How to Spot Fake Cashmere

Cashmere is a word that evokes softness, rarity, and luxury. But in today’s globalized market, it’s also a word that is misused — often. From high-street fashion to online marketplaces, countless products claim to be “cashmere” yet contain no real cashmere at all.

As a brand devoted to authentic, artisanal cashmere, vonoz believes that awareness is your best protection. This guide offers clear ways to distinguish the real from the fake — so you can buy with confidence.

1. The Price Is Too Good to Be True

Genuine cashmere is expensive to produce: the goats yield little fiber, and the best yarn is hand-combed, sorted, and spun. If a scarf or sweater costs less than a meal, it’s likely:

  • Blended with wool, acrylic, or viscose
  • Mass-produced using coarse, low-grade fiber
  • Completely synthetic
Authenticity begins with an honest price.

2. The Label Doesn’t Say Much

Many fake items are marked with vague phrases like “Pashmina,” “Soft Wool,” or “Cashmere Blend.” In some cases, “100% Cashmere” may be printed without any certification or traceability.

Always check for:

  • Clear fiber composition
  • Origin information (e.g. Ladakh, Tibet, Mongolia)
  • Transparency about weaving and finishing
At vonoz, every shawl includes documentation of its fiber source, artisanship, and natural dye origin.

3. The Fabric Feels Wrong

Real cashmere is warm to the touch, matte in appearance, and feather-light in drape. It has a velvety softness that develops over time.

Fake cashmere often feels:

  • Cold, slippery, or synthetic
  • Shiny with plastic sheen
  • Scratchy or stiff when rubbed
Learn more in our guide: How to Identify Real Cashmere.

4. There’s No Story Behind It

True cashmere — especially handwoven cashmere — comes with a narrative. At vonoz, we name the region, technique, and sometimes even the weaver behind each bespoke shawl. Mass-produced fakes offer no such transparency.

5. The Edges Are Machine-Finished

Handwoven shawls have selvedges (woven edges) that are smooth, but never laser-straight. If the edge is hemmed or overlocked like a T-shirt, the piece was likely cut from machine fabric — not woven as a shawl.

6. The Pilling Is Suspicious

Some pilling is normal in real cashmere — especially in high-friction areas — but excessive pilling or fuzziness can indicate low-quality or fake fiber. On the flip side, no pilling at all can suggest synthetic material.

7. It Has No Weight or Warmth

Fake cashmere often lacks warmth despite its softness. Real cashmere regulates temperature — it breathes in summer and insulates in winter. Its lightness does not mean thinness; a genuine shawl will feel rich and warm despite weighing little.

8. Burn Test (Only if Necessary)

As a last resort (and never on a product you wish to keep!), you can do a burn test on a thread:

  • Real cashmere: Burns slowly, smells like burnt hair, leaves ash
  • Synthetic fiber: Melts quickly, smells like plastic, leaves hard beads
Of course, with vonoz, you never need to test. The difference is visible — and tangible.

The vonoz Perspective

In the luxury world, real value is found in honesty. We don’t hide behind terms like “pashmina” or dilute our pieces with blends. Each vonoz shawl is a singular expression of fiber, hands, and heritage.

Want to know more about cashmere? See our Cashmere Knowledge Hub.

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