Pashmina

Kashmir shawl, also spelled Cashmere, type of woolen shawl woven in Kashmir. According to tradition, the founder of the industry was Zayn-ul-ʿĀbidīn, a 15th-century ruler of Kashmir who introduced weavers from Turkistan.

Over the years Kashmir developed a vast shawl-producing industry, making many fine pieces for local use and export.  Certainly by the time Abul Fazl was compiling the Ain-i-Akbari, shawl material was known as a valuable export item from Kashmir and the Mughal Emperor Akbar responsible for the development of jamawar, pashmina fabric woven in lengths suitable to be tailored into the jama, the fitted and flared over-garment worn by men in Mughal India.

Kashmir shawls are woven partly or wholly from goat hair called pashm. In the 19th century, shawls were classified as pashm shāla (made from the hair of domesticated goats) and aslī tūsh (made from the hair of wild goats). By this time, kashmir shawls had also become fashionable in Europe.

The process of making a Kashmir Pashmina Shawl starts much before with herding and rearing of Pashmina Goats at an altitude of 4500mts above sea level.To survive the cold temperatures next only to Siberia, at these altitudes the goats develop a fine fleece under the thick outside fur. This wool is collected by “Herders” during the spring season and it grows back till the time winter is sets in.Pashmina shawls are delicate, and hence lighter versions of embroideries are done on them.The weaving of a Kashmir Pashmina Shawl is done using the centuries old processes and techniques. Pashmina shawl is weaved by an artisan called Wovur in Kashmir and the process is called Wonun. The weaver works like a pianist working simultaneously with his feet and hands.It takes about three to four days to weave a single Pashmina stole or shawl.The warp is made by manually winding the pashmina yarn across 4 to 8 iron rods erected on the ground. This process is called Yarun in Kashmiri. Approximately 1200 threads are stretched across 10 mts to complete a warp. The person making the warp has to walk 1200 X 10 mts or 12 kms around the iron rods.

Dressing the Warp: Before the warp can be put on the handloom it has to be dressed by a person called Bharangur or Warp-Dresser. The process called Bharun in Kashmir involves stretching and fixing of yarn in the heddles of a loom called saaz in Kashmiri.

Winding of Yarn: The stratchy yarn after drying in sun is again wound on wooden spindles called prech in Kashmiri. This process is called Tulun in Kashmiri.

Dyeing: Depending on the requirement the yarn is dyed by specialist dyers called Ranger.

Washing in Spring Water

The final washing of the shawl is done in spring water with mild detergents and striking the fabric repeatedly against a smooth stone by a specialist washer.

Making of Fringes

Another master craftsman called Voste approves or asks for the changes in the design. Once approved the shawl is passed on to the artisan for embroidery who completes the embroidery based on the approved colors.