Pashmina, the word.

The word Pashmina originated from the Persian meaning “of wool”, know in the United States as cashmere wool (originally spelt Kashmir). The origins of pashmina in Nepal date back to when the people had to depend on the fabrics they wove for easy travel, warmth and survival. Pashmina traditionally comes from the underbelly of the Himalayan mountain goats that normally lives in the Tibetan Plateau and Nepal. Each hair is about 1/6th the diameter of most other types of hair, however is surprisingly strong and durable. Furthermore, it takes the entire annual growth of three mountain goats to create just one pashmina shawl. The thin short inner hair provided the ideal material for producing pashminas to use for the people living in these temperate regions.

History of Manufacture

Pashminas are believed to be as old as 3000 years B.C, when they were woven into shawls and worn by the most powerful people of the ancient civilizations. It became a favourite among kings and the aristocracy, hence the name fibre of the kings.

The wearing of the shawls was introduced into the Napel from Turkistan by Zain-Ul-Abdin in the 1400s. The Nepalese then perfected the skill of retrieving cashmere, getting a yield of up to 95% purity. This skill was then passed down from generation to generation and become the only place cashmere could be woven into pashminas. Napel also benefited from the patronage of the Mughal rulers like Akbar, his successors, and the local government.

Political history and spread to Europe

After the collapse of the Mughal Empire, there was a huge increase in demand from Europe where the Pashminas become popular. This slowly spread across the whole world starting in Europe then the States, Africa, South America and Australasia. It was also found in the palaces of Caesar and Marie Antoinette. Napoleon even presented it to Josephine during their courtship. Entrepreneurs, wanting to take advantage of the demand started to commission shawls for the European market, but unfortunately this demand was short lived and collapsed in 1870, mainly due to a sharp change in fashions and trends.

Recently the demand for pashminas has suddenly increased; simply due to designers in London, New York and Paris include them in their collections as of 1998. Today, most hand woven cashmere pashminas are still made in Nepal’s Kathmandu valley, but the majority of pashminas sold are now either silk, for it suppleness and durability, or cotton, for it cheaper cost of production. The pashmina fabrics (cashmere) are now made into countless products such suits, jumpers, scarves, mufflers, gloves, hats and so on.

The pashmina seems here to stay.