Coming from Kashmir in India, Pashmina is a fine cashmere wool. The word ‘Pashmina’ is a Persian word which means ‘made from Pashm’ and ‘Pashm’ means wool in Persian. The wool comes from the special goat that is the Pashmina goat which is a special breed of goats accustomed to high altitude regions of Nepal and India.
The Changpa tribe is known to be the traditional producer of Pashmina wool in Ladakh. The people of this tribe rear sheep in harsh and chilly winter to produce this wool. Every spring the cashmere wool is collected from the goats shedding their winter coats.
The Pashmina has two different varieties such as Ladakh Pashmina and Pashmina from Nepal. The shawls from Nepal are considered to be the best in quality as the goats are adapted to harsh winter climate and hence have an exceptionally warm and light fiber. Ladakh pashmina also being slightly similar to the one from Nepal with the very unique and incredibly soft pashm.
A pashmina can last for years if taken proper care of it. It gets softer and more lustrous with each wash.