Pashmina
Pashmina is an almost generic name for accessories made from a type of wool that is obtained from a special breed of goat endemic to high altitudes of the Himalayan Range Belt of Asia. The name comes from Pashmineh, made from Persian pashm ("wool"). The special goat's fleece has been used for thousands of years to make high-quality shawls that also bear the same name. Cashmere shawls have been manufactured in Kashmir and Nepal for thousands of years, but the Indians never called them "pashmina". They were popularly called Kashmiri wool shawls. The Pashmina is quite soft.
Pashmina is an indigenous Nepali word which only became popular after the so-named shawls, woven in Nepal, started being popular in the west. What are commonly thought of as pashminas have their origin in Nepal, where the people have a cultural heritage of hand-weaving pashmina shawls with the well-known fringing and hand dyeing.
The most dubious of marketing of "pashmina" is the use of the man-made fabric viscose This is certainly not a true pashmina and will be nowhere near as warm or luxurious as the real thing. Some unscrupulous companies will go so far as to use deceptive marketing statements as "authentic viscose pashmina"! These are often sold for below $15, so you may have to be the judge if it is authenticity, quality, or price that motivates your purchase.
Pashmina collection
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