For centuries, the word “Pashmina” has caused excitement in the thoughts of many luxury lovers across the globe. Originating in the high and parched landscapes of Ladakh, the Pashmina crosses a long and elaborate journey before a true masterpiece is created. Often referred to in the west as cashmere. Pure and Ethical Pashmina is a speciality of the Changthang region of Ladakh and remained rooted in its archives since the century’s altogether.
The Changthangi goat stays at an elevation of 5000m above sea level and carries the famous Pashm natural fibre all around its body. This fibre keeps the goat warm through the harsh winter. However, at the starting of summers, the goat shed its pashmina wool by rubbing itself against shrubs and rock, thus delivering cruelty-free. This wool fibre is then secured by the nomads and transferred onto the first group of artisans. No animal is harmed in the process. Instead, if the goat does not shed its pashmina wool naturally at the beginning of the summer season, it can die out of heat produced by fibre. At the right time, moulting takes place by a natural detachment of the warm insulating pashmina pad from the body of the pashmina goat and can begin as early as December. The shepherds comb the pashmina out of the goat to prevent them from shedding it in the wild. The Nomads traditionally use wooden combs, but now they use improved iron combs which makes combing more comfortable and more efficient.
Ladakhi nomads do a manual process of dusting and combing Pashmina. This process removes all gravel, coarse hair & dust from the fibre. The Pashm is then sort based on length, finesse and colour. Generally, a whiter and longer Pashm is more valuable in the market than regular ones. The raw material is first sorted based on the following parameters:-
The colour sorted wool is then put on a willow machine twice to remove dirt and oil. Later it is then mechanically transferred to the first scouring bowl. Pashmina wool collection passes through multiple squeezer bowls, washing it with natural soaps and rinsing with plain water. Once cleaned, it gets transported to the last squeezer and then to the hopper feeder of the drying machine, where it dried in the drying chamber.
The Pashmina natural fibre is passed on to skilled artisans by the nomadic community of Ladakh who will transform pashm fibres into a piece of luxury pashmina. Upon arrival, Pashm is initially dehaired. Dehairing helps to remove guard hair so that the natural fibre can be adequately spun and have a better texture and appearance. It is a process of removing the coarse guard hair from the pashmina wool. Scoured raw pashmina is kept in a compact humidified chamber for several hours to retain moisture. This process makes the guard thread heavier and the fine pashmina stickier. It will facilitate the machine separation of the two natural fibres by centrifugation as the fine fibres stick to the card wire wheel while the heavier threads fall away.
The Pashm is hand spun on Yinder a traditional wheel. The pashmina natural fibre obtained here is soaked in rice water for strength as it contains starch and then cleaned so that it can further be given to weaving. Usually, it’s the women who spin this pashmina for their financial independence. Spinning is the ancient textile art in which drawn-out fibres are twisted contemporaneously to produce yarn. In Ladakh, we use and promote Phang, which is a whole-less spindle made of wood used by locals. Women spin most of the fine pashmina wool. The Staple length of the fibre is significant because if the fibre is short, the fabric will be less durable. The longer fibre is not only more sustainable and also more beautiful
A specific dye is used for the luxury pashmina using azo-free colours or eco-friendly colours and then washed carefully. Wool fibre can be dyed at any time, but it is often dyed either before carding or after the yarn has been spun. We use only AZO free and plant-based natural dyes.
Before this process, the spun pashmina is processed onto Bharangor who fixes the Pashm against small iron poles to expand it and make it perfect for a weaver to process it. It is by far the essential step in the making of a Pashmina. The weaver mounts the wool fibre over a handloom and thoroughly weaves the pashmina into wefts and warps. Stoles, scarves, fabrics, Shawls, even suiting materials. Although lesser quality Pashmina can be woven on other looms, the weaving of the traditional pure pashmina shawls is done only on handlooms. The weaver needs to have a steady hand to produce the top quality natural fabric. Weaving is done by a shuttle that carries the soft pashmina yarn through the fine yet strong twisted wrap. The weaving method is in itself an artwork that has been transferred out over generations to generations. It takes about 4 to 5 days to weave a single pashmina shawl. Besides weaving our product line also has knitted items such as hats, gloves etc. Knitting of Pashmina wool is not different from woollen yarn knitting. The hats, gloves etc. are knitted by local Ladakhi women in their homes.
