Today's Highlights

• Sweater Weather
• Austin makes splash with Zero Restriction
• StyleWatch - Fall back and spring forward with new golf footwear

NEWS

FootJoy extends streak to 63 straight years

FootJoy reports that it won the PGA Tour shoe count for the 63rd consecutive year, recording 68 percent of the shoes worn on the PGA Tour in 2007.

Price debuts '08 line

Nick Price Apparel debuts its 2008 line that will be featured at the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla.

Lija honored in Canada

Golf and sportswear designer Lija is honored as Business of the Year in the 30th Business Excellence Awards presented by the Richmond (Canada) Chamber of Commerce.

GFM will feature annual apparel ranking

Golf Fitness Magazine's January issue to feature its annual performance apparel rankings.

Creamer wears own collection in win

Sundog Eyewear reports on Paula Creamer winning The Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions while wearing Sundog eyewear from her own collection.

FASHION

Sweater Weather

By Janice Ferguson
GPA Correspondent

12-gauge Italian cashmere mini-argyle cardigan. $178 at J.Crew. 100 percent Mongolian cashmere crew pullover. $149 at Orvis. Two-ply, wrinkle- and stain-resistant pure cashmere polo. $275 Jos A. Bank. Brunello Cucinelli 100 percent cashmere rugby sweater. $1,110 at Bergdorf Goodman. Basic tips for all sweater care To prevent shrinking or stretching, always dry clean or hand wash with cool water and no agitation. Lay flat to dry. For pilling, use an electric piller/fabric shaver available at stores like Target and online at www.oreck.com. A small comb designed for this purpose is also effective, and is found at fabric stores. For loose ends of yarn or snags, use a hook-like tool called a "knit picker" that draws the yarn from the outside of a garment to the inside. This is often sold at sewing shops and online sites such as www.sewingplace.com. Fold all knits flat for storage rather than hanging them. Hangers can cause stretched out humps at the shoulders. Use clear vinyl sweater bags to protect from hungry pests like closet and carpet moths. If you must hang your sweaters, use thick, padded hangers that match the width of the knit's shoulders. For heavier or longer items, use a hanger with a bottom bar so that the knit can be folded over and hang from the bar. The padded hangers and sweater bags are sold at The Container Store and on its website, www.thecontainerstore.com. Cycle sweaters by season so that any knit is hung up only while in active use, then stored folded the rest of the year. Regain the shape of overstretched knits by blocking. Place the sweater in a warm tub of water. Let is soak, then gently press out the water -- do not wring or twist. Place on a few layers of towel and mold into the shape you want. Secure with rustproof pins, and let dry.

In most parts of the country, seasonal fall temperatures can create an in-between wardrobe dilemma -- not warm enough for short sleeves and not quite cold enough for heavy outerwear.

No wonder they call this time of year sweater weather, and what better sweaters to cozy up with than ones made of cashmere.

Long revered as the most luxurious and priciest knit blend, obtainable only at posh designer boutiques or upscale department stores, cashmere has been showing up with increased regularity at places like Target and Gap. How can that be?

First, let us be clear on what exactly is cashmere. One definition states that cashmere is a fabric made from the undercoat of the Kashmir goat that roam the high elevations of Tibet, Mongolia, China, Iran, Iraq and India. The fiber of the down is cylindrical, has a soft, silky finish, and although light in weight, is very warm.

Another says the country where the goat is from doesn't matter, citing one source of cashmere that is made in the U.S., as long as the fibers meet the production qualifications. The Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute specifies that the fibers have a maximum diameter of 19 microns (a human hair is about 100 microns in diameter), and there can be no more than 3 percent of cashmere fibers over 30 microns.

Regardless of origin, cashmere is obtained from the goat by combing rather than clipping, and is more like wool than any other fiber. Garments made with cashmere are normally more expensive because of limited yields -- one goat produces only 4 ounces of fleece a year. Quality can be affected by weather conditions and diet, which also reflect in the price.

So back to the question -- how have cashmere products become so much more affordable and available? We'd like to tell you there has been a boom in the population of Kashmir goats, but the unfortunate truth is, not all cashmere is created equal.

Just because a label, including top designer brands, says cashmere, the garment may not be pure cashmere, but rather a cashmere blend, which mixes lower quality yarns. This does not mean they are not good enough quality, but should mean the price is a fraction in comparison -- $50 vs. $150, for example.

Obviously manufacturers are playing with our senses. We want the expensive look and feel of cashmere, but if we can get the same luxury for less, well, that's the "you don't always get what you pay for" experience we've all fallen victim to at one time or another.

How do you determine the real-deal versus imposter? Next time you're shopping for cashmere, know what to look for by following these simple guidelines:

Read the label
Sounds obvious, but be comforted in the fact the Federal Trade Commission has a labeling act that regulates the industry. Cashmere labels must spell out the exact fiber content, place of origin, manufacturers name, and care instructions.

Ply
Sweaters of one-ply yarn are far less strong than two-ply yarn because two-ply means two or more strands of fiber twisted together into a thread. The total weight of cashmere is reduced using only one-ply, so the cost of production and selling price are reduced.

100 Percent
Blended cashmere is good for some things like gloves and socks to help hold their shape. Look for the exact numbers -- if it says 100 percent cashmere, then it is, and should cost more. Anything less than 80 percent cashmere in a sweater defeats the intended qualities like softness and warmth without bulk. Expect to spend at least $150 for a 100 percent cashmere sweater.

Touch
If the item feels prickly to the hand, then that is how it will feel on the rest of your skin. A fiber's length determines smoothness -- longer threads are softer and typically used in higher-end cashmere products. Shorter fibers will pill easily and become fuzzy when rubbed.

Fine cashmere doesn't easily wrinkle, so scrunch up the fabric and it should spring back.

Look
The article should drape nicely, not be stiff and conform to your body. Also, you should not be able to see your hand through one layer of the article otherwise it's probably 1-ply.

If you're buying online and can't perform the tests above, then know your manufacturer. A few specialty companies are TSE, Pringle of Scotland, White + Warren, and Autumn Cashmere.

Whatever your budget and desire, a well-informed purchase will help take the chill out of sweater weather.