History of Pashmina Shawls
Pashmina shawls have a rich history, dating back to ancient civilizations and the times of Mahabharata (ca. 10th century BCE). The pashmina has become a fashionable item, featured in women's wardrobes worldwide. The pashmina is both elegant and warm, strong and delicate. The history of the pashmina reflects the history of the ancient Tibetan people and their trade with Europe. Does this Spark an idea?
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Pashmina Goats and Cashmere Wool
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Pashmina comes from the wool of the Capra hircus, a Himalayan mountain goat also known as the cashmere goat or shawl goat. This wool is commonly known in the western world as cashmere because the goat lives almost exclusively in the region of Kashmir. The Capra hircus lives in -40 degree Celsius temperature most of the year and grows a dense coat of very fine hair to protect itself from the elements. The soft pashm, or inner coat, is six times finer than human hair, between 14 and 19 microns in diameter, and one of the rarest wools in the world. The cashmere hair must be separated from the dense outer coat and hand woven because the wool is too thin and delicate for machines.
Early History
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The first pashmina shawls were constructed and worn out of necessity by the Tibetan people who lived in the harsh conditions of the Himalayas. Worn for centuries, these pashmina shawls and other items made from cashmere wool were perfected by the Tibetan people in the Kathmandu Valley and were popular trade items with villages in the surrounding areas. Originally a necessity, the beauty and softness of the pashmina shawls attracted buyers from across the East and eventually even from Europe.
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The Kashmir Shawl Industry
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What really pushed the pashmina trade from village crafts to prosperous industry was the sole right of the Kashmir kings to purchase all pashminas from Nepal, Tibet and the Himalayas. This steady market allowed those involved in making pashminas to perfect their craft, worrying about quality rather than quantity, because the demand was constant and the price good. The Kashmir kings, however, profited the most from this deal with the craftsmen, when they learned how much their fashionable product appealed to European markets.
European Trade
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While some Europeans had been interested in the shawls in the 1600s, they became extremely popular in France and Britain in the late 18th century and early 19th century. Napoleon's Josephine was a famous collector. Scottish merchants attracted to the wool imported cashmere goats and bred their own strain of cashmere. Fashionable women all over Europe began wearing the warm yet chic pashmina shawls and eventually, in the 19th century, Jacquard power looms allowed textile producers in France to produce their own version of pashmina shawls. The pure pashmina, however, has always been far too delicate to weave on a machine, and those shawls produced in Europe were generally blended with silk or another stronger fiber.
Modern Pashmina
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Today the term "pashmina" can mean many different things in the Western world. Often "pashmina" simply describes the style of a soft wool shawl. Almost all pashminas found today are made with wool blends, cashmere and silk being the most popular. Tibetan and Himalayan craftsmen continue to hand weave pure pashmina, but these shawls are very expensive, starting at $500.00 USD (as of 2010) for a solid colored shawl. Pashminas remain a wardrobe staple for many women, yet today the shawls are defined more by their style and general feel rather than by the rare Himalayan wool and perfected workmanship that allows a traditional pashmina to be called pure.
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References
- Photo Credit mount Pumori Himalayas image by Rover from Fotolia.com
