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What is Pashmina?
Pashmina, wool of the mountain goat
Pashmina is wool produced by the mountain goat of the Himalayas. The mountain goat lives above 14,500 feet (4,500 meters), where temperatures rarely rise above minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 30 degrees centigrade) in winter. Because living on high altitude, the goats need to have a warm winter fur to protect them against the bitter winter cold and to survive the extreme climate. Only the animals living on high altitude will produce this fine wool. In spring the goats change their winter fur for the lighter summer fur. In spring the wool is collected by brushing it of the rocks and scrubs and to brush the goats. The wool of the underbelly of the goat is used for Pashmina. A goat produces about 90 grams of wool per year. One woven Pashmina shawl requires the wool from three goats.
Cashmere and Pashmina wool
There is a difference between Cashmere and Pashmina wool. Cashmere is defined as any wool under 19 microns thick from the mountain goat. Most Cashmere wool is found in the 16-18 micron range. Pashmina wool has the finest and thinnest fibers and is only 12-14 microns thick. Compare this to a human hair which is about 75 microns thick.
The making of Pashmina wool
Before the wool can be spun it has to be cleaned, sorted out and combed. Combing the wool is done with special, fine steel brushes. After combing the wool is spun by hand or machine. In Nepal most of the work is done manually with skilled hands. It’s an intensive, time consuming job. The skilled weavers make the wool into beautiful Pashmina shawls of top quality. The shawls are individually coloured in a bath and dried.
Pashmina shawl of 100% pure wool
Weaving a Pashmina shawl requires the wool from three goats. A 100% Pashmina shawl is a 1st class quality product. Only pure Pashmina wool is used, not using other materials like cotton or silk. This may sound contra dictionary, but a pure woollen Pashmina shawl is even more expensive than one where silk is used.
Pashmina shawl 70/30
This Pashmina shawl 70/30 has become very popular. A shawl of 70% Pashmina wool mixed with 30% silk. The silk makes the shawl shiny and strong. In Pashmina 70/30, the threads strung on the loom (warp) are silk. Pashmina yarn is used to weave across the silk threads. These shawls are of very good quality. Increasing the amount of silk up to a rate of 60/40 or 50/50 does not increase its quality. Of course a silk shawl is a beautiful product, but the lower amount of Pashmina wool the cheaper the shawls can be made.
Water Pashmina
The Water Pashmina shawl is recently introduced as a new product. It has become very popular indeed. Water Pashmina shawls are made of Pashmina wool and silk. Special about the Water Pashmina is that front and backside having a different shade of colour. These shawls can be worn both sides. The quality of the Water Pashmina shawl is comparable with the Pashmina shawl 70/30.
Because of the special weaving technique used the colours at front and backside are different.
Water Pashmina, Jacquard
The Water Pashmina, Jacquard shawl is related directly the water Pashmina. Both Water Pashmina and Water Pashmina Jacquard are recently new products which have become very popular. The shawls have been made of wool and silk. Special about these shawls is that front and backside having a different shade of colour and the pattern woven in the shawl. These patterns can either be classical or modern. We have both types available in our assortment. Limited available is the Pashmina with wide stripes.
Maintaining the Pashmina shawl
Pashmina is a delicate product woven with very fine fibers; hence very special care should be taken for your shawl. Most manufactures like to avoid any risk and have a 100% Pashmina shawl dry-cleaned. We advise careful hand washing, avoid rubbing and the shawl should be hanged properly to dry. Do not iron or centrifugation. After drying preferably store flat between sheets. This is the best guarantee to maintain your shawl in good condition.
Pashmina is wool produced by the mountain goat of the Himalayas. The mountain goat lives above 14,500 feet (4,500 meters), where temperatures rarely rise above minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 30 degrees centigrade) in winter. Because living on high altitude, the goats need to have a warm winter fur to protect them against the bitter winter cold and to survive the extreme climate. Only the animals living on high altitude will produce this fine wool. In spring the goats change their winter fur for the lighter summer fur. In spring the wool is collected by brushing it of the rocks and scrubs and to brush the goats. The wool of the underbelly of the goat is used for Pashmina. A goat produces about 90 grams of wool per year. One woven Pashmina shawl requires the wool from three goats.
Cashmere and Pashmina wool
There is a difference between Cashmere and Pashmina wool. Cashmere is defined as any wool under 19 microns thick from the mountain goat. Most Cashmere wool is found in the 16-18 micron range. Pashmina wool has the finest and thinnest fibers and is only 12-14 microns thick. Compare this to a human hair which is about 75 microns thick.
The making of Pashmina wool
Before the wool can be spun it has to be cleaned, sorted out and combed. Combing the wool is done with special, fine steel brushes. After combing the wool is spun by hand or machine. In Nepal most of the work is done manually with skilled hands. It’s an intensive, time consuming job. The skilled weavers make the wool into beautiful Pashmina shawls of top quality. The shawls are individually coloured in a bath and dried.
Pashmina shawl of 100% pure wool
Weaving a Pashmina shawl requires the wool from three goats. A 100% Pashmina shawl is a 1st class quality product. Only pure Pashmina wool is used, not using other materials like cotton or silk. This may sound contra dictionary, but a pure woollen Pashmina shawl is even more expensive than one where silk is used.
Pashmina shawl 70/30
This Pashmina shawl 70/30 has become very popular. A shawl of 70% Pashmina wool mixed with 30% silk. The silk makes the shawl shiny and strong. In Pashmina 70/30, the threads strung on the loom (warp) are silk. Pashmina yarn is used to weave across the silk threads. These shawls are of very good quality. Increasing the amount of silk up to a rate of 60/40 or 50/50 does not increase its quality. Of course a silk shawl is a beautiful product, but the lower amount of Pashmina wool the cheaper the shawls can be made.
Water Pashmina
The Water Pashmina shawl is recently introduced as a new product. It has become very popular indeed. Water Pashmina shawls are made of Pashmina wool and silk. Special about the Water Pashmina is that front and backside having a different shade of colour. These shawls can be worn both sides. The quality of the Water Pashmina shawl is comparable with the Pashmina shawl 70/30.
Because of the special weaving technique used the colours at front and backside are different.
Water Pashmina, Jacquard
The Water Pashmina, Jacquard shawl is related directly the water Pashmina. Both Water Pashmina and Water Pashmina Jacquard are recently new products which have become very popular. The shawls have been made of wool and silk. Special about these shawls is that front and backside having a different shade of colour and the pattern woven in the shawl. These patterns can either be classical or modern. We have both types available in our assortment. Limited available is the Pashmina with wide stripes.
Maintaining the Pashmina shawl
Pashmina is a delicate product woven with very fine fibers; hence very special care should be taken for your shawl. Most manufactures like to avoid any risk and have a 100% Pashmina shawl dry-cleaned. We advise careful hand washing, avoid rubbing and the shawl should be hanged properly to dry. Do not iron or centrifugation. After drying preferably store flat between sheets. This is the best guarantee to maintain your shawl in good condition.
