PASHMINA

PASHMINA
Pashmina is the traditional name for the very finest grade of cashmere wool.Pashmina is just the

indigenous word for cashmere, which is a term applied by European colonialists to a fabric that

was known primarily as a product of Kashmir, the disputed territory in northwest India. The word

derives from pashm, an ancient Persian word that was apparently used for any weavable fiber

(including sheep wool, shahtoosh).The name comes from Persian.The wool comes from changthangi or

Pashmina goat, which is a special breed of goat indigenous to high altitudes of the Himalayas in

India, Nepal and Pakistan.Pashmina goat live approximately 14,000 feet above sea level, these special

goats grow a thin, inner coat of hair that insulates them during the long, harsh Himalayan winters.

It is this unique inner coat of hair that is used to produce pashmina.Some people believe Pashmina

from Nepal are the best in quality because of the conditions to which the mountain goats have adapted

over centuries. The high Himalayas of Nepal have a harsh, cold climate and in order to survive,

the mountain goats have developed exceptionally warm and light fiber which may be slightly coarser

and warmer than cashmere fibers obtained from lower region goats.The most popular pashmina fabric

is a 70% pashmina/30% silk blend, but 50/50 is also common. The 70/30 is tightly woven, has an elegant

sheen and drapes nicely, but is still quite soft and light-weight.