American-Made Cashmere: Low-Key Luxury from J. M. Generals - Remodelista
New York fashion designer Jeffrey Monteiro was researching American-made wool yarn for use in custom textiles when he happened upon a tiny, underground network of cashmere goat farmers. Having worked as a designer for Mayle and Derek Lam, and founded his own eponymous line of women’s wear, Monteiro shifted course: He launched J. M. Generals a year ago with a single cashmere throw blanket, the result of many months of R&D working with suppliers all over the country and a speciality mill in Kentucky. J. M. Generals’ first design, the American Cashmere Double-Stripe, Large Throw, is made from natural white and indigo-dyed cashmere. The striped throw blanket is also made in a natural brown cashmere with white stripes and comes in small and large. American Cashmere Cushions, with cashmere fronts and organic cotton-flannel backs, are $185 each. Monteiro has recently broadened J. M. Generals’ line to include other specially developed American-produced fibers. The Agnes Cushion is handwoven from yarn that’s a combination of organic cotton, wool, cashmere, and angora. The new fringed Monochromatic Plaid Blanket is handwoven from American alpaca yarn blended with silk and American wool yarn. It’s 55 inches wide and 85 inches long (big enough to work as a bedcover); $875. The American Cashmere and Cormo Large Wool Throw (56 inches wide and 80 inches long) is made of needle-felted cormo, a soft wool from cormo sheep that Monteiro describes as having a cashmere-like “loft and fineness”; $795. Another view of the American Cashmere and Cormo Large Wool Throw. Monteiro has fully gone to the goats: In addition to his textiles, he offers all-natural, American-made soaps, including Liquid Goat’s Milk Soap, $18 for eight fluid ounces, and Goat’s Milk Bar Soap, $10 each. Castile Goat’s Milk Soap bars contain at least one ounce of goat’s milk blended with olive oil; they come in an unscented and lightly scented version made from essential oils, such as tangerine and lavender; $9 each.