various places in the Asian continent, a variety of goats with useable textile fibers are found. The typical example is Angora goat, of which fibers are widely used as “Mohair”. There are also other various types of goats, of which fibers are used. As hybridization is feasible within goat species, various hybrid goats were generated through natural or artificial insemination in the long history.

One typical example of controlled artificial hybrid goat is (genuine) Cashgora, which created by insemination between Cashmere goat and Angora goat. Its fiber, “Cashgora” is highly appreciated in the market for its unique luster and delicate handle, and seldom admixed into Cashmere.

Cashmere and Cashgora Genuine Cashgora Goat

（Source：DWI） (www,angora.de/)

On the other hand, hybrid goat between Cashmere goat and non-mohair goats as well as those between non-cashmere and non-mohair goats are sometimes called “Cashgora” or “Cashgora-type” in its popular name. These fibers can sometimes be admixed, fradulently, into cashmere.

Caution must be taken, as many of the fibers from these goats do no have morphological characteristic of cashmere. These fibers are mainly produced out of China (Mongolia, Central Asia etc), many of them are imported to China, and sometimes are blended into cashmere. In some cases, the surfaces of these fibers are modified. (NB: Mongolia and Central Asia are also areas producing high quality cashmere. The above does not mean that the cashmere from these areas is of lower quality).

There are no accurate statistics on those non-cashmere fibers, and the overall picture is not clearly known. In any case, a fiber, even if it is of goat origin, is not deemed cashmere if it does not have morphological feature of cashmere. A fiber, even if it is of cashmere origin, is not deemed cashmere, if its surface is damaged or modified and lost its morphological characteristics of cashmere.

Ø Slipe Cashmere

While normally cashmere fibers are down fibers collected from live goats, the fibers are sometimes recovered from a dead body (or skin) of cashmere goats. The fibers recovered from dead goats are called “slipe cashmere” and sometimes blended into normal cashmere fibers. Usually strong chemical substance is used for separating fibers from dead bodies or skin, and the surfaces of fibers could be damaged or deformed. These fibers may not be recognized as cashmere in fiber testing. Those fibers, which were collected from arms or legs of dead bodies may not have typical morphological feature of cashmere, and therefore may not be classified as cashmere.

Ø Increasing admixture of Mian Yang Rong (Sheep Cashmere) since 2000.

“Mian Yang Rong (sheep cashmere)” is a down fiber collected from certain types of Chinese native sheep, which are sometimes called “Mongolian sheep”. Photographs of typical Mongolian sheep are shown below. (It is said that these kinds of sheep are widely bred in China)

Breeding Mongolian Sheep (Qinghe, He bei) Mongolian Sheep（Tail inflates with fat）

（Source：Fukaki Woolen Textile Co., Ltd）

Traditionally, Mongolian sheep were bred for meat consumption. Unlike merino wool, the coarseness of fibers of Mongolian sheep is not even. The double-layered fibers consist of outer coarse hair and inner downy fibers. The downy fibers are sometimes as fine as 17-18 micron, and their surface are smooth, and thus can be misjudged as cashmere in microscope tests by unskilled analysts.

Raw fiber from Mongolian Goat（Double Layered）The fine downy wool is Mian Yang Rong

（Source：Fukaki Woolen Textile Co., Ltd）

Micrography of Mian Yang Rong

Corase wool and finer downy wool　　　　 2 types of wool coexist

（Source：Fukaki Woolen Textile Co., Ltd）(Source：Beijing Clothing Technology)

Traditionally, Mongolian sheep’s fiber was not utilized for textiles. However, when the technique of dehairing cashmere widely diffused, it became a common knowledge that cotton carding machines are also capable of dehaing Mongolian sheep wool. The downy fiber become widely known, and traded as “Mian Yang Rong”. In Qinghe County of He Bei Province, there are multiple trading markets specializing in Mian Yang Rong. The photograph shown below is one of the stock points of Mian Yang Rong.

（

Source：Fukaki Woolen Textile Co., Ltf.）

Compared with cashmere, Mian Yang Rong is less expensive to buy and easy for the local operators to collect, and thus deemed to be a good option for farmers’ side business. Consequently, in Qinghe County, Mian Yang Rong is commonly traded. Obviously, all the Miang Yang Rong is not admixed into Cashmere. There are businesses for knitwear and weaving of Mian Yang Rong.

