Cashmere Grades Explained: A, B, C and What Buyers Should Pay For

By YZR Sweaters · 2026-09

"Grade A cashmere" is one of the most repeated phrases in knitwear buying, and one of the least standardised. There is no single international body that certifies a letter grade, so a supplier's A is not always another supplier's A. What actually determines quality is fibre diameter (micron), fibre length, and how much of the fleece is usable. Once you understand those three numbers, a grade label becomes a useful shorthand rather than a marketing claim.

What the A / B / C grades really describe

Grading is a trade convention, not a law. It combines two measurements: how fine the fibre is, and how long it is. Finer and longer fibre spins into a smoother, stronger, less pilly yarn — and costs more.

• Grade A — the finest and longest fibre, typically around 14–16 micron. Used for premium, soft-handle garments and often behind "100% cashmere" claims at higher price points.
• Grade B — slightly coarser or shorter fibre, commonly around 16–19 micron. Still soft and wearable, but may pill a little faster under friction.
• Grade C — coarser, shorter fibre, sometimes blended with fleece that would otherwise be discarded. Serviceable at lower price points, but hand feel and durability differ visibly.

Some mills also use "grade" loosely to mean the percentage of cashmere in a blend. Always ask whether the grade refers to fibre fineness/length or to the cashmere content of the yarn — they are different conversations.

Micron: the number that matters most

Micron (µm) is the average fibre diameter. For cashmere, the range that reaches market usually sits between roughly 14 and 19 micron, with the finest fibre under 15 micron. A few points of context help put that in perspective:

• Under 15 micron reads as noticeably softer and is where premium womenswear usually sits.
• 15–17 micron is the sweet spot for most branded cashmere knitwear — soft, durable and commercially sensible.
• Above 18 micron starts to feel more like fine wool than cashmere and is better suited to outer layers or blends.

Ask for the micron figure in writing, ideally with a test report. A supplier who cannot state a micron range is either buying on price alone or hoping you will not ask.

Fibre length and why it drives pilling

Micron gets the attention, but staple length does much of the work on durability. Longer fibres need fewer twist points to hold the yarn together, so fewer short ends work to the surface and pill. Two yarns at 15 micron behave very differently if one uses 32mm fibre and the other 26mm. When comparing quotes, ask for both micron and average fibre length.

White, brown and grey fibre

Cashmere comes off the goat in three natural colour families, and the colour affects both dyeing cost and final shade.

• White — the most versatile and expensive, because it can be dyed to any shade, including pale pastels, without bleaching.
• Light brown / tan — usable for mid and dark tones; a cost-effective base for earthy ranges.
• Grey / purple-grey — the darkest and cheapest natural fibre, best for deep colours where the base shade does not fight the dye.

This is why an identical white sweater and a dark charcoal sweater in the same quality can carry different yarn costs. If you are chasing a soft cream or blush shade, expect to pay for white fibre.

Origin: Inner Mongolia and the fibre map

The best-known cashmere regions are in China and Mongolia — Inner Mongolia is the reference point for fine, long fibre because of its cold, high-altitude climate. Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia also supply meaningful volumes at different quality and price levels. Origin alone does not guarantee quality: a well-sorted Inner Mongolian clip beats a poorly sorted one from anywhere. Treat origin as one input, not a certificate.

Is it real cashmere? Practical checks

You do not need a lab to catch the obvious fakes, though a lab test settles any dispute.

• Price sanity — pure cashmere requires a lot of fleece, so a quote far below the market floor almost always means a blend or a coarser grade.
• Composition label — "cashmere blend" and "cashmere touch" are not "100% cashmere". Ask for the exact percentage.
• Hand feel over time — real cashmere softens with wear; acrylic-heavy imitations stay flat and develop surface fuzz quickly.
• Test report — a fibre-composition test from an independent lab removes all doubt on larger orders.

Questions to put to your supplier

• What micron range and average fibre length does this yarn use?
• What is the exact cashmere percentage, and what is it blended with?
• Is the fibre white, brown or grey, and does that change the dye cost?
• Can you provide a fibre-composition test report?
• What is the yarn price per kilo at my target quantity?

Matching grade to budget

You rarely need the finest fibre across an entire range. A sensible structure is a top tier in premium grade A for hero styles, a mid tier in grade B at 100% or a high-percentage blend for volume, and a value tier in a wool-cashmere or cotton-cashmere blend for entry price points. That spread protects margin without diluting the brand. Our OEM/ODM programs at YZR Sweaters let you sample several grades side by side, so you can judge hand feel and cost before committing to a MOQ. As a Dongguan knitwear manufacturer working with certified partner mills, we can also arrange fibre testing and third-party inspection.