

🐐 1. Raising Changthangi Goats (Raw Material Source)
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Pashmina comes from Changthangi / Changra goats, found in the Changthang region of Ladakh & Tibet at 14,000+ ft altitude.
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These goats develop an ultra-fine inner undercoat (called Pashm) to survive freezing temperatures of −40°C.
✂️ 2. Combing the Goats (Not Shearing)
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In spring (March–May), goats naturally shed their winter fleece.
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Shepherds hand-comb the goats using wooden combs.
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This process:
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Is gentle
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Keeps the goats unharmed
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Yields very fine, delicate fibres (12–16 microns)
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Each goat produces only 80–150 grams of usable Pashmina per year.
🧹 3. Cleaning and Sorting the Raw Pashmina
The collected fleece contains:
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Dirt
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Coarse outer hair (guard hair)
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Natural oils
Artisans hand-sort the fibre to remove impurities and coarse hair.
🧵 4. Hand-spinning the Pashmina Yarn
Traditionally done by women in Kashmir:
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Using a Charkha (Yinder), they spin the fibres into yarn.
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This is the most time-consuming step and requires great skill because:
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Pashmina fibres are extremely fine and break easily.
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Only hand-spinning preserves the softness and value of authentic Pashmina.
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Hand-spun yarn is lightweight, warm, and incredibly soft.


🎨 7. Dyeing (Optional)
Some shawls are kept natural (beige, cream, brown).
Others are hand-dyed using eco-friendly dyes.
Good dyeing requires:
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Even heat control
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Fibre-safe colors
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Gentle handling
✂️ 9. Finishing & Quality Testing
The shawl undergoes:
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Stretching
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Ironing
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Trimming
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Final quality checks
Authentic Pashmina is soft, warm, feather-light, and luxurious.
🎁 10. Final Product – 100% Pure Pashmina Shawl
Once finished, you get:
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A lightweight (70–140 grams)
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Super soft
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Ultra warm
🧶 5. Making the Warp & Weft
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The spun yarn is wound into balls, washed, and stretched.
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Artisans prepare warp (long threads) and weft (cross threads) for weaving.
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Traditionally the warp is also 100% pashmina (no silk or cotton).
🪢 6. Hand-weaving on Wooden Looms
The yarn is woven on ancient-style wooden handlooms by skilled Kashmiri weavers.
Weaving styles include:
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Plain weave
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Twill weave
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Diamond weave
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Kani weave (intricate patterned style)
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Jamawar (complex designs taking months or years)
A single shawl can take:
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3 to 15 days for basic designs
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Months for Kani or Sozni embroidery
