Pashmina Cashmere Directory

Pashmina Wool

Pashmina wool, also known as the softest, most luxurious and the best pashm wool in the world. The wool comes from the underbelly of the Capra Hircus goat, which wanders in the sub zero temperatures of the high Himalayas in Nepal, some 14,000 feet above sea level. The goats grow this extra layer each winter to insulate themselves against the rigours of this extreme climate. Thus blessed by nature with a unique very thin short inner coat of hair - the best insulation in the world - and this inner coat of hair is known as PASHMINA. The goat survives because of this naturally gifted cushion of hair.

Pashmina is the Persian word for pashm meaning finest wool fibre, the "soft gold" king of fibers. Pashmina is also known as the "diamond fiber" and the "soft gold of high Asia".

Pashmina fibre is less than 15-19 microns in thickness making it very soft (whereas human hair is 75 microns thick) One goat produces 3 to 8 ounces of Pashmina per year.

Pashmina comes from Himalayan region as finest Kashmiri wool which is derived at the altitude of 12000 to 14000 ft. where temperature goes down up to-40 degree centigrade. The thermoconductivity of the wool is best in the world as the goat survives at -40 degree Celcius temperatures (far below freezing zero temperatures) in cold climates

The pashmina we see on the Web and in local stores is usually a 80/20, 70/30 or even a 50/50 blend of cashmere and silk respectively. This is said to produce a strong yet supple, lightweight, luxurious wrap for evening or day-time wear. Most vendors claim that the wool in their pashmina is produced by very special Himalayan goats. Cashmere refers to the fine wool from the undercoat of these Kashmir goats - pashmina is the crème de la crème of cashmere.