What is Cashmere made out of?

While the world knows about Cashmere, many still aren't very clear about what the term means. Is it wool? Is it different from sheep wool? What is the history of Cashmere, and when was it introduced for the first time?

When Cashmere was introduced to the world for the first time, it was all pure and natural. In Kashmir, it was a 16th-century Sufi saint, who introduced Kashmiri Cashmere to the world. As manufacturing units were set up in the valley, people from all corners of the world visited the valley. At once, every single person was mesmerized by its feel, look, and the ultimate warmth it provided to its wearer. Gradually the trade of Cashmere started between Kashmir and the rest of the world, especially Europe. Thousands of orders came from France and Scotland, and Kashmiri artisans had more work and much more salaries. The economy grew exponentially, and more and more people started to engage in the process of Pashmina shawl making. Cashmere artisans were one of the richest and most revered people in society.

With time, fraudsters and greedy traders started manufacturing fake Cashmere wraps. Some mixed nylon with pure Cashmere and some sold sheep’s wool in the name of Cashmere. Women who invested in such wraps felt the difference between pure and fake when these new blended wraps lasted for 2-3 years only. The same wraps they brought just 10 years back were as fresh as new. Then comes the same thing is depleting month to month. 

The decline of the world-famous Shawl

The world famous shawl did not last long in its glory and fame. The decline was attributed to the invention of machines as well as fraud in the business. While machines made the production of Cashmere shawls and wraps easier and quicker, fraud in the business led to decreased sales. Soon Cashmere lost its reputation with which it was introduced in the beginning.

With the falling quality of wraps and doubts about its purity, women in the west dropped the idea of buying it from Kashmir. Besides, fashion changed in Europe and women preferred not to wear Cashmere shawls either by removing or replacing them. This was a huge blow to the local artisans, who lost all their wealth, and soon turned underprivileged. 

Hence before you buy a luxury wrap from Kashmir, it is essential that you know everything about it. What is Cashmere, what is it made out of, how does it reach us, all these questions need to be answered, and that is what the following is about. 

What is Cashmere?

While the world swoons over the mere mention of this word, we define what Cashmere actually is, how is Cashmere made and what is Cashmere made of. Cashmere is the down fibre of a rare goat species which is found in Changthang, Ladakh. This wool is handcrafted - spun and woven - to make luxury Kashmiri Pashmina shawls, which have a history of being admired by ancient royalty all over the world. From King Akbar to Princess Josephine - every art patron owned hundreds of Pashmina shawls and even decorated their royal courts with its regal mien. A shawl of Cashmere made of Ladakhi wool from Changthangi goat is the finest in this category, given that these goats are found at many other regions around Himalayas

Note: It was Cashmere which was often draped by Empress Josephine - the wife of Emperor Napoleon. It is still seen in many portraits of her that she absolutely loved the Kani wraps which she owned in a few hundreds. 

Believe it or not, It was Napoleon Bonaparte, who gifted his wife Empress Josephine Kani Cashmere Wrap for the first time. The Empress liked it so much that she ordered a few hundred from Kashmir valley. Since then, it has become a timeless as well as an in vogue accessory, and marked itself in history as one of the most revered and in-demand add-on. 

What is Cashmere made out of?

If you think "how is Cashmere made"?, you are not the first person to wonder. The luxury fibre - is made out of a soft fleece that grows as a down fibre on a rare goat’s body. This goat is known as the Changthangi goat or the Cashmere goat and is found in Ladakh. In the Changthang area of Ladakh, the weather is more than harsh in the winter season, and the temperature dips to -40 degrees. This helps the goat to grow a soft fleece all over its body, especially as a down coat naturally and hence protecting it from the freezing cold days. 

However, as soon as Spring arrives, the fleece makes the cold uneasy, and it naturally starts rubbing its body with coarse surfaces like stones, walls, bushes, trees, thus spreading the wool all over its occupied area. The nomadic tribe, who rear these goats, call for professional help, who arrive with specialized tools and combs. Fine wool is gently combed off the body of the goat, and it roams around again, relieved. 

The process of combing the goats off their fine hair is a very gentle one. None of the goats get harmed, and in fact breathe a sigh of relief. Cashmere is a warm fibre, and hence makes the goat uncomfortable.

Raw Cashmere - Dust, Dirt and Waste

This wool is raw Cashmere and is full of dirt, dust, and the surrounding remains. It has to be cleaned, which is mostly done by womenfolk of Ladakh. Later clean wool is sent to Kashmir, where it is processed and transformed into luxury Pashmina shawls, scarves, and other accessories and apparel. 

Hence "what is Cashmere made out of" is a question that we need to answer tactfully. Cashmere itself is a raw material, and isnt made out of any material thing. But it is acquired from a Goat's body.

Processing Cashmere to Luxury Shawls

Now we know what is Cashmere made from. Processing Cashmere, which is made out of fine goat wool, is a meticulous process. But it is the unmatched skill and expertise of Kashmiri artisans (both men and women)that makes it look easy and perfect. 

The process of transforming wool to luxury shawls begins in Ladakh itself, where the fibre is combed from the bodies of Cashmere goats. It is then cleaned, and a major portion of dirt and dust are separated from it. Later it is packed in small packets and sent to Kashmir for processing. 

As soon as the wool arrives, utmostly skilled artisans from the valley await. It is firstly handed over to women artisan who begin with cleaning again. This is deep cleaning. It includes separating each fibre, and cleaning it thoroughly. Later this fibre is soaked in rice powder mixture, which makes it soft, smooth and strong. This is again cleaned after three days, and handed over to spinners. 

