The soft fiber is from the undercoat of the cashmere goat. This undercoat is shed once a year (usually in January-March) and the fiber is collected by brushing or sheering the goats. The cashmere goat is a hardy goat traditionally from the nomadic herds in the remote mountains and deserts of the Orient. The fleece (coat) of the Cashmere goat is made up of two very distinct types of fiber. One is fine underdown (under 19 microns) which is the source of the luxurious fiber for sweaters and other fine garments. The other part of the coat is the outer course guard hairs.

Cashmere goats are browsers and love brush. Cashmere goats do well on hay or well-groomed pastures, but they prefer brush. They are great for clearing underbrush, blackberries, and other unsightly brush. Goats can help to improve pastures through weed and brush control. Current research trials are using goats for weed control in pastures and finding them more effective and less costly than herbicides. Cashmeres are hearty goats and good mothers. They require good fences and don't do well tied out. They do not like to be wet, so shelter out of the northwest winter rain or snow is necessary.

Cashmere goats make fun pets and are very playful as kids. However, the Cashmere is not a demanding goats as many of the other goat breeds are. The Cashmere is not a large goat but they are very impressive with their long outer coat and remaining horns. The horns are left on the Cashmere goats (unlike other goat breeds) because the Cashmere does not use their horns in defense and the horns make great handles. Cashmere goats are suitable for small homestead businesses and for 4-H projects as well. Cashmere goat shows and local Cashmere associations are located in a number of regions of the country. The Northwest Cashmere Association was founded in 1992 to provide education about Cashmere and to promote Cashmere in the northwest.