Pashmina
"Pashmina" is the most abused word in the wool trade. It properly refers to pashm, the fine undercoat down of the Changthangi goat; most things sold under the name contain none of it.
Ours, stated plainly: the SHAAL Pashmina is a blend, 30% pashm and 70% fine lambswool, woven to 139 gsm. We blend it because pure pashm cloth is fragile and needs careful handling; the lambswool gives it a working life. The result is the lightest, softest construction we make, the one for indoors, evenings and warm-weather layering, and the easiest to drape of anything in the range.
It is woven like everything else we sell: by hand, on a Khadi pit-loom, in the Swat Valley. If you want to know exactly what the word means and how to avoid the label games, we wrote about cashmere wraps and the fibre comparisons to answer it properly.
Questions
Is this 100% pashmina?
No, and we say so plainly: 30% pashm, 70% fine lambswool at 139 gsm. Pure pashm cloth is fragile; the blend keeps the softness while giving the shawl a working life.
What is the difference between pashmina and cashmere?
Pashmina is cashmere at its finest grade: pashm is the down of the Changthangi goat, and the word also names the woven cloth. Most commercial pashmina contains neither. Ours states its exact blend on the label.
When would I choose the pashmina over the wool shawls?
Indoors, evenings, warmer weather, or over a dress. At 139 gsm it is the lightest construction we make and the most fluid drape. For outdoor warmth, choose a heavier weight.