Piacenza Cashmere

The heart of Piacenza's cashmere program comes from the Alashan region of Inner Mongolia, widely regarded as one of the world's premier sources of cashmere fibre. Piacenza references Alashan repeatedly across its fabric collections because the region produces particularly fine, long-staple fibers that offer softness without sacrificing strength.

Piacenza's reputation is built around understanding cashmere as a raw material and transforming it into exceptional fabrics and products. Many mills focus heavily on micron count. Piacenza tends to prioritize a balance among the main cashmere characteristics: fibre diameter (micron count), staple length, and fibre uniformity. The balancing of these characteristics is one reason Piacenza cashmere often feels less "buttery" than some ultra-soft cashmeres when it is brand new, but ages better over years of wear. One of the mistakes many luxury brands make is chasing maximum softness, but Piacenza understands that “nobility” is more important. Cashmere “nobility” is determined by durability, elasticity, recovery, and shape retention.

Finally, there is the finishing. Many mills can buy excellent cashmere. Very few can finish it exceptionally. Piacenza is known for preserving traditional finishing techniques, including the use of natural teasels to raise and refine delicate surfaces. This process creates a softer, more natural hand while avoiding some of the harsher effects associated with aggressive mechanical finishing.

Piacenza also operates in Biella, where the water is frequently cited as a critical component in the finishing of luxury fibers because mineral content affects softness and handle. Many of the world's best luxury mills remain in Biella for this reason.