Pashmina
Pashmina is considered as the finest craftsmanship in the world which beautifully transforms the exceptionally warm and delicate Cashmere threads to luxurious shawls,stoles and accessories.’Pashm’ means the fleece of a very rare breed of goat called as Changthangi and ‘Mina’ means art and that is how the word Pashmina was derived centuries ago.
It was during one of our trips to Kashmir when we got awestruck and fascinated with this exceptional art and beauty of the entire process and the end result .We were overwhelmed with empathy towards these artisans and we instantly knew that we would love to promote it all over the world .That being the core reason why we chose Pashmina with such traditional and regal qualities as an integral part of our collection.
Let us take you deep into the world of this exquisite craftsmanship right from Ladakh from the where the fleece of Changthangi Goat is brought into the beautiful valley of Kashmir in India to the luxury stores all across the globe.
Origin
Pashmina, also known as Lena Cashmere, refers to the fine variant of spun cashmere wool that comes from a very specific type of goat called Changthangi.
Changthangi is a breed of goat which is native to the high altitude of over 5000 meters in the region of Ladakh in northern India and neighboring Tibet.
Changthangi goats are naturally gifted with thick under coat which protects them from the extreme cold weather of the region. These goats are domesticated and carefully raised by Shepherds. They graze on the vegetation that is grown organically without any chemicals. They consume the water directly from the streams coming down from high mountains which is rich in minerals.
The Changthangi goats are not native to Kashmir, but their fine fleece has been brought from their natural habitat in the high arid Changtung plateau over higher passes. It is through these high passes that the fleece is brought into the fecund valley of Kashmir as it is only the people from this region who are gifted with the exceptional and rare talent of weaving and creating luxurious shawls from the fleece.
Combing
The shepherds carefully hand comb the fleece out of the Changthangi goat in the spring which grows again by winter.The rough outer hair is then separated from the soft, downy undercoat to obtain a finer fleece which is Cashmere. No Changthangi goat is killed or harmed to obtain its fleece. Also the entire process is cruelty free and done very carefully so that the very fine fibers do not break making it impossible to spin. Mechanical shearing can cause breakage of the fiber and hence it is avoided.
After combing the fleece, it is sent to the Kashmir Valley in untidy bundles. These bundles are then handed over to the highly skilled women who are adept with centuries of expertise in spinning. Firstly the fleece is unraveled and its coarse outer hair and dirt is separated. The separated soft Cashmere is then made into loose little fluffy yarn balls for spinning purpose.
Spinning
Kashmiri women play a crucial role in the making of Pashmina. It is only the women in Kashmir who possess the traditional skill of hand spinning extremely fine yarn. Women are the ones who do the tough but necessary labor of processing yarn by hand to avoid breakage. It is a highly respected skill that exists exclusively in Kashmir. Spinning is done by hand, on a charkha wheel. It takes great skill and finesse to spin fibers into a Gossamer fine wool using the charkha.
After spinning comes winding the yarn. The spun yarn is wound around a wooden spindle called as a “Pritz”. The spinner holds the spun yarn in one hand and spins the pritz to feed the yarn over it to give it a slight twist. After this it is made into hanks. Now it’s time to weave the fabric from this yarn in its natural colors. Before weaving the warps are soaked in rice water, this gives the yarn enough strength to be woven, later they rinse this off.
Spinning
Kashmiri women play a crucial role in the making of Pashmina. It is only the women in Kashmir who possess the traditional skill of hand spinning extremely fine yarn. Women are the ones who do the tough but necessary labor of processing yarn by hand to avoid breakage. It is a highly respected skill that exists exclusively in Kashmir. Spinning is done by hand, on a charkha wheel. It takes great skill and finesse to spin fibers into a Gossamer fine wool using the charkha.
After spinning comes winding the yarn. The spun yarn is wound around a wooden spindle called as a “Pritz”. The spinner holds the spun yarn in one hand and spins the pritz to feed the yarn over it to give it a slight twist. After this it is made into hanks. Now it’s time to weave the fabric from this yarn in its natural colors. Before weaving the warps are soaked in rice water, this gives the yarn enough strength to be woven, later they rinse this off.
Dyeing of warps
The yarn can be woven into fabric in its natural color, or it can be dyed before the weaving process depending on the requirement.
The specialist dyers traditionally hand dye the yarn in hanks in a vessel made of copper placed over a wood fire. The dyer then checks to make sure the color is evenly distributed. After the dyeing process the yarn is ready for weaving.
