Scott is always looking for the latest and most unique styles in the clothing market.

Brian Linton carries the Jack Lipson shirt line and the

Gala slack line. Both high quality lines that offer

great styling.  Scott is looking to fill in for Fall and

consider Items for the Spring 2012 season.

A letter from Richard S Forte an expert in cashmere formerly of Dawson-Forte Cashmere.

All Cashmere is not equal! You can almost see the softness!

There is a common misconception that all cashmere is

created equal. Not so! There are several characteristics

of this unique fiber that affect both the price and the

quality of the garment made from it. When manufacturers

are pressed to make a less expensive garment they do two

things. They use cheaper cashmere and they use less of 

 it in the garment. Lets look at the cost of the cashmere first.

There are significant differences in the quality and therefore

the price of the fiber that can be used in a cahmere garment.

There are variations in the fineness of the cashmere from various

origins. There are also more subtle variations within origins.

Finer cashmere is more expensive than coarser cashmere. Our

fingers are very sensitive. They can feel the difference between

coarse and fine cashmere. So the consumer can usually spot

sweaters cheapened in this way. Color also plays a role. The

whiter, more expensive fiber is more versatile. It can dyed to

any color. Darker, cheaper cashmeres are often bleached white

and then dyed. This reduces the softness of the fober significantly.

"Let your fingers do the walking" and you feel the difference.

Cashmere fiber is also priced by its length because it makes

a stronger yarn that pills less. This factor cannot be deduced

by examining a garment. It only becomes obvious after wearing.

Garments made from longer fiber will pill less and last longer.

So fiber fineness, color, and length each play a role in the cost

variation between seemingly similar garments.

Cashmere is expensive. A manufacturer pressed to reduce his

 price will often just make the garment lighter. The less cashmere

used, the lower the price of the garment. The most common way

to do this is to loosen the tension on the knitting machine.

This will makethe fabric of the garment looser, more porous, limp.

 A good, tightlyknit fabric will have resilience, density.When you

pull the sides of thegarment apart and let them go the garment

will snap back to shape.The increased density will hold the

fibers in the yarn, reducing pilling and increasing wear.

Cheaper sweaters often contain the combination of

shorter fiber and loose knitting. This is a disatrous recipe 

that will yield a sweater sure to pill.

Our advice; "You get what you pay for". When shopping

for cashmere look for value. In the long run, you will be better off.

Richard S. Forte