Pashmina is globally renowned as the diamond of textiles for its excellent softness, warmth, elegance, and luxurious look. When pashmina is draped over the shoulders, you are embracing a rich heritage of craftsmanship. It’s not just a simple fabric, but a luxurious one that enhances natural beauty. Pashmina is expensive, and people often wonder why. Pashmina is rare and its demand is high while the supply is limited.
Origin Of Pashmina
It originates from Cashmere wool, which is derived from the undercoat of rare Himalayan goats found in the regions of Nepal, Tibet, and Kashmir. These goats are known as Changthangi goats.
It is one of the most fascinating materials in the fashion world. Skilled craftsmanship is used to transform the cashmere wool into elegant scarves, shawls, wraps, and other apparel. Pashmina is exceptionally lightweight, warm, soft, and durable with rich elegance.
Pashmina is valuable, due to the shortage of raw materials and the labor-intensive nature of its production, the intricate hand embroidery and handweaving required. Pashmina is exclusively treated as a luxury status globally.
Skilled artisans transform cashmere fiber into premium Pashmina using techniques passed down by their ancestors. The entire handweaving process is highly time-consuming. Pashmina is an art and it’s derived from the Persian word “Pashm” and is usually referred to as “soft gold”.
The Rarity of the Wool Contributes to its High Cost.
Pashmina is processed from the rare breed of Changthangi goats, which makes it a rare wool and the reason for its high cost. There are a lot of challenges herders face, and due to climatic reasons and challenging terrain only a limited number of the goats can be raised.
Each goat produces only a small amount of wool each year, making it a limited material. There are specific conditions required for Cashmere goats to be sustained and this is why they are not widely spread like other goats.
Collection Process
Every fiber takes time to come out in its final version, so like cashmere wool, it usually takes the extremely delicate process of hand combing to be Pashmina. A gentle combing method is used to collect the wool from the goats without damaging its quality.
During the winter months, the goats grow their undercoats and in the spring they naturally shed off their extremely soft undercoat, Hereders use the combs to collect the remaining wool from the animals. Generally, a single goat sheds 80-170 grams of wool per year.
Undoubtedly it is time-consuming and labor-intensive which requires a lot of patience to produce. After the collection process, women artists carefully clean the wool, inspecting it for any dirt and removing impurities.
After that they spin the wool to make the fine yarns and the skilled weavers, hand weave them to prepare premium Pashmina shawls, scarves, and more.
Wearing Pashmina enhances your look and complements your outfits for any occasion. A timeless elegance comes with a high price tag, but its enriched qualities justify its expensive cost.
Several factors contribute to its high cost, including the time-consuming handweaving process, ethical practices, and the rare materials used in producing this ‘soft gold’ of textiles. Pashmina is a sustainable and eco-friendly fiber, using natural dyes that make it a safe luxury item for the environment.
In Conclusion
The rarity of Pashmina’s material is not the only reason for its high price. It also reflects unmatched craftsmanship, cultural heritage, and tradition. It’s an evergreen fashion. Whenever you buy a Pashmina, it provides a regal touch to your wardrobe. Investing in Pashmina is something you will also cherish just because it is celebrated globally and it’s worth every penny.