A Pashmina Story

The history of pashmina spans over centuries. Pashmina is made from a sub-species of Capra Hircus known as “Changhtangi” that thrives in the highlands of the Tibetan Plateau which stretches from Tibet all the way into Kashmir, India. Pashmina wool is spun by hand using centuries’ old techniques to produce a luxurious, yet delicate yarn that is in turn woven by hand. Thousands of Kashmiris are associated with this ancient trade. Women mostly spin and men weave the delicate yarn into warm, soft scarves and shawls, which are often embroidered with intricate designs.

Kashmiri Pashmina is the finest, most exquisite fabric ever made. It has taken centuries of experimentation and refinement to raise this traditional practice of shawl making from a necessity to a unique textile art.

The word “cashmere” is an anglicisation of the word “Kashmir”

Pashmina and cashmere are both made from the soft undercoat of a breed of goat called Capra Hircus. It is generally acknowledged that these goats originated in Kashmir and were proliferated over time north into Inner Mongolia and other regions. The goats are bred by herders who have braved the extreme cold and harshness of their environs for hundreds of years. The goats sport a long, coarse outercoat and a fine, soft undercoat which they shed naturally every Spring. The wool being shed, or “moulted” is combed from the goats by hand and harvested. A complex, human-intensive process of de-hairing, washing and combing results in fibres that can be spun into yarn which in turn can be knitted or woven. – Text Courtesy Pacha Brunello Website