Raw Cashmere Classing and Guard Hair Percentage Estimation
Raw cashmere value hinges on clean down yield and optical verification of residual coarse hair content below zero point five percent by mass.
Dehairing Efficiency
Removal Ratio
Mechanical performance at the carding or combing stage defines how effectively secondary hairs or guard hairs are separated from the primary down follicles of cashmere or similar animal fibres. The dehairing efficiency determines the weight percentage of coarse hair successfully isolated from the total input mass of raw material. High values indicate a cleaner output suitable for high-end spinning applications.
Processing Yield
Raw fibre undergoes cycles of opening and air-flow separation to liberate the down from coarser, rigid hairs. Dehairing efficiency acts as the governing metric for the duration of these cycles, as machines must strike a balance between purity and fibre breakage. Excessive passes reduce the staple length and lower the market value of the remaining fine fibre.
Quality Benchmark
Commercial contracts often specify minimum purity levels, where dehairing efficiency dictates the final price per kilogram based on the concentration of contaminants like skin scales or kemp. Labs verify this performance through microscope analysis or automatic image recognition of a representative specimen taken from the finished lot. Precise control over air speed and beat frequency ensures the operation removes the heavy impurities while retaining the lightweight down.
Production Boundary
Measurement of this performance ceases at the output chute of the mechanical separator before further chemical cleaning or dyeing occurs. Variability in the source of raw material from different geographic regions or breeds creates a ceiling for the highest achievable purity in a single pass. Technical limits arise when the density of the coarse hair resembles the physical mass of the down, causing losses in the desired fibre.
Consistent monitoring prevents the accumulation of waste and manages the overall cost of fibre preparation.