This post is also available in:
Français
Everyone has heard of cashmere and may even own several cashmere sweaters, but it’s quite rare to come across its luxurious cousin: pashmina.
Pashmina and cashmere are two types of fibers derived from goats, but they differ in their origin, quality, and usage.
Pashmina comes specifically from Changthangi goats, also known as “Pashmina goats,” native to the Ladakh region in the Indian Himalayas. These goats live at high altitudes and produce an ultra-fine undercoat to protect themselves from the extreme cold. In contrast, cashmere can come from various breeds of cashmere goats raised in regions like Mongolia, Inner Mongolia (China), Iran, and India. It’s a broader term that encompasses fibers from different regions.
In terms of fineness and softness, pashmina is often considered an ultra-luxurious type of cashmere. Pashmina fibers are finer, typically measuring around 15 microns, giving them an exceptionally soft and delicate texture. Cashmere, on the other hand, has fibers ranging between 15 and 19 microns in diameter. While still very soft, it is generally slightly thicker than pashmina.
Regarding manufacturing and use, pashmina is often handwoven using traditional looms and is primarily used for high-end shawls and scarves. The fineness of the fiber makes production slower and more demanding. Cashmere, on the other hand, can be processed industrially or artisanally and is used for a wider range of garments like sweaters, scarves, and coats.
Despite its reputation as an exceptional luxury fiber, pashmina is not always protected by strong intellectual property rights. A 100% pashmina label doesn’t mean much. In fact, a pashmina scarf will at best carry a “100% cashmere” tag, making it very challenging to purchase authentic items. Additionally, due to its price and rarity, it’s nearly impossible to find pashmina in stores in France. Currently, it accounts for only 0.5% of cashmere production in the region. Each year, Ladakh produces only 50 tons of the finest, most prestigious artisanal cashmere (compared to 10,000 tons from China!).
I was incredibly lucky to find pashmina stoles during my trip to Dubai, where there is a large Indian community. It was a point of no return, because once you touch a genuine pashmina scarf, you can’t go back to other fibers. I bought two scarves. My mother, during her trip to Nepal, also brought back two pashmina scarves. After touching numerous scarves with different compositions in stores, borrowing my mother’s scarves, and wearing my own pashmina stole for several years, I began to develop a sense of touch for it. While I can’t identify genuine pashmina solely from photos, I can at least spot poorly made fakes. Unfortunately, due to a moment of carelessness, my pashmina scarf somehow ended up in the dryer and became completely felted and shrank. I regretted it deeply.
Since I’m not going back to Dubai or India, I had to find another solution. I discovered an e-commerce site created by a Frenchwoman, Claire Denouel. Her site, Princesse Moghole, explains the manufacturing process and provides tips for identifying fake pashmina. The site specializes in selling pashmina, cashmere, and toosh stoles.
By chance, I found a brand-new pashmina scarf from Princesse Moghole listed on Vinted, handwoven in a diamond weave. I can confirm it is of high quality and matches the standard of the pashmina I purchased in Dubai.
I am not sponsored by Princesse Moghole. I purchased everything with my own money. There are various categories of pashmina stoles, but broadly, they include plain stoles and hand-embroidered ones. The embroidery is entirely hand-done, which explains the high prices.
Then, once again on Vinted, I stumbled upon a seller liquidating her inventory due to the economic crisis. She was selling hand-embroidered pashmina stoles at a loss, for ridiculously low prices (between 95 and 125 euros). This allowed me to acquire hand-embroidered stoles that would otherwise have been far too expensive for me. To be clear, I’m not saying they aren’t worth their price—400-500 euros is entirely justified—but given moving expenses, I couldn’t afford such an extravagance. I was delighted to buy them at this exceptional price. When they arrived, I was relieved to confirm their authenticity. The hand embroidery is stunning, and the texture is exceptional. For now, I haven’t dared to use them; I just take them out to admire them. 😀
So today, I’m sharing this great find with you by linking to her Vinted profile. Again, I’m not sponsored and earn nothing from this.
To learn more about this exceptional fiber, I invite you to watch the beautiful video by Princesse Moghole, along with other reports. She also explains that unlike cashmere, pashmina remains eco-sustainable and traditional, known and appreciated by connoisseurs.
This post is also available in:
Français