Dyeing of warps
The yarn can be woven into fabric in its natural color, or it can be dyed before the weaving process depending on the requirement.
The specialist dyers traditionally hand dye the yarn in hanks in a vessel made of copper placed over a wood fire. The dyer then checks to make sure the color is evenly distributed. After the dyeing process the yarn is ready for weaving.
Weaving
The weaving of Pashmina shawls is traditionally done by men using the centuries old techniques and processes. A wooden handloom is used to weave the fabric from the fine cashmere yarn. The handloom holds the warp tightly for weaving process. The warp is passed through the shifts so that they fan out on the handloom. The handloom is set up according to the design requirement by the weaver.
To weave, the wefts (strands) are passed back and forth through the warp (long strands that run lengthwise) with two or more shuttles. These shuttles are usually made of local mulberry wood. Woven fabric can be left plain in its original color or dyed in any color of choice. It may also be embroidered in any design one wants. There is an extensive range of designs and patterns that are traditionally embroidered by hand.
Embroidery
The embroidery work is done by the skilled block printers. Woodblock printing is a technique for printing patterns and designs on fabric. The patterns are created on cut out blocks of walnut wood. The block printers commonly have a large archive of blocks that are being traded down generations and can be used for printing purpose. New patterns need to be first drawn, then they are taken to the block cutter so they can cut a new block.
In the process of block printing, the blocks are first dipped in a paste made of a natural gum and rice. Then they are stamped on the fabric according to the required pattern. The gum comes off when they wash it. After printing the design, the fabric goes for embroidery.
A variety of intricate designs are embroidered in the fabric by skilled craftsmen, making this luxurious fabric even more distinctive. There are different types of embroidery techniques. Numerous local embroiderers use Kanikar and Soznikar techniques. They use the fine silk thread from mulberry trees that grow in Kashmir Valley for embroidery.
Embroidery
The embroidery work is done by the skilled block printers. Woodblock printing is a technique for printing patterns and designs on fabric. The patterns are created on cut out blocks of walnut wood. The block printers commonly have a large archive of blocks that are being traded down generations and can be used for printing purpose. New patterns need to be first drawn, then they are taken to the block cutter so they can cut a new block.
In the process of block printing, the blocks are first dipped in a paste made of a natural gum and rice. Then they are stamped on the fabric according to the required pattern. The gum comes off when they wash it. After printing the design, the fabric goes for embroidery.
A variety of intricate designs are embroidered in the fabric by skilled craftsmen, making this luxurious fabric even more distinctive. There are different types of embroidery techniques. Numerous local embroiderers use Kanikar and Soznikar techniques. They use the fine silk thread from mulberry trees that grow in Kashmir Valley for embroidery.
Washing
Finally, the shawl is carefully washed in river which flows from high mountains. Fabrics are washed in the Jhelum, a major Himalayan River that runs through Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley. The natural minerals in this water give the shine to this stunning natural fabric.After washing, the shawls are carefully hung to dry. When they are completely dry, they are steam pressed in a mechanical roller and then carefully folded. Now the world-class Pashmina shawls are ready for the market.
Pashmina care and storage
Any garment will remain fresh for years if preserved with love and care..Pashmina being exclusive and elegant, can be preserved with good care and maintenance which will make it last for years.These heirloom pieces can undoubtedly passed onto the next generation as heritage pieces if pampered with good care.
Wash Care Instructions for Pashmina
Dry cleaning /Home wash
Organic chemical free dry cleaning can be done basis individual choices.However we recommend home wash in lukewarm water using mild detergents like baby shampoo or Woolite which is a gentle washing liquid used for wool and silk that protects fabric delicacy ,washing away everyday dirt
We recommend washing it separately while making sure the liquid wash is properly dissolved in water before pashmina is soaked in it.
Hand wash it carefully.DO NOT scrub or RUB.
Leave it out in shade to let the pashmina dry slowly, DO NOT hang it on robe.
Storage:
Fold it neatly and store it in a muslin cloth.
We do not recommend hanging it in the closet as that may hamper the shape of the fabric.
Placing it in plastic zip storage bags can protect it from moths that damage the yarn.
DO NOT use naphthalene balls as it may leave permanent smell in the fabric.
To make it a legacy that you may want to pass to the next generation as pride possession, make sure you pass the pashmina through periodic dry cleaning or professional restoration after every few years to maintain its freshness ,color and fabric feel.
Quality and testing
We at House Of Tisya believe in letting our fabric speak for itself.However all our products are 100% certifiable and are ready to undergo any kind of lab test whenever required.
