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| ID: | 374071 |
| Title: | Of Pashm Pashmina and Cashmere |
| URL: | http://www.laffairecashmere.com |
| Category: | Shopping |
| Description: | Every year, when the temperature plummets to minus 40 degrees C in winter, the resident mammals of the Arctic wastes of Siberia and Alaska (goats, mountain antelope, yak, camels, musk ox, mountain dogs) grow beneath their coarser outer coat, a thick down of superfine fibers, which gives them warmth against such chills throughout the harsh winters. When the spring comes, the long days and the rise in temperature trigger hormonal changes which loosen the down, for which the animal has no need. The luxurious fibers of these discarded undercoats have for long been combed or plucked out by the herders and recycled for their own uses to make blankets, tents and bags. Of all these, the down from some breeds of domesticated goats of inner Asia, internationally known as 'cashmere', is the most famous. In India, the fleece of the Tibetan goat, from which the classic Kashmiri shawl is woven, is usually called 'pashm', an urdu word originating from Farsi. Pashmina is the yarn spun and the material woven from pashm. From at least the 16th century till the early 19th, Kashmir was the sole region where the skills existed to exploit fully the qualities of pashm - which has been treasured not only its warmth and softness, but also its capacity to take and retain natural dyes in all the colours. Apart from Kashmir, the other internationally known textile made from goat-fleece before the 19th century was the Orenburg shawl, knitted in an infinite variety of patterns, of the yarn spun from the fleece of goats reared in the Ural mountains. From the third decade of the 20th century, however, 'cashmere' emerged as a premium material for the highest quality of knitwear and woven fabrics in the developed world. As per the demand, the production increased to match the demand, the bulk coming from Asia, especially China, Inner Mongolia and Mongolia. Two main determinants of quality in textile fibers are fineness (fiber diameter) and staple length, both of which will affect the feel or handle of the finished product. The micron counts for good quality cashmere may vary between 13 and 19. For a comparison, a human hair has a diameter of around 70 microns. When these fine fibres are spun into thread, a multitude of microscopic air-pockets are formed, that give the material its extraordinary warmth and softness. Colour is another important quality criteria. The whites have always been at a premimum. Though the browns and greys which are the other natural colours (referred to as 'khudrung' self coloured in 19th century texts) are also prized. These natural colours also dye beautifully into other shades, the base colour giving them vibrancy and depth. For selection of beautiful pure cashmere stoles and shawls, visit www.laffairecashmere.com |
| Meta Keywords: | cashmere, pashmina, cashmere shawls, pashmina shawls, cashmere scarves, pashmina scarves, pashmina scarf, paisley, paisley embroiery, embroidered shawls, hand embroidery |
| Meta Description: | Details about the making of Pashmina/Cashmere shawl and its various adaptations worn in the past. |