Spinners begin by setting up their wooden charkha (spinning wheel), and mounting the fibres one by one over it. Then, with a perfect rhythm of hands and the wheel, best known to them, they begin spinning the fibre, and hence transform lumps of wool to finest threads. These threads are just 12 to 16 microns, and can even skip the sight of the bare eyes! 

Weaving starts

Spun fibre is sent for weaving, the next process in the making of fabric. Weavers are men, who work together to prepare luxury shawls, wraps, scarves or plain fabric from the spun fibre. The fibres are stretched outdoors, and then post a number of more meticulous processes, and are mounted onto a traditional hand loom. The handloom is traditional to Kashmir, and no other nation has it. One or at times two men sit over the handloom, and process the fibre for a period of 3 to 4 days. This gives birth to the fabric. Shawls, scarves, wraps, blankets, pocket squares, and more are hence prepared by this process. This is an art work which is locally called Pashmina art. Hence Pashmina is an art of preparing luxury shawls, wraps, and scarves from the finest Ladakhi Cashmere fibre. 

This entire process takes from a few days to weeks together, depending upon what is to be processed. Scarves are smaller and take days to complete, whileas, blankets are arge and might take a few weeks to complete.

Ethical or Cruel

The issue of fake Cashmere wraps was still a burning one when another hurdle came in its path. And that was this fine wool being cruel to animals. Many believe that Cashmere production is not ethical and animals die for it. However, any such claim is not true. It is not Cashmere that is unethical, or cruel to the goats. It has been confused with Shahtoosh, which is another kind of wool. Shahtoosh comes from the Chiru goat, which is a wild animal. Hunters of chiru hide at places where the chiru goats come in groups and brutally kill them all. They are later skinned, and their fleece is used to make Shahtoosh shawls. Nevertheless, Shahtoosh shawls have now been banned. 

Cashmere does not have to be cruel to goats, neither get them killed. The reason is that Changthangi goats are not wild, but domestic. Hence professional wool collectors comb off their bodies every season, and the new wool grows in winter again. Besides, the Ladakhi goat is the only source of income for the Changthangi people. How can they themselves kill the goats and stop the only way of their survival?

Cashmere is not cruel, neither do goats die for its production. In fact, goats themselves get rid of this fleece in Spring, and the selling of Cashmere starts during winter. Also, it's not shearing of the wool, but combing the Cashmere fleece gently. Combing does not even hurt the goat, let alone killing it. 

Ban on Shahtoosh

The whole confusion about the ban on Cashmere, or the cruelty associated with it came into existence in the early 90’s, when another wool type was on the rise. It was the pricey and ever-luxurious Shahtoosh wool. Shahtoosh would be acquired from a Tibetan Antelope found over the freezing cold regions of Himalayan plateaus. The antelope would be hunted and killed, and their wool would be acquired in a cruel way. This raised eyebrows on the ethical part of the use of wool, and finally, it was banned after careful consideration. 

Due to the ban on Shahtoosh wool, many individuals doubted the ethical basis, and hence posed questions to its acquisition. But after years of chaos and confusion around it, they finally got answers which were positive in favour of Cashmere producers as well as patrons. It was ethical, responsibly acquired and animal friendly. 

Also read: Why is Shahtoosh banned?

Is Cashmere ethical?

What is Cashmere made from is secondary for some responsible beings. The first thing that comes to their mind is that "Is Cashmere Ethical"? Well, Yes. Cashmere is ethical. It is a natural fibre, its processing is manual, and no pollution-causing machines are used for it. Besides it contributes to slow fashion, in the way that it lasts for more than 20 years. Hence Cashmere is sustainable, and a responsible buy.

Buying pure Cashmere can help uplift an underprivileged group of artisans, who lost jobs to fake and blended Cashmere. Its production supports hundreds of artisans and survives them being the only source of income for themselves and their families. Shopping Cashmere from Kashmir can help make their conditions better, and revive this traditional art of shawl making once again. 

Also read: Pashmina Gifts - A Lifetime of Memories

Buying Cashmere

The ethical basis of Cashmere depends on the originality of it. If your Cashmere is handmade, and acquired in peak summers, when the goat wouldn't feel cold without it. Finding an authentic seller and producer of fine Cashmere is quintessential, as the markets are flooded with fake or machine made pieces. Shopping for Cashmere has to be careful, and one should always keep a few points in mind before going out to buy Cashmere wraps or shawls. 

1. Always shop from authentic sellers who have a good reputation of selling high quality, original handmade pieces.
2. Ask the seller for a certificate of authenticity. This certificate is issued by the Craft Development Institute (CDI), Srinagar, which engages professionally in the quality testing of Cashmere to check its purity.
3. If you are buying a GI Pashmina (Cashmere shawl with a Geographical Indication), check the code on the stamp online. There are sellers who issue fake GI stamps and cheat customers easily. 

Concluding

Cashmere is a lifetime investment. Pure Cashmere wraps last for a lifetime (over 20 years), but only when they are in their original form. Hence the wraps should be purchased carefully to reap the benefits of it. 

Cashmere wraps are 8 times warmer than sheep wool shawls, and hence are a luxury to own. These shawls have a history of being the most revered accessory in the entire world. It is the royals and nobles all over the world who used to cherish this fine wool wrap, and ordered hundreds of the same. Even now, its patrons are exceptionally careful in choosing  a piece for themselves. It is after proper research and careful consideration that they buy Cashmere from the same sellers that they used to purchase over 20 years ago. That is timelessness.