You need to buy a present for someone special; maybe it’s her birthday or Christmas, whatever the occasion a pashmina could be the perfect gift. The guide below will help you through buying the right pashmina.

Choose the pashmina material and setting a budget

Pashminas come in all sorts of material, from 100% cashmere, to cashmere, silk, cotton, viscous blends. You need to determine your budget and in most cases this will dictate the type of material you can afford.

Pashmina Colour

Before you choose a colour ensure that you have had a good look at the colours she normally wears, make sure you notice what colours she doesn’t wear (and don’t buy them). Does she have a favourite colour, be a little attentive for a week or so before you choose the colour of the pashmina.

Gift wrap your pashmina

Presentation is everything; ensure that you spend a little bit extra on getting a nice gift box and tissue paper. When you do finally give it to her, ensure you compliment her and mention how the pashmina will bring out her eyes or make her look vibrant ..etc.

Good luck and happy buying a pashmina.

Definitions of Cashmere

The dictionary definition of cashmere is “A luxury fiber obtained from the soft fleecy undergrowth of the Kashmir goat”.

The U.S. Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939 definition is “the fine undercoat fibers produced by a cashmere goat (Capra hircus laniger) with an average diameter of the fibers not exceeding 19 microns and containing not more than 3 percent (by weight) of cashmere fibers with average diameters that exceed 30 microns”.

The Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute again with the above but have also require that “the coefficient of variation around the mean shall not exceed 24%”.

The Worst Type of Cashmere

The worst type of wool is spun from long-staple wool and therefore the worst type of cashmere is the tightly twisted cashmere yarn.Raw – fiber that has not been processed and is essentially straight from the animal

Stages of Cashmere

• Processed – fiber that has been through the processes of de-hairing, washing, carding, and is ready either to spin or to knit/crochet/weave
• Virgin – new fiber which has been made into yarns, fabrics or garments for the first time
• Recycled – fibers reclaimed from scraps or fabrics that were previously woven or felted, and which may or may not have been previously used by the consumer.

Just a quick post of a few places it would be useful to have a pashmina

Bring a Pashmina on your Travels

Pashminas a light, warm and use virtually no space in you bag. They are your perfect travel companion; not only can you use it too keep you warm but also as a blanket or pillion during a journey on a plain, bus or train.

In the Office

Keep a pashmina in your in your office desk and use it when the air-con is just too much. Neutral coloured are the best for work places as they go with anything. You can also use it if you go out for lunch and the weather has changed unexpecting.

Pashmina at the Beach

Pashminas are perfect as a cover-up like a sarong and unlike cotton they are much lighter and airier. Furthermore you can use them to keep the sun off during the day time and keep you warm during the evening chill.

Everyday Use

Always look stylish and elegant by using a bright or patterned pashmina even over a plain looking top. If it gets too warm you can also tie it around your waist, like a chic belt or hang it over your handbag.

At a Special Event

Add an x-factor to that little black dress, something that sets you apart from the crowd. Pick a pashmina that is vibrant and bright to offset the single tone of the rest of your outfit. As mentioned in a previous post, some celebrities never leave home without one and many wear them to award ceremonies.

Pashminas is the softest and finest wool available anywhere, therefore requiring special care. Pashmina is also unusually in the fact that it actually becomes softer and more comfortable the more it is worn, with proper care it can last generations and is ofter passed down from generation to generation.

Pashmina Care Instructions

The preferred methods for washing pashmina and cashmere is dry cleaning; however, one can hand wash on occasionally if special care is taken and the following guideline are taken. Never use a washing machine to wash a pashmina or cashmere.

• Use Cold water
• Add a small amount of soft detergent like baby shampoo
• Ensure the detergent is fully dissolved
• Gentle hand wash ensuring that if the pashmina has tassels are hand-tied
• Do not put it in the tumble dryer, do not hang dry, or put it on a radiator
• The pashmina should be rolled into a towel and press to remove any excess water
• The Lay the pashmina flat to dry
• Gently stretch your pashmina back to its original shape and allow it to air dry
• Once it has dried you can iron it however use a very low heat and use a clothe in between the iron and pashmina

It is also probably best to wash a pashmina as soon as you buy a new one so that the natural die does not bleed.

Pashmina Storage

The correct storage of a pashmina is also needed in order to retain their shape, texture and softness.

Fold the pashmina in tissue paper and use a plastic cover to protect from moisture, especially avoid storing it attics, ceilings or open shelves. It is best to store pashminas away from direct sunlight, moisture and of course moths. On occasion you can spray perfumes to remove the musty smell if unused for long periods.