There are some questions that are both very easy and very difficult to answer, and for lovers of cashmere clothing, one of the most difficult of these to truly answer is unfortunately one of the most important.

Cashmere is a high-quality fibre, one that is softer, lighter, warmer and that feels more comfortable in different weather conditions than wool, and also one that can get even softer the more it is worn and the more it is taken care of.

It is, due to the expense of the fibres used to make it, a more expensive way to make clothes, but that is offset by how, on average at least, they will be a well-loved garment for years.

Properly taken care of and without any catastrophic circumstances, cashmere pieces have lasted well over ten years, being part of countless apres-ski fashions in the process.

Exactly how long it will last depends on a range of different factors, both in terms of lifestyle and the actual makeup of the piece itself, Not all cashmere was created equal after all.

The first thing to consider is the grade of the cashmere itself, which is rated from the relatively common but dense Grade C to the immaculate Grade A, the latter of which will be very prominently displayed on labels and tags due to how much of a selling point it is.

In other cases, it will often not be mentioned at all, but typically if you stroke the material, you will notice a difference.

The other major factor is the percentage of cashmere found, which you will naturally want to be as high as possible and has to be mentioned on the label.

Outside of this, other factors that will determine its longevity include how you take care of it, such as handwashing rather than dry cleaning or using a washing machine, not hanging them up and using mothballs to protect the natural fibres.