sought-after fibers in the world.

最搶手的纖維之一。

Its fine hairs are softer, lighter

它細緻的絨毛更柔軟、輕盈

and can be up to three times more insulating

而且比羊毛還要能隔絕溫度

than sheep wool.

高達三倍。

It's been a prized material for centuries,

好幾世紀以來它都被視為非常珍貴的材料，

but its quality comes at a cost,

而它的品質當然有一定的價格

and a luxury cashmere jumper could cost you

一件奢華的喀什米爾羊絨外套可能要價

well over $500.

超過 500 美元。

So why is it so expensive?

到底為什麼為這麼昂貴呢？

Cashmere doesn't come from a sheep

喀什米爾羊絨並不是如你想的一樣

like you might think, but from the cashmere goat.

取自綿羊，而是取自喀什米爾山羊。

These goats are found across the Himalayas

這些山羊棲息於喜馬拉雅山附近

where temperatures can drop to minus 30 degrees,

當地的溫度最低可達 -30 度

and their freezing cold habitat

而如此寒冷的環境

means they grow an incredibly thick, warm coat.

意味著他們能夠長出非常厚實且溫暖的皮毛。

It's not the outer hair you can see

拿來做衣服的

that's used for making garments,

並不是我們所見的外層毛

but the super soft coat just underneath it.

而是在內層超級柔軟的絨毛。

Johnstons of Elgin has been making cashmere

約翰斯頓 · 埃爾金自 1851 年

products since 1851, and to do that,

便開始製造喀什米爾織品

they need a lot of goats.

而他們需要非常多的山羊。

We are using the cashmere from about 1.2 million goats,

我們使用了大約 120 萬頭山羊的羊絨

and those goats are spread right over Outer Mongolia,

而這些山羊主要分布於中國的外蒙古

China, a little bit in Afghanistan as well.

還有一些來自阿富汗。

There's a reason so many goats are needed.

需要這麼多山羊是有原因的。

While a sheep can produce at least three kilos

一隻綿羊每年大約能產出至少 3 公斤的羊毛

of wool each year, a cashmere goat

但是一隻喀什米爾山羊

will only give you around 200 grams.

每年只成產出約 200 公克。

So basically, this much cashmere from every goat.

所以基本上每隻山羊只能產出這麼多羊絨。

For a scarf, we could be working with

一條圍巾會需要

the production of a single goat,

一隻山羊產出的羊絨量

but for a jumper, for example,

但是以一件外套來說

you could be working with five, eight,

可能就會需要 5 隻、8 隻、

10 goats' worth of cashmere.

或是 10 隻山羊產出的羊絨。

Because of the tiny amount each goat produces,

因為每隻山羊能夠產出的羊絨量真的很少

the supply is severely limited,

所以總是供不應求

and the fibers can only be collected once a year.

更何況羊絨每年只能採集一次。

While sheep are sheared for their wool,

綿羊是透過修剪來取得牠們的羊毛

cashmere goats are usually brushed

而喀什米爾山羊則適用刷的方式

to remove the soft hairs that molt in the spring.

來取得春天換毛時的脫毛。

Even when you've harvested the fibers,

就算取得了這些羊絨

the usable weight halves once it's been stripped

在移除掉油脂、泥土、較粗的毛髮之後

of grease, dirt, and thicker hairs.

通常能用的羊絨重量也只有原本的一半而已。

And despite its popularity,

儘管喀什米爾羊絨如此受世人所愛

cashmere still only makes up 0.5%

羊絨最多仍然只佔了

of the world's total wool production.

全球羊毛產量的 0.5% 而已。

Once you have the pure cashmere,

取得純羊絨之後

processing it takes a lot of work.

加工更是一連串繁複的工法。

The fibers are first dyed to the right color

這些纖維首先被染成所需的顏色

and aerated to stop them clumping together.

接著暴露於空氣中來防止結塊。

Cashmere softness means that it needs to be treated

羊絨的柔軟也代表著

delicately throughout the whole process.

它在整個過程中需要被悉心地照料

Any chemicals or overprocessing will damage the fibers.

任何化學藥劑或是過度加工都會破壞纖維。

The fibers are then carded,

羊絨接著會被梳整

a process that detangles and lines up the hairs

這個工法使羊絨免於打結

in thin sheets so that they can be spun into a yarn.

並梳理成細薄的片狀，使它能夠被紡成毛線。

The quality of cashmere is graded on its fineness

喀什米爾的品質取決於它的精緻程度

and its length, and a high-quality individual

以及長度，而單根高品質的喀什米爾毛

cashmere hair can be as thin as 14 micrometers.

最細能夠達到 14 微米。

When it's finally ready, this dyed and spun yarn

當一切準備就緒，這一捲捲染色過的毛線

can then be used to make everything

便能夠用來製作任何東西

from jumpers to scarves.

諸如外套或是圍巾。

When you're making a cashmere scarf,

當你在製作一條喀什米爾圍巾時

everybody thinks this is the most simple

大家都以為這是

product in the world.

世界上最簡單的產品

And of course, when they come to the mill

不過當他們來到紡織廠

and they see how it's actually done,

親眼見到這是如何製作後

they realize actually there's a huge amount to it,

他們就會發現其實製程十分複雜

and there's an awful lot of hands and skilled work

其中還包括了非常多的手工以及專業技術

that goes into making that possible.

才能完成這項產品。

So it is absolutely about the knowledge of the people,

所以這完全是仰賴人的知識

about the skills of the people,

以及他們的專業技能

how you nurture this really delicate fiber

這關乎你在整個過程中該如何

through the process.

對待、運用這精緻的材質

- [Narrator] Cheaper cashmere products

較為廉價的喀什米爾產品

have become hugely popular recently.

最近變得十分流行。

These claim to offer the quality of cashmere

這使得市場要求以較低的價格

for a lower price.

來獲得一樣品質的喀什米爾羊絨

Some may use a slightly lower grade of cashmere

有些製造商會使用較為低等的喀什米爾羊絨

or different processing methods

或是使用不同的製程

to make the end result more affordable,

來讓最終的產品價格更能被接受

and while they are comparatively cheap,

然而儘管他們相較之下已經比較便宜了

they're still usually at least twice the price of wool.

喀什米爾的價格仍然是羊毛的至少兩倍。

There have been extreme cases of mislabeling, too,

標示不清的的問題也變得十分嚴重

and some supposedly 100% cashmere products

一些應該是 100% 純喀什米爾的產品當中

have been found to contain yak hair or even rat fur.

竟然發現含有牛毛，甚至是老鼠毛。

If you do find a really cheap product

如果你發現一件非常便宜

that claims to be cashmere,

並且標榜為喀什米爾的產品

it may be too good to be true.

這應該好康到不可能是真的。

There is nothing in the world like cashmere.

世界上沒有任何東西能夠與喀什米爾羊絨相比。

I mean, there are other precious fibers

世界上雖然有其他珍貴的纖維

or other fine fibers, but cashmere has great properties.

或是其他精緻的纖維，但是喀什米爾有它獨一無二的特性。

It's very strong. It is very warm.

他非常強韌，非常保暖。

It's very soft, and you can make from it

非常柔軟，而且他可以製程任何東西

anything from a very thick, robust,

從非常厚實、堅韌

almost rug-like product through to

像是地毯的產品

very fine, wispy, cloud-like,

到非常精緻、輕柔、如雲朵般

very, very subtle pieces.

非常非常精巧的產品

There are other precious fibers out there,

世界上還有其他珍貴的纖維

there are other fibers that are as fine,

也有像喀什米爾羊毛般精緻的纖維

but we can't do as much with them.

但可應用之處不多。