| ina shawls: If you have seen a truly pure pashmina | | | | in it, then that’s actually fine. A pure 100% shawl |
| shawl, it wouldn’t be surprising if you feel that | | | | is truly exquisite but the downside to this wool is |
| you must have one. The luxurious soft fabric feels | | | | it’s not durable since the fibers are so fine and |
| heavenly to the touch and the workmanship that goes | | | | delicate and only allows the weave to be loose and |
| with it really makes it special. In fact, these garments | | | | open. |
| were considered royal treasures. This unique item can | | | | This is why pashmina shawls almost always have |
| turn your wardrobe from drab to fabulous. If you are | | | | some silk blended into them, commonly 30 percent to |
| intent on buying a shawl m100% pure, you need to | | | | as little as 20 percent for the highest-quality products. |
| understand first what this material is. | | | | Although you can find 100 percent pashmina shawls, it |
| In simple terms, this wool is a rare type of very soft, | | | | is actually recommended to buy a pashmina-silk blend |
| light wool. What makes it rare is the fact that its only | | | | instead because the silk adds durability and sheen to |
| source is a distinct breed of mountain goats that is | | | | the lightness and softness of the pashmina wool. Now, |
| native to the high regions of the Himalayas. It comes | | | | if the seller tells you or the product label says that the |
| from the goats’ winter coat that grows under | | | | pashmina shawl is blended with fibers other than silk, it |
| their bellies, hence, the wool was known as | | | | doesn’t matter whether the fibers are |
| ‘pashmina’ which originated from the | | | | all-natural, you will not be getting a good quality product. |
| Persian word ‘pashm’, meaning | | | | Beware especially of viscose pashmina because |
| ‘underside’. | | | | viscose is a synthetic material which may give off a |
| There is also a lot of hard work involved in making | | | | good sheen but is nowhere near as soft or durable as |
| pashmina. When the goats have shed their winter | | | | a pashmina-silk blend. |
| coats, the coats are combed manually to extricate the | | | | Also, if the seller tells you that its the same as |
| soft hair. Authentic pashmina shawls are handmade | | | | cashmere, consider buying it somewhere else. He will |
| from spinning and weaving the fine fabric to | | | | likely sell you a cashmere-silk blend instead of the real |
| embroidering it – all of these are done by hand. | | | | thing. The two can be hard to distinguish from each |
| That’s why they are very expensive and are | | | | other but they are certainly not the same. One good |
| available in limited quantity. Also, you can only get the | | | | test of a quality garment is that it should be thin, light |
| real thing from Asia, specifically, in India as well as | | | | and smooth that you can pull a full-length shawl |
| Nepal and Mongolia. | | | | through an average-sized ring with no difficulty at all. |
| The seller must be knowledgeable about pashmina. Of | | | | Now that you know all the essentials about pashmina, |
| course, you’ll only find this out by asking | | | | it’s time to for you to start shopping for one. It |
| questions so don’t hesitate to do so. For | | | | will be a great reward to yourself or an extra special |
| example, ask whether the pashmina has other fibers | | | | gift to a loved one. |
| blended into it and if you are told yes, it has some silk | | | | |