On the other hand, however, Mian Yang Rong is regarded, by the dehairers, as a convenient material for reducing the cost. The dehairers are said to be exerting great efforts in pursuit for “Cashmere like handle”, with the development of innovative technologies in softening and scale-off treatment.

This paper has discussed on representative types of foreign fibers. In reality, various other foreign (or deformed) fibers are candidates to be admixed into cashmere. Also continuous developments are being made on the new types of foreign fibers, and technique of modifications. It is very risky to be careless under the situation like this.

5. The admixture of foreign fibers and the avoidance

5-1 The supply Chain of Chinese Cashmere Products

The supply chain of cashmere products manufactured in China and imported to Japan is, in a broad term, something like the illustration below.

Figure-6 Supply Chain of Cashmere Products

5-2 Possibilities of admixture of foreign fibers

The admixture of foreign fibers takes place before the spinning process. The problems in the processes after that will be caused by the misuse (inadequate use) of the yarns.

5-2-1 Admixture of Foreign Fibers before the Blending Process

Admixture may take place at any stage up to the Blending process.

Ø Admixture in Raw Fiber

As aforementioned, admixture of foreign material widely prevailed at the stage of breeders in the past. Even today, there is a potential that intentional or unintentional admixture of foreign fibers will take place.

There are cases where large firms have annual contacts with breeders and the raw cashmere fibers are collected under strict control. On the other hand, there are cases where individual breeders bring small quantity to the exchange markets in the cities like Qinghe. Also there are cases where brokers buy from individual breeders each in small quantity. In the case of such small transactions, implementation of strict testing is difficult. This may create opportunity for the admixture of foreign fibers.

Ø Admixture in the Dehairing Process

There are many reliable dehairing plants in China where very strict quality control is implemented. On the other hand, it is difficult to know what is exactly happening in the numerous small factories born like “bamboo shoots after the rain”.

Ø Admixture in the Blending Process

Spinning yarn is one of the processes, in which admixture may possibly take place, as the fibers can be blended in any proportion in the blending of fiber in preparation for spinning. There is no possibility of admixture after that process.

5-2-2 The problem after spinning yarns

Any problem after the spinning is caused by using inadequate lot of yarn. It is thus important to pay due attention on the adequacy of the usage of the yarns.

It is said that “Lot” control is important to prevent problem. A “Lot”, in this case, means a lot of yarn spun from one batch of blending fibers.

Generally, cashmere yarn is dyed in fiber. Usually, a few to several different types of dehaired cashmere are blended into one homogenized composition of yarn lot. “Same color” does not mean the “same lot”. Sometimes, a sample is made of Lot-A, and the bulk shipment goods are made of Lot-B. There were cases where only the samples were flawless.

5-3 Trustworthiness and Type of the business of the Supplier

Needless to say, the confirmation of the trustworthiness of the supplier is critical.

Also, it is important to identify the type of business (the position in the supply chain) of the supplier, whether it is a vertical operator from raw material to the finished goods, or its main business is only a limited part of the supply chain. The point of attention may be different depending on who the supplier is. It is important to ascertain whether production is actually made in its own factory or outsourced from other factories. There may be cases where the supplier claims that they operate vertically (in a broad term), but actually the major part (or sometimes all) of the production is outsourced to third parties.

6. Fiber Content Testing

Even with a credible supplier, the risk of unintentional contamination exists It is advised not to 100% rely on the testing by other parties, but to carry out the own testing.

6-1 Check points

The effectiveness of fiber tests in the Supply Chain need to be addressed.

Figure-7

The effectiveness of the fiber testing is higher towards the down stream. The most effective way would be to conduct tests on the finished goods on the retail shops. (At its extreme, the tests in the up stream are not necessary if the integrity of quality is confirmed at retail shops.) On the other hand, a test of a raw fiber at the most up stream by a Japanese buyer has little effect, because anything may take place afterwards.

