The Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute defines cashmere as:
• The fine (dehaired) undercoat fibers produced by a Cashmere goat (Capra hircus laniger).
• The fiber is generally non-medullated and has a mean diameter not exceeding 19 micron. 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 micron. (Reference IWTO Test Method 8).
The U.S. Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939, as amended, (U.S.C. 15 Section 68b(a)(6)) defines cashmere as:
(A) the fine (dehaired) undercoat fibers produced by a cashmere goat (capra hircus laniger);
(B) the average diameter of the fiber of such wool product not exceeding 19 microns; and
(C) containing not more than 3 percent (by weight) of cashmere fibers with average diameters that exceed 30 microns.
The average fiber diameter may be subject to a coefficient of variation around the mean that shall not exceed 24 percent.
Definition of Superfine Wool
The International Wool Textile Organization has codified fabric quality definitions relating to the use of "Super S" and "S" descriptions, stating:
Fabric Labelling Code of Practice: Quality Definitions Relating to "Super S" and "S" Description
Pure Wool Fabrics
The word SUPER (as in SUPER 100s for example) can only be used to describe fabrics made from pure new wool, and the "Super S" value is determined by, and must comply with, the Maximum Meam Fibre Diameter values in the following fable:
| "Super S" Value | Maximum Mean Fibre Diameter of Wool |
"Super S" Value | Maximum Mean Fibre Diameter of Wool |
| SUPER 80s | 19.75 µm | SUPER 170s | 15.25 µm |
| SUPER 90s | 19.25 µm | SUPER 180s | 14.75 µm |
| SUPER 100s | 18.75 µm | SUPER 190s | 14.25 µm |
| SUPER 110s | 18.25 µm | SUPER 200s | 13.75 µm |
| SUPER 120s | 17.75 µm | SUPER 210s | 13.25 µm |
| SUPER 130s | 17.25 µm | SUPER 220s | 12.75 µm |
| SUPER 140s | 16.75 µm | SUPER 230s | 12.25 µm |
| SUPER 150s | 16.25 µm | SUPER 240s | 11.75 µm |
| SUPER 160s | 15.75 µm | SUPER 250s | 11.25 µm |
The Test Methods to determine the Mean Fibre Diameter values are noted in the Regulation defining the Code of Practice.
Regulations
Regulatory procedures controlling the operation of this Code of Practice are published in the White Book of IWTO Regulations.
