Our process
Craftsmanship in cashmere
Creating heirloom-quality cashmere yarn demands care and craftsmanship at every stage. Considering knitting performance, feel, pilling and lifespan.
QUALITY
We check, double-check and triple-check every batch of raw fibre
We
check, double-check and triple-check every batch of raw fibre; it’s
sorted and dehaired, then quality-checked for micron, length,
whiteness, and impurities.
The
fibre is checked once more when it arrives at our mill – only
fibre that meets our strict criteria at every stage makes it into our
dye house. The yarn is also inspected at every stage of the
production process, with each batch uniquely identifiable and
traceable from fibre lot to cone.
Only
by doing this can we be sure about our characteristic yarn quality.
Water and dyeing
Our mill is on the banks of Loch Leven, and for good reason: the water’s natural purity and softness helps to open up the cashmere fibres, resulting in wonderfully consistent colour, and the Todd & Duncan handle for which we are renowned.
We
dye our fibre before it’s spun – a gentle process that
gives a superior colour result and finished handle.
Our dyes are environmentally friendly, so the water we use can be cleaned and returned to Loch Leven once dyeing is complete.
BLENDING
Our melanges and solid colours
are world-renowned
The secret lies in our meticulous blending. Nothing here is automatic; we watch every individual fibre, and manually adjust our specially-designed machines to create the exact colour and character you have in mind.
CARDING
Here, our yarns truly come alive, with each roller covered with our custom specification of card wire in order to maintain the integrity of the precious fibre.
This time-intensive stage is designed to get the very best from the fibre and the colour, and achieve an exceptionally high level of card slubbing.
Spinning, winding and twisting
Traditional methods give superior results.
In the 1950s, we perfected them, to produce the consistently high-quality yarn for which we are known.
All
our yarns are spun on modern mules. This means long draws for a more
level yarn during spinning. Compared to the alternatives, it’s a
slow process, but yields an exceptionally rounded and voluminous
yarn.