In the world of fashion and textiles, wool is renowned for its unique qualities. People often confuse wool and pashmina due to their similar qualities. First, it is crucial to understand the difference between wool and pashmina to help make an informed choice when purchasing.
What is wool?
Wool is a natural fiber that comes from the fleece or coat of lambs, sheep, goats, and other animals. It is popularly known for its remarkable warmth, ability to store heat, moisture-wicking properties to regulate body temperature, incredible softness, and exceptional durability.
Wool’s antimicrobial properties make it comfortable for all-day wear and a versatile choice for various uses. The process of sourcing wool involves shearing or harvesting the fleece of the animals, followed by cleaning, carding, and finally spinning the fiber into yarn, which is further used to make a wide range of products. Wool is used for clothing, blankets, carpets, and other products. Undoubtedly, it is one of the most versatile fabrics.
Different Types of Wool:
There is a wide variety of wool, from Merino and Vicuna to Mohair and Qiviut, each known for its softness and rarity.
Lamb’s Wool: It comes from the fresh shearing of typically young sheep. Garments made from lamb’s wool are famous for their exceptional comfort, softness, fine texture, and warmth.
Alpaca: It originates from the South American alpaca, which is popularly known for its luxurious clothing items. It produces a beautiful wide range of natural colors from ivory and white shades to deep black and brown shades. It is most commonly used to make premium coats, shawls, and gloves and offer breathability and warmth.
Merino: Merino wool comes from the Merino sheep, primarily found in Australia and New Zealand, and is renowned for its softness, breathability, and moisture-wicking properties. The fibers are soft, comfortable, and used to make athletic wear, high-quality garments, and base layers.
Mohair Wool: It comes from the Angora goat, which is renowned for its shiny, smooth, durable fiber. It’s blended with other fibers to enhance the luster and strength. This wool is used to make high-quality suits, luxurious outerwear, and other elegant accessories.
Qiviut: It originated from the undercoat of muskoxen, one of the rare and premium fibers, which is known for its incredible softness, lightweight, and warmth. This fiber is used in traditional garments. It is well known in the world of luxury textiles for specially creating accessories, scarves, and hats.
Vicuna: This is referred to as “the fiber of the gods” and is recognized as a luxurious and rare fiber. It is one of the most expensive and highly demanded wool fibers globally.
What is Pashmina?
Pashmina is the art of transforming cashmere wool into fashionable scarves, shawls, wraps, and other garments. Pashmina is sourced from the undercoat of rare Himalayan goats, known as Changthangi goats, which live at altitudes of 4,000 meters.
These fibers undergo processes like separation, combing, and hand-spinning before being crafted into garments. Traditional handwoven techniques passed down through generations are used to create Pashmina masterpieces.
Pashmina is globally admired for its elegance, softness, heat insulation, uniqueness, durability, and lightweight comfort. It doesn’t look bulky and gives an enchanting look with fine layering and draping. Pashmina is referred to as “soft gold”, or “diamond fiber”. The journey of this luxurious fiber from the Himalayas to international runways is cherished worldwide.
Exclusive Pashmina shawls, scarves, wraps, and other apparel are true symbols of excellent craftsmanship, elegance, and rich heritage.
Difference Between Wool and Pashmina
Aspect | Pashmina | Wool |
Source | Derived from the Pashmina goat in the Himalayas | Sourced from sheep and various types of goats |
Softness | Delicate with incredible softness | Varies depending on the breed of the animal |
Fibre Diameter | Ranges between 12 to 15 microns | Depends on the source and breed |
Warmth | Exceptionally warm | Known for warmth, but varies by type |
Weight | Lightweight | Can be heavier or bulkier |
Rarity | Rare and exclusive | Easily and widely available |
Cost | Expensive due to its unique qualities | Varies based on product, quality, and source |
Conclusion
Pashmina and wool are in high demand in the textile industry, known for their softness, warmth, elegance, and sustainability.
Both are reliable choices for winter, providing warmth and comfort. For the incredible style of Pashmina, explore our exclusive collection.