What Is a Pashmina Scarf?

A pashmina scarf is a length of fabric made from pashmina cashmere. Pashmina cashmere was first created in Kashmir many centuries ago. The process of making pashmina scarves is considered an art form that dates back thousands of years. Pashmina scarves are a popular women's clothing accessory.

The fabric that makes up authentic pashmina scarves is cashmere wool. Cashmere wool is made in both Nepal and Kashmir. Fibers from both areas are considered to be cashmere, but the fibers differ in look and feel. Overall, the cashmere fibers from Kashmir are considered superior in quality by most experts because the Nepal cashmere is machine made and does not have the long traditional history that the Kashmir cashmere has.

Kashmir cashmere wool is taken from a pashmina goat. A pashmina goat is a unique goat that lives in the highest altitudes of the Himalayan Mountains. These goats must grow a very special wool to keep warm at such cold temperatures. In the spring, they begin to shed this special wool, and farmers climb up to where the goats live to shave the goats' bellies. Between 3 and 8 oz. of cashmere wool is collected from each goat.

The special wool that is gathered from the bellies of the goats is approximately six times more fine than human hair. Due to this incredible fragility, machines cannot be used to spin the wool. It must be woven by hand to be made into cashmere wool for use in pashmina scarves.

Pashmina scarves come in many different sizes. A standard scarf is 60 inches long and 12 inches wide. A standard wrap is 80 inches long and 28 inches wide. A standard shawl is 80 inches long and 36 inches wide. To make one shawl-sized pashmina, wool from approximately four goats is used.

Prices vary for pashmina shawls and wraps. A simple shawl made from Nepal cashmere may be purchased for approximately $35, but a pashmina shawl made from the highest quality Kashmir cashmere may cost thousands of dollars. The higher-quality Kashmir pashmina products will generally be softer, warmer and drape more attractively.

Hundreds of years ago, only royalty were given the privilege of wearing pashmina of Kashmir origin. Commoners were not allowed to purchase the Kashmir cashmere made from the goats living in the Himalayan Mountains.

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