Cashmere Fibre Testing

A difference of half a micron can move cashmere from commodity grade to premium handfeel, and the market pays attention to every tenth of a degree of curvature. OFDA by Robotic Vision delivers rapid, objective cashmere fibre testing for raw, dehaired and processed samples so every lot is graded, priced and sold on hard data.

Rapid, Objective Cashmere Fibre Measurement

OFDA instruments have been used in the cashmere industry for decades, from Inner Mongolian dehairing plants to European luxury mills. The OFDA2000 suits rapid raw and clean fibre testing, while the OFDA4000 handles automated laboratory work on tops, slivers and processed cashmere. Both use optical image analysis, not lasers, to generate diameter, distribution and curvature data aligned with recognised international methods.

What OFDA Measures on Cashmere

Cashmere is priced on fineness, and OFDA captures the full diameter story in seconds. Every result is reported with complete distribution data, which is essential when processors and buyers want certainty beyond the headline mean.

Mean fibre diameter, reported in microns
Full fibre diameter distribution and standard deviation
Coefficient of variation across the sample
Fibre curvature, reported in degrees per millimetre
Coarse fibre detection to support authenticity and grade decisions
Fibre length distribution on OFDA4000 for tops and slivers

Cashmere Fibre Testing Across the Supply Chain

Cashmere moves through multiple processing stages, and OFDA supports measurement at each one. Using a consistent optical method from raw fibre to finished sliver gives processors and buyers comparable data throughout the chain.

Raw cashmere: measure incoming greasy fibre for grade and payment
Dehaired cashmere: verify micron and coarse fibre after dehairing
Scoured cashmere: confirm specification before onward sale
Tops and slivers: monitor diameter and length on OFDA4000
Finished blends: validate cashmere quality in mixed fibre products

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Standards and Methods for Cashmere Fibre Testing

OFDA sits within recognised international standards frameworks, giving cashmere laboratories a clear pathway to traceable, auditable results.

IWTO-47 for mean fibre diameter and distribution
IWTO-62 for length and diameter in tops and slivers
Interwoollabs IH Standards for ongoing calibration
Consistent reporting that supports authenticity and compliance claims

Who Uses OFDA for Cashmere Fibre Testing

Robotic Vision instruments are in service across the cashmere supply chain in China, Mongolia, Italy, the United Kingdom, Australia and beyond. Hebei Yuteng Cashmere Products, among others, has publicly noted how OFDA4000 delivers the stability, speed and accuracy needed across both length and fineness measurement.

Dehairing plants grading incoming and outgoing cashmere lots
Commercial fibre testing laboratories issuing certified results
Spinners and weavers controlling cashmere specification at intake
Luxury brands verifying supplier claims on micron and blend
Breeders and research teams advancing cashmere genetics and yield

Why Choose Us for Cashmere Fibre Testing

Rapid objective micron and curvature data from a single sample
Full diameter distribution rather than a single mean value
Automated laboratory throughput with OFDA4000 robotic handling
Long-lasting calibrations with documented, simple procedures
Direct factory support and a trained agent network in key markets

Explore OFDA Cashmere Fibre Testing Instruments

Whether you need rapid cashmere micron testing at a dehairing plant or high-throughput laboratory cashmere fibre analysis, Robotic Vision has a configuration to match. Contact the team to discuss your cashmere testing requirements, or review OFDA2000 and OFDA4000 specifications to plan your next installation.

Frequently Asked Questions

OFDA measures mean fibre diameter, full diameter distribution, standard deviation, coefficient of variation and fibre curvature on cashmere. OFDA4000 also measures true fibre length distribution in tops and slivers. All outputs come from a single optical imaging run, which gives processors, laboratories and buyers a complete objective profile of the cashmere rather than only a headline micron number used for trading or specification.
OFDA is validated against IWTO reference methods and has been benchmarked against Laserscan and projection microscopy in peer-reviewed studies. Accuracy depends on calibration, sample preparation and correct operation, but commercial cashmere laboratories and processors use OFDA for grade reporting and specification control. With Interwoollabs IH standards and disciplined laboratory practice, OFDA delivers the precision required for trading and certification.
Yes. OFDA supports cashmere measurement across the full processing chain. OFDA2000 is most commonly used for measuring dehaired cashmere, and can also handle raw and clean cashmere with appropriate sample preparation. OFDA4000 handles dehaired cashmere, tops and slivers in a fully automated laboratory workflow. Using one optical method across stages means diameter, distribution and curvature results stay comparable from the buying floor through to finished fibre.
OFDA2000 is a rapid instrument designed for raw and clean fibre measurement, including on-site use at processing plants. OFDA4000 is a fully automated laboratory instrument for tops, slivers and dehaired cashmere, combining robotic sample handling with optical imaging and true length distribution. Many cashmere laboratories run both instruments to cover intake, processing and finished-fibre workflows on one integrated Robotic Vision platform.
Yes. OFDA is referenced under IWTO-47 for mean fibre diameter and distribution, and under IWTO-62 for length and diameter in tops and slivers. Cashmere laboratories can use Interwoollabs IH Standards for ongoing calibration. This gives processors, brands and certifiers a traceable, standards-aligned path to credible cashmere fibre testing results.
Yes. OFDA measures fibre curvature in the same run as diameter, reported in degrees per millimetre. Curvature contributes to cashmere handle, bulk and spinning behaviour, and is increasingly used alongside micron to describe cashmere quality. Reporting both measurements from a single sample saves time, reduces handling and supports processors, brands and breeders with richer data for grading and product development.
Grade and authenticity depend on tight fineness specifications and careful detection of coarser fibres. OFDA reports full diameter distribution, not just a mean, which helps laboratories identify lots that meet premium specifications and flag those that do not. This objective data supports certification, authenticity programmes and buyer confidence, particularly where cashmere claims need to stand up to scrutiny from brands and regulators.
Yes. OFDA instruments are installed at cashmere processing plants in China, Mongolia and other major cashmere regions. Hebei Yuteng Cashmere Products, for example, has publicly commented on how OFDA4000 delivers stability, speed and accuracy across length and fineness measurement. Processors use OFDA to control incoming lots, manage dehairing performance and release finished cashmere with documented, objective specification data.
Contact the Robotic Vision team or your local OFDA agent to discuss sample volumes, processing stages and standards you need to meet. The team can recommend the right combination of OFDA2000 and OFDA4000 for your laboratory or plant, outline installation and calibration, and support training so operators can generate reliable cashmere fibre testing results from the first production run onwards.