However, it is far too late to detect the problem after (or immediately before) the finished goods are displayed in a retail shop. Payments may have already been done to the supplier, and sometimes retailers demand compensation. Thus the risk grows towards down stream.

Thus, in a realistic term, tests also in the upstream are advisable. It depends on the type of the supplier, how far one should go up. The main check points are “Dehairing” “Spinning” and “Production of Finished Goods”. If the tests in the Finished Goods are too late, one must consider to testing the Yarns. If the fiber content of the Yarn is acceptable, then it is necessary to ascertain that the relevant Yarns are actually used, at an earliest possible timing.

Even if no problem was detected in the up stream tests, it is important to carry out random tests on the finished goods actually shipped, to ascertain that there will be no trouble later in the retails shops.

It is risky to carry out business with an insufficient testing scheme in the complex supply chain. However, the problem can be avoided with adequate knowledge and a proper testing scheme. In case if it is difficult to establish such scheme by oneself, it may be useful to make an alliance with a partner, who has sufficient information, experiences and solid quality control scheme.

(NB: The necessity of appropriate testing is applied not only for Chinese products, but for cashmere products in general including those from other origins.)

6-2 The Testing

6-2-1 Testing laboratories

CCMI currently recommends 17 laboratories in the world, based on the performance in the Round Trial, which CCMI annually conducts. (www.cashmere.org/cm/testinglabs.php）The are 3 recommended laboratories in Japan as listed below.

Japan Wool Products Inspection Institute Foundation

Japan Spinners Inspecting Foundation

Japan Synthetic Textile Inspection Institute Foundation

Japanese laboratories carry out regular technical meetings aiming to avoid conflicting test results among them. CCMI intends to offer support to the laboratories for international interactions, in order to avoid the discrepancies among different countries.

6-2-2 Identification of Animal Fibers

The testing method regulated in JIS (Japan Industrial Standard) is microscopy. As the test depends on the eyesight, the fiber which does not look like cashmere in the eyes of the tester will not be classified as cashmere. Also, a fiber, the surface of which is damaged or deformed by chemical or physical treatment, and not clear discernable by the eyes of the testers, will not be deemed Cashmere.

Cashmere of which surface was damaged by strong bleach

(Source: Toyoboshi Kogyo Co., Ltd）

6-2-3 The Definition of Cashmere

The Definition of Cashmere, advocated by CCMI, as mentioned below, was formally incorporated into the Laws in USA.

The fine (dehaired) undercoat fibers produced by a Cashmere goat (Capra hircus laniger). The fiber is general non-medullated and has a mean maximum diameter of 19 microns. The co-efficient of variation around the mean shall not exceed 24%. There can be no more than 3% (by weight) of cashmere fibers over 30 microns. (Reference IWTO Test Method 8-89).

The Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939 in USA was revised as detailed below on 1st January 2007.

Old The Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939

New New Statute – 15 U.S.C. 68b(6)

l (Fiber content of a product containing hair or fleece of the Cashmere Goat)

l The fine (dehaired) undercoat fibers produced by a Cashmere goat (Capra hircus laniger).

l Has a mean maximum diameter of 19 microns

l There can be no more than 3% (by weight) of cashmere fibers over 30 microns.

l The co-efficient of variation around the mean shall not exceed 24%.

After incorporated in the Law in USA, the Definition would be recognized as “De facto standard” also in Europe.

6-2-3 Other Analysis Methods

Currently, several new analysis methods, including DNA analysis, are under research by various laboratories in the world, but any technology which can wholly substitute for microscopy has not yet been demonstrated. DNA analysis is capable of distinguishing the species of animal, and it would be useful in identifying, for example, Mian Yang Rong from cashmere. On the other hand DNA method is unable to distinguish the different types of goats within the goat species. At this stage, DNA analysis is a commendable technology to complement the weak points of Microscopy.

(NB DNA is analysis is impossible if DNA was damaged in the treatment process such as strong dying and processing with chemical or heat)

(Contact)

3-17-18-501 Jiyugaoka, Meguro, Tokyo 152-0035

CCMI Japan Representative

Kenneth Shimizu

Tel/Fax 03-3723-9629

Email: kshimizu@cashmere.org