| g the beautiful, luxurious pashmina involves a | | | | cleaned to remove residue print. Afterwards it is |
| painstaking process done completely by hand. The | | | | soaked for a few days in a fusion of rice and water |
| origins of the pashmina date back to ancient times. | | | | to make it softer. Hand-spinning is an extremely |
| Then as now, the pashmina is made by hand. When, | | | | painstaking task. It requires immense patience, dexterity |
| before, the pashmina was mostly made for the | | | | and dedication and is amazing process to watch. It is a |
| comfort and protection of the pashmina makers | | | | laborious and time-consuming task, requiring |
| themselves, the pashmina products became gradually | | | | tremendous dexterity, dedication and patience even |
| sought after by royal families, kings and emperors. The | | | | from expert weavers. The weaving process, |
| precious fabric then came to be known as the royal | | | | therefore, can be considered an art and a science. It is |
| fibers. Today, pashmina is practically a household | | | | also a tradition handed down and preserved from |
| name, a definite staple in every fashionable | | | | generation to generation. Before, in the days of the |
| woman’s closet. | | | | Mughal Empire, pashmina making was the territory of |
| The wool from which the pashmina is made is | | | | women. Today, pashmina making is a craft shared by |
| collected every spring from the mountain goat | | | | men and women alike. |
| “chyangra,” which lives in the freezing | | | | The fringe and design of the pashmina is one of the |
| mountain regions of the Himalayas. These Himalayan | | | | most intriguing parts of shawl. It takes no less than a |
| goats have warm winter coats which they shed during | | | | few hours to fringe each pashmina shawl, stole, scarf |
| the summer, revealing two different types of wool: the | | | | or blanket. Dyeing or coloring the pashmina is also |
| fine, soft inner coat which is called the pashmina, and | | | | done by hand. Because this involves a more thorough |
| the thick, outer layer. The wool is then gathered by | | | | and meticulous process, the job is assigned to more |
| local woman, who must comb it thoroughly to | | | | experienced pashmina makers. The smallest |
| separate the pashmina from the thicker outer wool. | | | | negligence or the slightest mistake can spell the |
| Each goat actually produces only about 80 grams of | | | | difference between a quality pashmina and a poor |
| pashmina, so just one woven pashmina shawl would | | | | pashmina. Dyeing is done at a temperature just below |
| need about three to four goats. | | | | the boiling point for approximately an hour, in water |
| Each shawl is carefully spun by hand, with yarn spun | | | | found beneath the surface. The wool of the pashmina |
| on a spinning wheel known as the | | | | is especially absorbent, dyes deeply and easily. Only |
| “charkha”. After being spun, the | | | | natural, organic dyes such as metal and azo-free dyes, |
| pashmina yarn is ready for weaving. Pashmina yarn is | | | | are used, which gives the pashmina an eco-friendly |
| too fragile for power looms, so the weaving of | | | | characteristic, not to mention a more lasting hue. With |
| authentic pashmina shawls is done on hand-looms. | | | | this last process, another beautiful, artful and luxurious |
| Spinning by hand is more complicated than it sounds. | | | | pashmina is made. |
| Prior to spinning, the raw material is stretched and | | | | |