WHAT IS PASHMINA?

A subtle variant of spun Cashmere, pashmina, a perfect piece of art adorned in intricate needlework, is the cultural heritage of Kashmir.

Accessories made of pashm are known for their softness and warmth. The pure pashmina cannot tolerate high tension while weaving. It’s a rather gauzy or open weave. Pashmina shawls also shahmina in the Kashmiri Language, Their demand rapidly increased in the 1990s.

HISTORY OF PASHMINA & CASHMERE

Pashm history has been mentioned differently in different ways in different places. The word is popularly known as Cashmere in the western world. . Pashmina used to be the synonymous word of Cashmere until 2013 and is still not considered the same now as this has been given a significant indication mark.

Every cashmere wool is not pashmina. The original fine wool comes from the Himalayan goat’s undercoat, lives in high Himalayan regions of Kashmir, and some Tibetan plateau parts above 2000 feet from sea level where the temperature goes -40 degrees. The valley is situated in the north of India, East of Pakistan, and west of China.

THE ORIGIN OF PASHMINA

Pashmina shawls are handwoven in Kashmir, and it was also popular in Nepal. Still, with time, Nepal has lost its industry because of the Industrial Revolution. A pure form of hand-spun wool is not available in the market, one of the indications given to the Kashmir valley, which detonates its purity. For over a thousand years, this wool is for making shawls and blankets priced by royalty and ordinary people like its softness and warmth and long life.

For centuries, Kashmir has been the only place for it. According to the treaties that gave the maharaja of Kashmir exclusive rights to Tibet.

It is not only the coldness that matters in making this wool from the goat, but the altitude also provides the soften and delicacy. The best climatic conditions belong to the excellent climate of the Ladakh region of Kashmir. This wool has been admired for decades in the East.

The Western world has been reluctant to discover pashminas’ unique qualities. Today most of the pashm shawls are woven on the traditional looms in the Kashmir valley. One must not get confused about the traditional looms. When it comes to the weaving of pure wool shawls, these traditional looms are different from the handlooms.

Kashmir is the only place globally recognized for its products with geographical indication certification because Kashmir people use only traditional ways to make the original products.

HISTORY OF PASHMINA FROM MUGHAL EMPERORS TO HOLLYWOOD STARS

In recent years the silk and pashmina blend has become a western favorite, but that is considered not pure.

Pashmina is the most original and authentic fiber that originated in Kashmir hundreds of years ago. The art of pashmina making in the valley of Kashmir is believed to be as old as 3000 years. This pashmina art was admired and loved by the royal patronage. Pashmina was known by the king’s queens, royal families, and nobles all over the world. Not only Mughals were swooned by the mere look of pashmina, but the french monarch Napolean Bonaparte gifted a pashmina shawl to his wife, Josephine.

She is believed to have a collection at that time. Later in Rulers in Iran not only wear them but gifted them as apolitical practice. In India, maharaja Ranjit Singh was fascinated by pashmina so much that he decorated his court with hand-embroidered Art pieces and fabric.

CHANGTHANGI GOATS FROM THE LAND OF CHANGTHANG

The animal hair fiber of the Changthangi goat is a source of this handmade delicacy. In the Persian language, pushm means “wool,” but in Kashmir, pushm refers to the raw wool of Chanthangi goats.

This high need resulted in high demand for more raw material, so demand exceeded supply. Every spring, these domesticated Changthangi Goats shed their winter coat for a pashmina. In the molting season of spring, these tamed goats are trained to shed their undercoat naturally.

“Changpa” are famous people in the Ladakh region of the Himalayas as the traditional pashmina wool producer.

THE PROCESS & ORIGIN OF PASHMINA

From combing to the making of pashmina, the process is not only sophisticated but very delicate.

All steps start with combing the goat by removing impurities, aligning, spinning, and weaving to finishing; everything is carried out by specialized hands. Later, this raw material is exported to Kashmir. Srinagar, the old district city, has become the major center of pashmina fabric production.

This requires the weaver’s hard work because he carefully weaves the yarn on his traditional wooden handloom with his hand and foot. It takes 3 weeks of concentration to complete one pashmina scarf or shawl.

KASHMIRI HAND EMBROIDERY

By preserving the cultural prophecy of Kashmir, swoon-worthy edit features of slow-made Kani Jamawar shawls in breath-taking silhouettes is the epitome of elegance. Serendipitous collections of these handmade shawls ara depicting the long-lost art of Kani shawls, these heirlooms were passed down from generation to generation to preserve their cultural heritage. These Pashminas are punctuated with stately designs of flowers and underwater life, and sozni embroidery holds many secrets between the wrinkles.

Kalamkari, a talent for creating a traditional masterpiece. An amalgamation of colors, a brush, a pen, and a needle made of the most delicate luxurious shawl on earth. This form of artwork has been going on for centuries. Indeed becomes a Timeless beauty!

Kashmiri hand embroidery is like a symphony weaved in Art and Design.

Luxury Sozini Stoles from Kashmir take months in the making. These most delicate hand-embroidered stoles are the taste of ultimate luxury. The finesse thread intricacies manifest the depth of art and richness of culture. Each piece celebrates this age-old craft’s heritage and the mastery of the skilled artisans who carry on this tradition even today.

The art of weaving transforms the cashmere fiber into the finest pashmina products. These pashmina shawls, stoles, scarves, and apparels are delicacies that the human eye has ever seen.

We sell pashmina shawls made of 100% Cashmere in collaboration with Pashminawear.