Our Fibres
Cashmere
Cashmere is one of the world's finest and most luxurious natural fibres. It is known for its ultimate softness and warmth, as well as its beautiful shiny properties.
In Mongolia, the traditional nomadic herding techniques associated with Cashmere goats centre on genuine love and respect for the animals. Free-roaming animals enjoy vast expanses of land and rolling plateaus, and dedicated herders strategically move their animals, homes and families, season after season.
Merino Wool
Merino wool is a biodegradable, fully renewable and sustainable natural fibre sourced by Merino sheep. Merino wool responds to changes in body temperature, keeping you warm in cold climates and cool in hot climates.
We share a long history with the softest, highest quality Australian merino wool. The first merino sheep were introduced to Australia in 1797, the same year Johnstons of Elgin was established. We continue to support the Australian merino-growing industry, helping to maintain the economy in an area where the land is best suited to this use. As merino sheep produce and shed a new fleece every year, it is very much part of a natural life cycle.
Lambswool
We have worked with soft, natural and biodegradable Lambswool fibres for many years and, going forward, intend only to source Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified wool for the yarn we make. We are gentle with our Lambswool fibres, from raw fibre to finished product, to help retain its softness and enhance its lifespan.
Vicuña
Vicuña, exclusively native to the Central Andes in Peru, South America, are the smallest member of the camel family, considered to be a wild ancestor of the alpaca. The incredibly fine fibres of the Vicuña's thick, soft coat contain tiny scales, which interlock and trap insulating air, making this an exceptionally warm material for stoles, scarves and clothing.
OUR VICUÑA STORY
James Johnston began experimenting with Vicuña fibre in 1849, and in 1851 won an award for Vicuña shawls at the Great Exhibition in London, a world fair promoting and celebrating various industries of the time, including textiles.