The difference between Cashmere and Pashmina may sound obvious to many of them who are well aware of its products and process; However, when we conduct a small survey among our potential users on social media, we found that there are many buyers who still think Pashmina and Cashmere products are the same. So, in this post, we are trying to address the doubt or confusion in a simplified way.
What is Pashmina?
Pashmina is the art of handcrafting the finest cashmere wool into luxury scarves, shawls, wraps, and other opulent accessories. Pashmina has always been a term used for elegant, colorful, handwoven cashmere shawls, scarves, etc. Pashmina is derived from the Urdu word ‘Pashm’ which means ‘wool’ in Persian. Pashmina fabric is known for its fineness, warmth, softness, desirable aesthetic value, and timelessness in fashion.
Pure Pashmina is the most luxurious fiber and commands a higher price among all-natural fibers. The Pashmina word itself sounds royal as it belongs to the most ancient times, an honor among kings, the Pashmina has been the sign of elite and power for centuries, known to have been exchanged as gifts among royals. The finesse and finery of the shawl became a symbol of high prestige.
Dating back to about 3000 BCE, the art of weaving the threads of Pashmina has been a part of the culture of Kashmir Valley. Pashmina originated in Kashmir, India has been recognized all around the world. It is traced back to ancient texts that Pashmina in various writings dated from the 3rd century BCE to the 11th century CE. In the local Indian market, Zain Ul Abidin, the 15th-century king of Kashmir, popularized the Pashmina wool and its products.
What is Cashmere?
Cashmere also comes from goats that are found in the Himalayan regions of Kashmir, India. But unlike pashmina, cashmere fabric isn’t exclusive to a specific type of goat, rather it can be taken from various types of goats found in the peak Himalayan range, especially in Kashmir. Cashmere wools have been harvested from these goats for centuries.
Cashmere is a term introduced by Europeans. The term Cashmere was influenced by the region where it originated centuries ago and the place is Kashmir, India; as the foreigners could not pronounce “Kashmir” as the locals did. Cashmere was a new term for Kashmiri locals, but it gained prominence in Europe, as the Cashmere wool products had introduced the next level of luxury and comfort in the fashion market.
What’s the Difference Between Cashmere and Pashmina?
As previously mentioned, pashmina and cashmere both refer to fabric made from the fur of goats. The difference, however, lies in the specific goat that the fur is harvested from. Pashmina is a type of cashmere, but all cashmere isn’t pashmina.
Cashmere is fine wool normally 15–18 microns in diameter, which can easily go through by a machine. Hence, you can easily find it in the market, being sold in the name of Pashmina. Cashmere products can also impress you very well as long as you got the pure Cashmere products but it’s not as fine as the Pure Pashmina products.
Pashmina is a luxury wool generally 11–14 microns in diameter, which cant go through by machine, it can only be handwoven. A pure Pashmina can’t be a machine-made product. If it’s made on the machine then it will be called Cashmere because while processing in the machine it will lose the luxury texture that makes it an authentic Pashmina shawl.
The process of transforming Cashmere into Pashmina products is the difference between the two fabrics. While Cashmere is the fine wool that grows on the body of the Changthangi goat in the Ladakh area in India. Pashmina is the name given to the art of transforming it. The transformation of Cashmere wool into luxury shawls, scarves, stoles, or wraps is an art, and people who are experts in this art are called ‘Artisans’ or Pashmina Artisans.
Authentic Pashmina clothes have been known for its traditional richness in fashion for centuries. It’s an absolute pride to carry a tradition of ancient Indian luxury fashion. The Pure Pashmina stoles, shawls, scarves, and other Pashmina products are handwoven on wooden looms using the finest cashmere fiber. An expert Pashmina artisan spends on average 3-5 days weaving one genuine Pashmina product. All original Pashmina products are extremely lightweight & warm, it can beautify any outfit by adding luxury and exclusivity.
